Jaafar Touffar: Rapping in the Midst of Insanity
Reports from Other Continents
Jaafar Touffar is a prominent Arabic Hip Hop artist from Lebanon. He has created a unique sound mixing Rap with Ataba (a traditional Arabic musical form) and Folkloric music that couldn't be studied in any formal institution. Traditional poems and Ataba were an integral part of his upbringing. With a backdrop of a country in revolution and economic and political destruction caused by a corrupt political elite, Jaafar has used this platform to speak about the blues he and his people are facing. In this short film, Jaafar uses his music to reflect on the increasingly devastating situation in Lebanon. By referencing his music and talking us through some of his songs, we understand the pain of a people caught in a political situation, not of their making.
Jaafar has two albums, more than ten singles, many collaborations with rappers from all around the Arabic world, and a tight, unique relationship with Palestinian rapper, producer, and beatmaker Osloob. Whenever Jaafar raps, you can expect something exceptional, something authentic that can live on for many years.
A film by The Media Booth. (Producer: Rita Hodroj, Camera Crew: Ali Ghader, Iman Abed, Mazen Mokdad)
Lebanon, 2021
