▁political ▁and ▁social ▁conditions ▁of ▁the ▁region ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁two ▁years . ▁The ▁Arab ▁Spring , ▁in ▁particular , ▁as ▁a ▁revolution ary ▁movement ▁affect ing ▁numerous ▁states , ▁including ▁Tun is ia , ▁Egypt , ▁Lib ya , ▁Sy ria , ▁and ▁Y emen , ▁el ic ited ▁musical ▁responses ▁from ▁emer gent ▁or ▁formerly ▁repr essed ▁hip - h op ▁artists . ▁Iss ues ▁such ▁as ▁pover ty , ▁rising ▁un emp loyment , ▁hung er , ▁and ▁opp ress ive ▁author itar ian ▁reg imes ▁were ▁all ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁polit ic ized ▁messages ▁of ▁hip - h op ▁music . ▁H ip - h op ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁mode ▁of ▁resistance ▁in ▁diss ent ing ▁against ▁author itar ian ▁states , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁tool ▁for ▁mobil ization ▁in ▁mass ▁demonstr ations . ▁As ▁such , ▁the ▁convent ions ▁of ▁the ▁hip - h op ▁genre ▁within ▁the ▁Arab ▁context , ▁provided ▁a ▁voice ▁for ▁marg inal ized ▁citizens ▁within ▁these ▁revolution ary ▁and ▁subsequently ▁trans itional ▁states . ▁Arab ic ▁hip - h op ▁is ▁most ▁typically ▁directed ▁towards ▁and ▁most ▁relevant ▁to ▁youth ▁populations , ▁who ▁made ▁up ▁a ▁substantial ▁number ▁of ▁political ▁actors ▁in ▁the ▁Arab ▁Spring . ▁ ▁H ip - h op ▁music ▁that ▁emer ged ▁from ▁the ▁Arab ▁Spring ▁movements , ▁though ▁directly ▁influenced ▁by ▁particular ▁social ▁and ▁political ▁real ities , ▁trans c ended ▁borders ▁and ▁reson ated ▁throughout ▁the ▁region . ▁This ▁was ▁largely ▁achieved ▁through ▁social ▁media ,