But with faith, though, nobody could see what I am, so I had no problem.”Īlula continues to write songs and even scored “God and Allah Need to Talk,” an interfaith-themed movie. So you know, sure, in America there’s this black and white thing, you have to accept that, there’s a differentiation. “As a Jew, actually not, because you know nobody could see my faith, but everybody could see my face. While he had no trouble fitting into American society as a Jew, it was a little different for him as an African. He lived in New York and in Berkeley before coming to Los Angeles.Īlula says his transition to life in this country was quite easy. Tzadik went free in 1991, when the Communist government was overthrown in a coup d’état.įearing that he would be jailed again, Alula left Ethiopia by foot to Sudan, then continued to Egypt and flew to Washington, D.C. President,” which was taken to be a protest against Communist dictator Mengistu. After his song hit big, Tzadik landed in prison for a year for playing a song at his concerts called “Mr. Alula also plays twelve musical instruments including the piano, guitar, bass, drums, harmonica and kirrar, a harp-like instrument that dates back to the time of King David.Īlula became a pop star sensation in Ethiopia in the mid-’80s with the hit song “Sentahehu,” named after his original Jewish first name, and the name of his son. He speaks eight languages and sings in over ten. His songs have Hebrew, Amharic, Latin and German musical influences overlaid by American hip-hop and reggae. He found her, and lived with her learning Hebrew songs and prayers.Īlula’s music is an expression of the many disparate strands of his life. Alula was teased by kids and elders at the Christian orphanage. Tzadik was taken at birth from his mother because of her religion and did not know he was Jewish for the longest time. Alula was born in a small village in Ethiopia called Alemaya which means: “a place where you can see the world.” Alula’s mother was Jewish and his father was Christian.
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