Channels of Rage Response

As I was reading about and watching the Channels of Rage, I couldn't help but compare the relationship between Subliminal and Tamer to the relationship between Daniel and Edward. In the article by D. J. Dlesk, he talks about the beginning of the rappers relationship and how they set out with great optimism to "transform the Arab-Israeli conflict with hip-hop" and coexist in peace. Although it was idealistic, I do think that its interesting to compare it to the way that Daniel and Edward were able to actually accomplish the same goal, without giving in to "realism." There may be several reasons for the fact that the rappers "failed" and Daniel and Edward "succeeded" in their mission. Personally I think that one of the biggest reasons was age and experience. Subliminal and Tamer were young when they started this initiative. When Daniel and Edward started the Orchestra, they were much older and by default, more mature. Although younger people are generally associated with having open minds, its ironic that the "older" people in this situation were the ones who had an easier time accepting and respecting one another's differences. Another reason for this may also be that Daniel and Edward, because of their age and experience, had grown up in the conflict and knew the importance of working toward a solution in order to give the younger generation the chance to have peace.

It's also important to think about the type of music that Tamer and Subliminal were doing. Rap is by nature more aggressive and one might say, straight forward. They are using words to describe what is going on around them. Whereas Daniel and Edward were composing classical type music with an instrumental orchestra. There are no words and therefore no direct statements made. Their music is open to the interpretation of the listener, and therefore it is accessible to all sides of the conflict. The rappers also faced the interjection of the media and although in some cases the media can be used as a tool to gain awareness, in this case they ultimately were a tool used to tear the rappers apart.

Looking at the conflict through the lens of these two relationships is interesting because it brings a human and personal element to the larger narrative of the conflict. Its important to see that music itself can be a catalyst for bringing different people together but its the circumstances, the mindset, and the attitudes of the individuals that determine whether or not these projects for coexistence are successful.