For GRAZIA’s eighth episode on season two of Preserving Palestine, I invited MC Abdul to join me as we discuss how he became a viral sensation at the age of 11 after posting a video of himself rapping about occupation and war in front of his refugee school in Gaza.
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Childhood is possibly the most important phase of any person’s life, they are the years that develop your character, your tolerance to pain, and essentially determine your future. It is during this time that any trauma you’ve experienced can ultimately shape your life. So what happens when you’re born in the middle of a war? What happens when you grow up to the fear of losing your home and your family at any moment? MC Abdul, whose birth name is Abdel-Rahman Al-Shantti, is the unique exception of what would be expected from any child born under these circumstances.
Born in the 2008 war on Gaza, Abdul was first introduced to rap and hip hop thanks to Eminem, who he calls his idol. “I started rapping when I was nine years old. The GOAT Eminem is the one that introduced me to all of this. I was six years old when I heard one of his songs that I love so much, it’s called Not Afraid,” he tells me. Ironic that a six year old living in a war zone would be inspired by a song about being fearless. MC Abdul seemingly held on to that courage that sparked in him as he grew up, and began to experiment with rap as he would sing and freestyle at school to his friends. “The first stage was me doing covers for famous MCs and famous songs that came out in the golden era. The second stage was when I took some of the songs by my favourite rappers, I would take the instrumental to their song and just start writing to it. And the third stage is here I am, I’m doing my own music and my debut mixtape.”
I get it – the fascination with a lyrical genius like Eminem. Believe it or not, I’ve been a die-hard fan of his since I was Abdul’s age. So when I see the poetic influence, the masterful ability to rhyme, and when each and every word sang is enraged with emotion, I see the resemblance. For most kids like Abdul, a dream of becoming a famous rapper is simply unattainable. Most face so much grief and trauma that they develop post-traumatic stress disorder, like Abdul’s little brother, who he tells me has trouble with speech because of the sounds of bombs waking him up throughout the night. Children in Gaza and elsewhere should be able to wake up to the sounds of birds chirping, not bombs dropping. The smell of breakfast every morning, not smoke. And even with all the trauma surrounding him, Abdul beat all the thousands of odds and got signed by Empire Records. He has amassed millions of views ever since through his songs, where he shares a glimpse of life in Gaza. Take his single ‘Shouting at the Wall‘ as an example.
“The fourth war in my twelfth year
At this stage, I’m numb though I haven’t felt scared
There’s nothing I can do in this case to stay safe, I’m brave
Even though this house could be my grave.”
For now, MC Abdul is preparing to release the remaining songs from his debut mixtape soon, titled ‘I May Be Young.’ He may surely be young in his years, but his accomplishments exceed most people’s wildest dreams. Brave, fearless and powerful. MC Abdul is a Palestinian hero and he still has a lifetime ahead of him to prove it to the rest of the world.
