, ▁Z ine ▁El ▁Ab id ine ▁Ben - A li , ▁and ▁the ▁poor ▁conditions ▁in ▁the ▁state , ▁including ▁pover ty , ▁un emp loyment , ▁and ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁in just ices . ▁Following ▁the ▁suic ide ▁attempt ▁by ▁Moh ammed ▁Bou az iz zi ▁in ▁S idi ▁Bou zz id , ▁Tun is ia , ▁which ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁revolution ary ▁movement , ▁El ▁General ' s ▁music ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁en su ing ▁demonstr ations . ▁El ▁General ▁released ▁subsequent ▁songs , ▁which ▁similarly ▁critic ize ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁called ▁for ▁the ▁end ▁to ▁Ben - A li ' s ▁regime . ▁Con sequently , ▁he ▁was ▁arrested ▁and ▁imprison ed ▁by ▁Tun is ian ▁state ▁police . ▁His ▁imprison ment ▁further ▁prop elled ▁the ▁popular ity ▁of ▁his ▁music ▁and ▁activ ists ▁demanded ▁his ▁release . ▁El ▁General ▁was ▁released ▁soon ▁after ▁Ben - A li ▁fled ▁the ▁country ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁El ▁General ▁is ▁widely ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁musical ▁influ ences ▁emer ging ▁from ▁the ▁Arab ▁Spring ▁and ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁have ▁made ▁direct ▁contributions ▁to ▁political ▁activ ism ▁during ▁the ▁J asm ine ▁Revolution ▁in ▁Tun is ia . ▁ ▁Y emen ▁▁ ▁The ▁hip ▁hop ▁major ▁out break ▁in ▁Y emen ▁is ▁often ▁associated ▁to ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁H ag age ▁" A J " ▁Mas a ed , ▁an ▁American - Y em eni ▁ra pper ▁producing ▁music ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7