Saint Levant Celebrates His Palestine Heritage on “Deira”
On June 7, Saint Levant, a Palestinian-Algerian rapper, released his second album, “Deira.” He teased the album with the release of several singles, including “Deira,” featuring MC Abdul. Born in Jerusalem and raised in Gaza, Levant takes listeners on a musical journey through the plight of Palestinians and his relationship to his identity and heritage.
The album opens up with the weighty track “On This Land,” which starts with Mawtini, a patriotic hymn by Lebanese composer Mohammed Flyafel that, according to National News, is considered Palestine’s unofficial anthem. The song then transitions to Levant rapping introspective lyrics in English, “Our biggest weapon is our family trees/ We didn’t choose to live life overseas/ I hear the sound of bombs in my dreams.” The song packs an even stronger punch as he begins singing in Arabic, and the song fades out into Flyafel’s dreamy Palestinian folk melody.
The album draws heavy influences from West Asian melodies, but it’s not overdone. It's well balanced with the inclusion of other musical influences ranging from contemporary pop to French house music. In the track “Let Her Go,” featuring Cheb Bilal, Levant incorporates elements of EDM and Raï instrumentals to create a cohesive, high-tempo love song.
Deira features several songs that celebrate Palestinian life and culture, as well as songs about Levant’s passionate love affairs. On the track “Allah Yihmeeki,” featuring American singer Kehlani, Levant incorporates West Asian instrumentation, including a “zaghareet,” or a
high-pitched ululating sound, to express a strong emotion (that emotion being love in this case). On “Galbi,” Levant sings back and forth in French and Arabic. The song is a beautiful fusion of faded synths and violins that evokes the feeling of yearning.
The album closes out with the track “Deira.” The song is completely sung in Arabic and sonically draws from Raï or (Algerian folk music). “Deira is the name of the hotel that my father, Rashid, an architect, built with my mother in 2000 when they moved to Gaza,” Levant told Variety. He explained that on July 16, 2014, four children playing outside of the hotel were killed by Israeli rocket fire. Three months ago, the hotel was completely destroyed by bombs.
The track “Deira” and the eponymous album are unlike any of Levant’s previous work, where he raps and sings about past and current lovers over Middle Eastern or West Asian melodies. The album is in a category of its own. It's a beautiful blend of pop, West Asian folk music, French house music and rap that pays homage to Levant’s Palestinian heritage. Following the October 7 attacks, over 37,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the IDF, and about 1.9 millionhave been displaced. Deira honors and celebrates the resilience of Palestinians and their struggle for self-determination. Most importantly, it serves as an urgent call for a ceasefire and a liberated Palestine.
