Hadag Nahash ( , ) is an Israeli hip hop/funk band, founded in 1996 in Jerusalem. The band is known for its leftist political statements in many of its songs. Some of the band's songs have been used in protests. Name and symbols The group's name means "The Fish-Snake". It is also, however, a Hebrew spoonerism on the phrase (, "New Driver"), which appears on signs which must be affixed to the back of vehicles driven by people who have just recently received a driving license. The band's icon, depicting a child urinating, comes from a Hebrew idiom loosely translated as I will show you from where the fish pisses () meaning something akin to "I will show you how it's done." Musical style Like many Israeli pop musicians such as Teapacks and the Idan Raichel project, Hadag Nahash blends Western pop music with Eastern elements to create a sound tapestry containing influences from funk and world music. The band notes that although its style is hip-hop-oriented, its music is placed in that section in Israel because marketing executives at the group's label did not know how to classify the band's style, despite it being closer to groups such as the Brand New Heavies rather than Wu-Tang Clan or A Tribe Called Quest. History Hadag Nahash has been a major contributor to the Israeli hip-hop scene, and is presently one of Israel's most successful bands, with eight studio albums released to date. The band's songs call for peace, tolerance and equality, and include political and social protest. Most songs are written by Sha'anan Streett, the band's lead vocalist. On 15 September 2000, Hadag Nahash released its first studio album "Hamechona Shel Hagroove" (, "The Groove Machine"), which was written by and composed by the entire band. The album included well-known songs such as "Lo Mevater" and "Af Ehad," which both featured Israeli singer Mazi Cohen. Hadag Nahash's second studio album, "Lazuz" (, "To Move"), was released on 10 January 2003 and produced by Yossi Fine. The album was an immediate success and sold over 30,000 copies, with hits such as "Gabi ve Debi," "Misparim," and "Lo Frayerim." The song "Bella Belissima" was also featured on popular crime drama TV show NCIS in 2007, creating a path for Hadag Nahash music to trickle in through to the United States and worldwide. The album featured famous Israeli musicians such as Berry Sakharof.