{"id":12014,"date":"2022-12-15T09:57:14","date_gmt":"2022-12-15T07:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/?p=12014"},"modified":"2022-12-25T11:21:17","modified_gmt":"2022-12-25T09:21:17","slug":"gultrah-sound-system-tunisias-sound-of-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/gultrah-sound-system-tunisias-sound-of-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"Gultrah Sound System: Tunisia&#8217;s Sound of Freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>This Tunisian neo-reggae group caught our music critic\u2019s attention, and for good reason.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4>Melissa Chemam<\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Underground music, and reggae in particular, have a strong tradition of supporting calls for freedom. From Bob Marley in Jamaic (think about the lyrics of \u2018Redemption Song\u2019) to Tiken Jah Fakoly in the Ivory Coast and Zebda in France, reggae music has carried the demands for political activism, social justice and the rights of the forgotten.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Redemption Song - Bob Marley - Song of Freedom\" width=\"750\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iuLcTPvuH1E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In Tunisia, the band Gultrah Sound System carries that flag.<\/p>\n<p>Founded in 2006 by three friends, Halim Yousfi (guitar, vocals), Wissem Ziadi (violin, choir) and Malek Halim (percussion, choir), Gultrah started with a series of concerts in Tunis, then in Algeria and in Belgium. A decade later, they were considered by many as one of the pioneers of the Tunisian underground music scene, and one of its best bands.<\/p>\n<p>Rooted in reggae, they also mix sounds of afrobeat, funk and jazz. They recorded their first demo, \u201cJazz Fizzenga\u201d in 2008.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe group is very popular,\u201d journalist and editor in chief of Nawaat Media, Thameur Mekki, tells me. Until 2012, \u201cthey were only known in alternative, even dissident, cultural circles,\u201d he adds. Then Gultrah&#8217;s music circulated online, so when they returned to the stage in 2012, \u201ctheir established grassroots base gradually expanded with each show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In 2012, new members joined and with them a new rap-reggae influence. And until 2013, the band released new albums and started touring intensely.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s difficult to produce this kind of music in Tunisia,\u201d Thameur Mekki explains. \u201cThere is a lack of infrastructure. This scarcity implies costliness. And there is no record market. Subscriptions to digital platforms are starting to rise. But [scarcity] is still dragging on, mainly because of an ultra-protectionist monetary policy. As a result, the only source of income for such music is live performance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After another four-year break, Gultrah Sound System came back in 2019 with a new line-up, a double album and an international tour. At the time the Tunisian national <em>La Presse<\/em> wrote: \u201cHalim Yousfi, leader of the group, is undoubtedly one of the most important leaders of the new Tunisian musical scene with his committed words, in their form and in their content, and his sincere and eloquent alternative proposals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Their most recent song, \u201cTejri,\u201d was released in January 2022 via the official channels of their record label.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Gultrah Sound System - Tejri\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wp0OWmleN-Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In this song, \u201cTejri\u201d or \u201crunning in English,\u201d the refrain goes: \u201c<em>You spent your whole life running \/ But you could only get so far \/ The years flew past you unawares \/Enslaved by those in control \/ You spent your life running \/ Same old things on repeat.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>According to Tunisian music researchers, under the Ben Ali regime, music like reggae and all such fusion formats were largely considered politically incorrect, mostly because of the lyrics and strong language, and its association with political struggle.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s obviously why underground bands passionately embraced reggae long before the Jasmine Revolution and even more afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>Carried by the particular voice of their leader, Halim Yousfi, the Gultrah Sound System use humor and derision in their lyrics, to tackle themes related to the daily realities of the human, in a general way, and of the Tunisian in particular.<\/p>\n<p>They sing in Arabic and sometimes add words in English. In their song, \u201cMechin,\u201d they also sample political discourses in English that describe the harsh reality of the poor and their struggle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir lyrics are engaged,\u201d says Thameur Mekki. \u201cThey&#8217;re bold, grounded, well rooted in popular slang.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mechin (trig elli teddi lel mout) by Gultrah sound system\" width=\"750\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F643134258&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxheight=1000&#038;maxwidth=750\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Dealing with the harsh life of \u2018Tounsi\u201d (the Tunisian), the group is anchored in realities alternating gravity and humor to describe and sketch the Tunisian society.