Residente Drops Video Dedicated to the ‘Massacred Children’ of Gaza
For months, Residente has been directing his fans’ attention to the deadly outcome of the Israel-Hamas war. On Thursday, the Puerto Rican rapper continued his mission by releasing a video for “Entre Los Escombros,” or “Under the Rubble,” his song with Palestinian singer Amal Murkus about the killings in Gaza.
“I wrote this song from pain, in between the bombings in Gaza. I see my son in each of the massacred children,” Residente wrote on Instagram Thursday. “Through music, I try to manage the helplessness I feel of not being able to do anything more than this. The truth is that I do not understand the silence of many fellow artists, it makes me lose hope in humanity.”
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The video, filmed in New York, sees Residente, wearing a keffiyeh, rapping over instruments like the qanun and oud. “Oh Gaza, don’t despair, my people. Your voice is loud. Don’t cry, my homeland. Your tears are precious,” sings Murkus in Arabic for her verse, as the video zooms in on Palestinian children inside the studio.
“The invader is a pig, please understand, because he’ll shoot even if I put my hands up,” Residente raps in Spanish, later adding, “Under the rubble are the cheers of one who shoots from afar, who pressed the red button and didn’t care to look me in the eye.”
In his post, Residente thanked Murkus, who he said escaped Palestine amid the Israeli attacks. “She has a spectacular voice and I worked with her while she was in Palestine… and I also collaborated with a group of Palestinian artists in New York and musicians in Gaza,” Residente told Rolling Stone in February when releasing his album Las Letras Ya No Importan. “While they were bombing Gaza, they were recording and sending the music, which is crazy, and it became a part of the album.”
Residente has been vocal about his support for Palestine, and critical of other artists who have not used their platform to support Gaza amid Israel’s attack. According to the United Nations, more than 34,500 Palestinians have been killed since Israel targeted the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Over the weekend, Israel bombed Rafah, which had been presented as a safe zone for those fleeing. The Israeli government described the massacre as a “tragic accident.” Another 37 people were killed during a strike on the region on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
“It’s important to me, and I see it as part of an artist’s job to reflect back what affects him and not to be indifferent to what happens,” Residente told Rolling Stone. “We can’t be indifferent to these atrocities happening in the world. What’s happening in Gaza is horrible, and so many people don’t understand, especially in the U.S. It’s crazy the way we’re looking at the genocide of thousands of children and mothers and fathers. I don’t know how you can justify it.”
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