Shabak Samech

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Shabak Samech

| image = Shabak1.jpg

| caption = Shabak Samech during a performance in Be'er Sheva, March 2010

| native_name = שבק"ס

| image_size =

| background = group_or_band

| native_name_lang = he

| alias =

| origin = Yavne, Israel{{cite web| title=Beat the Rap | website = Columbia Magazine | url=https://magazine.columbia.edu/article/beat-rap | author= Allegra Panett}}

| genre = Punk rock, Gangsta rap, Rap metal

| years_active = 1992–2000, 2007–present

| label = NMC

| associated_acts =

| current_members = Muki D.
Nimi Nim
Miro
Fuck A
Plompy B.
Piloni
James
Davidi

| past_members = Albert
Assaf B.

}}

Shabak Samech (Hebrew: שבק"ס,שב"ק סמך) (aka Shabak S) is one of the first recognized hip-hop groups to come out of Israel.{{cite web | title=How an Obese Comedian and his Band of Misfits Revived Israeli Rap | website=Tablet Magazine | date=November 12, 2012 | url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/fat-man-saves-israeli-hip-hop| access-date=March 6, 2021}}{{cite web | last=Hadari/Shomrim | first=Ze’ela Kotler | title=‘Black children should be educated, not arrested’ | website=The Forward | date=January 11, 2021 | url=https://forward.com/culture/461910/in-israel-black-activists-push-change-through-art/ | access-date=February 14, 2021}} Their sound is primarily hip-hop, but it includes elements of rapcore, dancehall, ska, and funk.{{cite web | last=Hadari/Shomrim | first=Ze’ela Kotler | title=‘Black children should be educated, not arrested’ | website=The Forward | date=January 11, 2021 | url=https://forward.com/culture/461910/in-israel-black-activists-push-change-through-art/ | access-date=February 14, 2021}} Their sound has been compared to the Beastie Boys{{cite web | last=Ungerleider | first=Neal | title=Who's who in the Middle East rap game. | website=Slate Magazine | date=August 18, 2006 | url=https://slate.com/culture/2006/08/who-s-who-in-the-middle-east-rap-game.html | access-date=February 14, 2021}} and Rage Against the Machine.{{Cite web |last=Gershenman |first=Tomer |date=2022-02-22 |title=Straight Outta Zion |url=https://www.tarb.co.il/straight-outta-zion/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Tel Aviv Review of Books |language=}} The group had two and three vocalists (Fuck A and Miro being replaced by Nimi Nim for their second album, Be'atifa shel Mamatak), two guitarists, a drummer and a bassist. The group placed minimal reliance on beats and samples.

The word Shabak as it is written in Hebrew (שבק) is a misspelling of the Hebrew acronym for the Internal General Security Service of Israel.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}

Timeline

1992 – Shabak Samech original members (Plompy, Mook D., Fuck A, Miro, Assaf B. and Albert) form the band, then called "FFM" ("Floating Fat-Man")
1993 – Assaf B. leaves and is replaced with Piloni. Davidi joins as bassist, replacing Mook E. (who was playing bass at the time). The name is changed to "Shabak Samech".
1994 – Mook D. returns as vocalist, and James joins as drummer, replacing Albert.
1995 – First album, Shabak 7, is recorded in January. First radio airplay is in July, 1995 ("Shin Business" from Shabak 7). The album goes out for sale in September.
1996 – Miro leaves and is replaced by Nimi Nim.
1997 – Fuck A leaves. The second album, Be'atifa shel Mamatak, is released in August.
1998 – Live album released. Nimi Nim leaves late in the year.
1999 – Miro and Fuck A return. The band records C'naan 2000.
2000 – C'naan 2000 is released.
2000 – Shabak Samech disbands. Mook D. goes on to pursue a reggae/rap solo career as Muki.
2003 – Mook D. and Piloni start a record label, Shabak Music.{{cite web|url=http://www.shabakmusic.co.il/|title=shabakmusic.co.il|publisher=shabakmusic.co.il|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050210215234/http://www.shabakmusic.co.il/|archivedate=2005-02-10}}
2007 – Shabak Samech reunite and have a reunion concert. They began a small tour soon after. The fourth studio album, Boom carnival is released in 2008
2012 – Shabak 5th Album, Parra Parra, is released on 1 September.

Band members

File:Shabak3.jpg

=Current members=

Nimi Nim aka Nimrod Reshef – vocals (1996–1998, 2007–present)
Miro aka Amir Yeruham – frontman/vocals (1992–1996, 1999–2000, 2007–present)
Fuck A aka Chemi aka Kfir Artzi – vocals (1992–1997, 1999–2000, 2007–present)
Plompy B. aka Amir Besser – guitars (1992–2000, 2007–present)
Piloni ("Little Elephant") aka Dani Kark – guitars (1993–2000, 2007–present)
Davidi aka Master David aka David Muskatel – bass (1993–2000, 2007–present)
Mook D. aka Danny Niv- vocals, bass (1992-2000, 2007-2010, 2012–present)
James aka Gal Sivan - Drums (1995 - present)