the synaptik

The path to hip hop

While for most, medical school doesn't necessarily go hand-in-hand with a hip hop career, for The Synaptik it always made sense. Drawn to rap as a teenager, the Palestinian-Jordanian started making his own music at 17, and by 20, realized he wanted to try to make a career out of it. However, he came from a middle class family in Amman, Jordan and knew that he had to support himself with more than his musical aspirations.

And so he decided to become a doctor as an "alternative." But rap was always there in the background. When he studied for his tests, he there were two screens open: internal medicine and FruityLoops, or FL Studio, an audio workstation.

If anything, he says school helped to fuel his fire. A self-described procrastinator, he made music when he was supposed to be studying. The Synaptik says, “stress makes me prolific.”

The local hip hop scene in Amman

Rapping in Amman, Jordan had unique hurdles for The Synaptik. Although rap is popular throughout the Middle East and has been for some time, in Amman, it comes with a stigma.

“Rap [is considered to be from] East Amman, the poor area," said The Synaptik. "Rock was West Amman, because they could buy guitars."

Because of this association, hip hop shows don't usually draw big crowds and are often held in small clubs in family neighborhoods. Police will be called to shut down events following complaints of loud music. The Synaptik estimates that four out of every five shows end this way.

Other hurdles include the high cost of computer equipment. Facing huge customs taxes, the rapper built his own computer, saving over $1,000. “You have someone coming from Germany and you ask them, can you bring me a motherboard?,” says The Synaptik.

Freedom of movement

His work grapples with ideas around travel and migration, and who is allowed to go where. When it comes to being a musician, The Synaptik sees the freedom of movement as a huge barrier for Arab artists. Looking at events like the Palestine Music Expo, he has noticed that most musicians who were signed to labels or booked for gigs had Israeli passports, as it was easier for them to travel to Europe.

“They can just buy a ticket. Three months before [going to a country], I have to go the embassy with bank statements,” explains The Synaptik.

After submitting his visa application, there is no guarantee that a nation will say yes until a few days before a performance. For someone organizing a festival taking a risk on a relatively unknown artist isn't worth the gamble.