The Jokes On Jew

My experiences in comedy and rap recently as a Jewish person

I’m a Jewish comedian and rap musician. Over the years I have witnessed first hand with great concern as Jew hatred and rampant antisemitism has seemingly become overlooked and normalised. I’m going to share with you my experiences over the last few months just to give you some insight. I’m posting it here to purge myself of this bollocks and let any interested people have a look. Ultimately, who I am shouldn’t be a threat to my daily life. I’ve even debated releasing this because of any unnecessary heat it could bring on people that are mentioned. Which in itself is not right. Why should I tread on eggshells for people and organisations that actively wish me harm?

Seeing minorities tear each other apart is heartbreaking. Communities in pain have more in common than we think. Love is the answer.

It’s unlikely that those harbouring the views I share below will have second thoughts and reconsider. This is a rambling piece that I hope will encourage anyone on the fence to call this stuff out when they see it. Wading through endless drivel is a tiring waste of energy.

I’ve written articles detailing my experience on the comedy circuit before, and released a rap song serving as a kind of entry level explanation of antisemitism and it’s many contemporay tropes.

Throughout Corbyn’s Labour, I experienced nazi swastikas opposite my local Tesco and many peers minimise and exacerbate an already anxious community. Then Wiley, a musical icon to me and many others, went full anti-Jew and I witnessed the rap circuit for the most part agree with him. You only have to have a quick glance at the many Instagram rap blogs and you’ll be greeted with a sewer of antisemitism and #FreeWiley anytime a similar issue is raised.

As a guest in hip hop and black culture, I would never dictate or tone police fans or artists. That said, I was always acutely aware of the conspiratorial antisemitism, the left wing antisemitism and islamist based antisemitism under the surface. The Wiley outbursts sadly lifted the rock and revealed the racists underneath.

There had been murmurs in the past. Broadcaster Reggie Yates made a comment referencing his relief that Skepta wasn’t managed by a ‘fat jewish guy from north london.’ After which, he decided to step down from his position at the BBC. This in turn caused speculation that Jewish powers that be had forced his hand rather than the fact that he may have been taking accountability for his own feckless comments. 

In recent years, we’ve seen a lot more people talking up about their experiences of discrimination, racism and injustice. More often than not, with a more attentive ear from others. The same cannot be said for many Jewish people speaking up. In fact, the opposite was the case. Being an outspoken Jewish person has certainly cost me work and affected my career negatively. For one thing, nobody likes a whiner. Certain promoters didn’t book me, perhaps seeing a potential loudmouth. I also actively avoid line ups that included notable antisemitic acts, or bookers that regularly repost antisemitic memes or corbynite comedians that have made it clear that Jews don’t matter in their pyramid of privilege. 

I’m pretty sure this also made me less appealing to agents. This is the entertainment business and if the trauma can’t be monetized, then there’s little motivation to back the talent in question. I wouldn’t want to willingly enter the hornets nest either. 

I’m a cultural Jew. I don’t care for religion and think the little hats and weird sideburns are a bit much. However, in times of antisemitic unease, society makes me feel more Jewish. My identity becomes more obvious to me than before, whether I want that or not. 

None of this would bother me if there wasn’t a huge increase in antisemitism that’s plain as day, while I find myself in an industry bending over backwards to represent diversity and ignoring Jewish people simultaneously. I have a minimal platform but I would be dishonest if I didn’t shine a light on the utter hypocrisy I witness on a near daily basis.

For example, here’s me getting taken off a line up for being white. I’ve never been put forward on a line up representing Jews in the name of diversity.

The truth is, being Jewish means I can risk danger before I’d even got to the show. Here’s a text I got from a promoter while doing some work in the middle east. I am literally being told to not mention I am Jewish. Would this happen to any other minority group?

Then things can escalate while I’m on stage. Here’s a recent vid of some audience members totally comfortable shouting out antisemitic slurs while I just have to roll with it. I’ve had shouts of ‘Yid,’ ‘Gas the Jews’ and Nazi Salutes this year alone.

Interestingly enough, during the show with an audience member doing a nazi salute, (another one, not the featured clip,) the venue owner approached me after my set and asked if I’d like the person removed. It actually took me a second to realise what this is in reference to as it had never before happened in my 12 years as a comedian. 

Earlier this year I was in involved in a comedy short for Channel 4 entitled Jokes Only A… Can Tell. It featured Muslim, Disabled, Nigerian, Lesbian and Jewish comics cracking some jokes specific to them. Have a guess which video received outright hatred while the others had pretty much universal positive reaction…

A user literally singing the praises of Hitler there. There’s so much to go through it all just becomes commonplace. It’s desensitising, but my hope is by sharing these examples you can appreciate how overwhelming this must be. We just wanted to tell some stupid jokes like the other comics, but every single Jewish contributor on the sketch saw this coming.

Now on to the present day. Kanye West decides to jump balls deep into some antisemitism of his own. One of the most famous people on the planet shares backward and dangerous views with his 40 million followers. I don’t even want to go into his comments. This is specifically about documenting the reaction to it for me personally.

What follows is my comedian peers and rap homeboys sharing articles on the issue, which in turn brings out all the antisemites in one helpful place. This is under the post of a TV comedian, all over the box and totally comfortable allowing and ignoring a sewer of hateful comments such as these below his posts. (I have hidden the name of the act.)

Look at the total lack of empathy here. The total disregard for anything I discuss, just a response of deflecting and gaslighting. No reflection to consider that this kind of thing might be quite uncomfortable for my community.

Next up, in the rap corner. An artist I have been listening to since 2006. I met him for the first time in 2008. A UK hip hop legend. He posts this.

Now, at the start of this article I shared some of my previous work to highlight these issues. Since that point, it is my belief that the situation is getting steadily worse. The above items are what I have experienced in the last weeks and months. Where is the outcry? Where is the support? I’ve basically given up trying to make anyone give a shit. Here are some recent receipts, I have plenty more. Make of them what you will. Peace!