Interview with Sleiman

Aug 20, 2022

A former gang member shares his harrowing journey from war-torn Lebanon to Denmark, where he faced violence and rejection. After surviving a hit, he left the gang life behind and is now a successful musician with a record deal. He discusses his struggles with identity, statelessness, and upcoming book release.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Escape from War: A Journey to Safety

02:22 • 4min

Exploring Early Musical Influence and Cultural Identity Struggles

06:04 • 3min

Surviving and Thriving in a Violent Environment

09:15 • 12min

Journey from Bumaya to Global Collaboration

21:40 • 17min

Challenges of Statelessness

38:32 • 10min

Discussion on Book Release, Cover Design, and Advice for Aspiring Artists

48:09 • 2min

We had the pleasure of interviewing Sleiman over Zoom video. The violent, compelling debut, co-written with journalist Dart Adams, provides a complex portrait of one man and the various ways in which every social system that was supposed to help him failed him, while also delving into the psychology of immigrant gangs and the young men who fall into them. But ultimately, it's a narrative about tenacity, survival, and optimism for the future. Sleiman was born in Lebanon during the 1982 bombardment and is a Palestinian. His family eventually moved to Denmark, but their new life there was far from perfect. Sleiman was subjected to domestic violence as well as social rejection as a Muslim immigrant. Angry and powerless, he found himself drawn to gang life. Sleiman had dropped out of school and was one of his gang's most feared and revered members as a teenager. He was involved in hundreds of crimes during his peak, but after surviving an attempted assassination, he addressed his demons and permanently abandoned the gang life. Sleiman is now narrating his story in his own words in the hopes of discouraging others from following in his footsteps. About The Authors: Sleiman Nejim is a Danish rapper of Palestinian origin. He is known by the mononym Sleiman. He was born in Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, Lebanon. He immigrated to Denmark as a child and grew up in Askerød, a housing project in Hundige, a suburb south of Copenhagen. He joined the local gang Bloodz and ended up with a criminal record and jail time. After an assassination attempt on him, he left gang life We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #Sleiman #NewMusic #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/