After investigating the Palestinian-led call to boycott, divest and sanction Israel, US rapper artist Talib Kweli announced on twitter that he would respect BDS. Kweli was supposed to appear in an international hip-hop, funk and groove festival planned for mid-August at Hadera.
“As much as I want to play Israel, I have decided not to in solidarity with Palestinians who will not have access to my show. After days of discussions with many, I’ve decided to try & visit Israel & Palestine with those who fight to end the state of apartheid rather than use my art to force the issue on those who would rather not deal with it.”
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484157171332960257
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484157612817010688
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484157780257828864
Further, Kweli added:
“at the end of the day, whether I agree with boycott or not, it is my duty to respect it as a tactic. Hopefully it works…”
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484384292793896961
Kweli, who is well-known for the political content of his work, proved unresponsive to the usual calls from Israel’s propagandists that ‘music isn’t political’ and that ‘music is above politics’.
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484372093883015168
Other Israeli hasbara agents wondered why Talib would support the Palestinian-led boycott but not boycott Russia or the US.
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484356303980998656
Talib identified three main reasons why he decided to support BDS:
(1) Discussions with members of DAM, Palestinian Israeli rap group.
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484383577610539008
(2) ‘the responses on twitter from BDS supporters were compassionate, measured, informed an respectful for the most part’
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484383811149365248
(3) ‘reading abt Paul Simon recording Graceland in SA in defiance of boycott & how he thought Mandela was a terrorist back then…’
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484384012828278784
Ultimately, Kweli decided “being in solidarity with those who live it would be a stronger statement…”
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484351043308748800
Talib Kweli’s thoughtful, principled solidarity with Palestinians and their call for boycott of Israel is deeply appreciated, particularly at this time when Israel is engaged in a racist rampage of collective punishment against Palestinians, incited by Israeli leaders.
https://twitter.com/TalibKweli/status/484367953526153217
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