For more than 26 years, Tamer Nafar has bent language into a weapon, a mirror, and the airplane’s black box.

In his words: "The world is a crashing plane. I'm not Captain Sully; I cannot save the day. I'm that black box. I'm nothing but that black box. I document, eject seat, then cash out."

From the birth of Palestinian hip-hop to today, his voice has never separated art from truth or culture from resistance.

In this episode, we sit with Tamer at a pivotal moment. As he prepares to release his first English-language album, In the Name of the Father, the Imam and John Lennon (out January 20), and embarks on a European tour starting January 26, he reflects on creation under pressure, the cost of speaking clearly, and why storytelling matters when everything feels at stake.

Beyond music, Tamer the activist uses his platform to raise funds for organizations like Clean Shelter and Resolute RGL. He continues to write, challenge, and provoke through his political op-eds, and he is expanding his literary world with upcoming novels 3Gs and 2 ATM’s.

Hip‑hop taught him to be a fireman in a burning world, not because he can stop the flames, but because turning away would be to burn too.
Links to everything else Tamer:
Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, DAM Facebook, DAM Instagram, DAM YouTube, Junction 48

Artists mentioned in episode:

Suhel Nafar⁠, ⁠Djamil⁠, Maysa Daw,⁠ Rasha Nahas, MC Abdul, Noel Kharman, Nasir Al Bashir, Mahmoud Jrere

Songs referenced:

Rock it like a Palestinian, Change the World For me, The Beat Never Goes Off, JASADIK-HOM, Min Irhabi, Johnnie Mashi, SuperLancer, #Who_You_R, Go There, Al Fashi Mashi

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on December 22, 2025. The facts presented in this episode reflect what was known at the time, but new information may have since come to light. Similarly, the opinions expressed by the hosts were shaped by our perspectives at the time of recording and may have evolved as events unfolded. Please note that engagement with our guests does not imply endorsement, and the views expressed by our guests do not necessarily represent our beliefs, either on or off our platform. What has not changed is our commitment to a just and united future.

Credits

• ​Sponsored by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Albi World⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​Hosts / Executive Producers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amira Mohammed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ibrahim Abu Ahmad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​Associate Producer / Supervising Editor / Audio Mix: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Evelyn Uzan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​Original Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Layan Hawila⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Support her journey as a music therapy student at Berklee
• ​Filming & Editing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nissan Film Production⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​Branding: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sophie Cooke⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​Animation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Santiago Gomez