<\/p>\n<p>I contacted Halim and he kindly shared with me accurate translations in English of some of their lyrics.<\/p>\n<p>On the track\u201d\u2018Elli tchelou&#8221; the band states: \u201c<em>This one<\/em><em>\u2019<\/em><em>s for those who were snatched right at their doorsteps \/ And haven<\/em><em>&#8216;t<\/em><em> turned up to this day \/ Tunisians are afraid of their own shadows \/ of the treacheries of time, countless are those degraded in prisons \/ This one<\/em><em>\u2019<\/em><em>s for those who died in humiliation and disgrace \u00a0\/ for speaking the truth Tunisians are afraid of their own shadows, \/from the treacheries of time, countless are those degraded in prisons.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Gultrah sound system - Elli tchelou live (high quality)\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U_-t-8WFbSs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Halim is known for his \u201cbig mouth,\u201d which \u201cdoes not mince words,\u201d not hesitating to swear if need be. He\u2019s been praised for his sincerity, his \u201cuncontained revolt,\u201d a provocative side and a great sensitivity. Like many reggae legends, he uses a singing style that is close to hip-hop\u2019s rapping, a mix between speaking and singing.<\/p>\n<p>In the song \u201cJondi\u201d (Soldier), he sings: \u201c<em>They closed every border, shut down every door \/ They divided us, made us believe we<\/em><em>\u2019<\/em><em>re a third world \/ Shia, Sunna and the goddamn Muslim brothers \/ You<\/em><em>\u2019<\/em><em>re trafficking everything away while I<\/em><em>\u2019<\/em><em>m starving to death.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In his paper, \u2018The Language of Hip hop and Rap in Tunisia: Socio-Cultural Mirror, Authenticity Tool, and Herald of Change,\u201d the Tunisian researcher Zouhir Gabsi writes: \u201cBy adhering to the socio-economic reality of the Tunisian street, rappers attempt to claim authenticity in both thematic and language use, and by usurping the power of \u2018space\u2019 from the regime&#8217;s control. With the songs\u2019\u2019 fast-paced rhythms, catchy phrases, puns, vulgarisms, and linguistic innovations that use metaphor, hip hop and rap.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These elements of style, which are often used in Gultrah\u2019s reggae, have definitely struck a chord with Tunisia&#8217;s youth, many friends telling me how respected the band are among progressive voices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTunisia&#8217;s new social reality has allowed Tunisian rappers to express dissent and voice people&#8217;s despair over the socioeconomic and political situation,\u201d adds Zouhir Gabs. \u201cThe language and themes of rap and hip hop music offer a cultural mirror which shows the other side to the reported success of the Arab Spring in Tunisia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Gultrah Sound System is preparing a tour for summer 2023, with a dozen dates in France and Spain, from June to July, including one at the Rototom Sunsplash, the European Reggae Festival of Benicassim.<\/p>\n<p>Despite this year\u2019s climate of threat against freedom of speech, they will certainly not stop performing their messages and calls for social justice, resonating across all the Arab world.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12031\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12031\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12031\" src=\"https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review-450x450.jpg 450w, https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/themarkaz.org\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-gultrah-sound-system-logo-tunisia-the-markaz-review-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12031\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gultrah Sound System&#8217;s catchy logo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><strong>The Gultrah Sound System line-up:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Halim Yousfi: vocals\/guitar<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Kais Fenni: bass<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Tarek Maaroufi: drums<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Wissem Ziadi: violin<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Khalil Hermassi : percussion\/drums<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Edouard Wallyn: trombone<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Chiheb Baazaoui : saxophone<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Mohamed Ben Said : trumpet<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Mohamed Amine Khaldi : keyboards<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Fourat Neffati : guitar<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Melissa Chemam explores the Tunisian neo-rap and reggae group from Tunisia that sings for social and political freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":21200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,29,45,50],"tags":[394,689,798,1406,1443,1454,1728],"coauthors":[2043],"class_list":["post-12014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","category-music-review","category-tmr-27-freedom","category-tmr-issues","tag-chabbi","tag-freedom","tag-hip-hip","tag-protest-songs","tag-rap","tag-reggae","tag-tunisian","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Gultrah Sound System: Tunisia&#039;s Sound of Freedom - The Markaz Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Melissa Chemam explores the Tunisian neo-rap and reggae 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