Does Israeli hip-hop artist BooSkills make shakshouka correctly? I can tell you right now, CK’s answer will be “no frickin’ way, my mother makes the best shakshouka.”

But if you’d like to see if the word “Shakshouka” rhymes with enough Hebrew words to be the featured player in a new Israeli hip-hop video, click, play and enjoy.

…but at least she’s entertaining!

Erykah Badu’s recent visit to Israel began inauspiciously last Thursday when she told reporters and Israeli fans that she identified with Palestinian hip-hop and then expressed support for Louis Farrakhan:

The singer, who couldn’t name any Israeli hip-hop artists, said she identified best with the Palestinians and their hip-hop scene, saying they are part of her “tribe” of hip-hop… “They use (hip-hop) as a form of liberation, as a form of pre-resistance, as a form of therapy,” she said… She defended Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, whose statements have been labeled “bigoted and anti-Semitic” by the Anti-Defamation League… “(Farrakhan is) not an anti-Semite. He loves all people,” Badu said. Her next album, “Nu AmErykah,” will be released Feb. 26, the date of Savior’s Day, a Nation of Islam holiday.

Well, Israel is a free country and anyone is free to express their opinions regardless of how un-nuanced, ignorant and ill-advised said opinions may be. Israeli reggae-soul band Karolina and Funset then joined Erykah at the end of the press conference in a black power raised fist salute. Former Israeli black panther Charlie Bitton must have laughed his ass off at the spectacle of privileged, white Tel Avivians doing the Black Panther salute.

But whatever. Entertainers are not judged by their idiotic political opinions. They are judged by their ability to be entertaining and apparently, Erykah put on an awesome show according to our own Leah Stern’s say so and this extremely fawning Y-Net review of the show. So uh… thanks for visiting our country Erykah. I hope you left with a more nuanced perspective of the situation in the Middle East. Also, should you decide to follow up with another show in Ramallah and Gaza, don’t tell them how nice your Israeli hosts were or how Israelis, like Farrakhan, are also greatly misunderstood. Trust me.

The Jewlicious Festival 4.0 Long Beach/LA Concert Series
February 29 — March 2, 2008
Confirmed artists as of Jan. 22, 2008

Moshav • Rav Shmuel • Y-Love featuring Yuri Lane, DJ Handler, & Kosha Dillz • Eric Schwartz aka Smooth-e • Adam Weinberg • Chana Rothman • DJ Eric Rosen & 12 Tribes and more.

If you are waiting to find out who will be playing this year’s Festival, your wait is over. After months of work by a dedicated student entertainment team, and then additional months hammering things out, we have finalized the main line-ups for our two concert stages this year—Main Festival Stage and the Acoustic Stage for jazz, comedy, poetry, and acoustic music.

We have been fans of the energy, which Moshav creates for a long time. Our calendars were in-sync, and we are truly fortunate they will be headlining this year’s Festival Stage. This veteran band recently added the most amazing electric fiddle and female drummer anywhere. Moshav just returned from their tour of Australia, and are buzzing and excited to rock the party that rocks Jewlicious 4.0.

Y-Love, a blogger on Jewlicious, and a force of nature in hip-hop will be joining us for all of Shabbat with
Erez a.k.a. dj handler, the founder and director of Shemspeed (largest, most diverse Jewish music site), Modular Moods (an independent record label), The Sephardic Music Festival and Hip Hop Sulha. Y-love and Erez have been featured everywhere, and Erez made Forward’s 50 this year. In addition, the phenomenon that is Yuri Lane, the Human Beat Box, will be joining Y-love on stage.

Rounding out our main show this year is Jewlicious participant favorite, Rav Shmuel. One of the funniest and engaging performers ever to grace our stage at Jewlicious, Rav Shmuel is back by popular demand with new material for Jewlicious 4.0.

MC’ing and performing some of his hilarious music, the Jewish world’s answer to Weird Al, Eric Schwartz, aka Smooth-e. Last year we had a short cameo appearance by the LA based comedian/musician, and he electrified the crowd with his wit, stage antics, and polished performance. Not to mention he is the only performer to crowd-surf Jewlicious to date.

For the third year in a row, DJ Eric Rosen is back at Jewlicious for the closing out the concert with his live percussion group, 12 Tribes. For over 10 years, Eric Rosen has been a staple in the dance music communities of LA and Orange County. Eric’s beats encompass the entire spectrum of dance music ranging from deep house music to baaleric disco, breakbeats, and classic San Francisco acid house. His mixing is flawless and he never drops the same set twice.

A new venue for our Festival is this year’s Acoustic Stage, featuring acoustic music, slam poetry, jazz and comedy. Here Jewlicious Festival will present new and upcoming talent from around the country. Headlining the Acoustic Stage are two singer-songwriters from the East Coast. Chana Rothman brings Jewish sensibility and positive vibes to socially conscious rock. Her debut album on Oyhoo records did very well among critics and fans. Adam Weinberg, based in Miami, writes and performs instrumental Jewish music and has accompanied prominent musician Matisyahu. His debut album is mesmerizing, powerful, and unforgettable. The line-up of all artists on the Acoustic Stage will include young Jewish slam poets, local LA singer-songwriters, a jazz trio and a comedy review.

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