Alongside the causes currently present in public debate (upbringing, education, religious and cultural influences, etc.), Jewish organisations have long pointed to antisemitic lyrics in the German music scene. Even though we regard artistic freedom as a high good, musicians must be aware of the consequences when their lyrics contain antisemitic clichés: by serving those clichés, they contribute to part of the problem in the school playground. How do rappers see their own role here?
The rapper Ben Salomo on this: “I am a rapper and I am a Jew. That other musicians use the victims of the Holocaust and antisemitic clichés, turning them into questionable PR in order to earn more money, is appalling. Of course artistic freedom is important, but as artists we also have a responsibility to watch over what our songs bring about!”
We are well aware that the musicians concerned are themselves only a product of their upbringing and their environment, and that they may therefore not even notice when they cross lines that never had to be crossed. Precisely at a time when a society is under pressure and its cohesion is at risk, everyone – artists included – must ask themselves: within my sphere of influence, am I contributing something for or against a shared, peaceful coexistence? That applies on a small scale and all the more on a large one, and it is called values-based social responsibility.
