L.A. Jewish rapper Rami Even-Esh, better known as Kosha Dillz’, has been attracting some unwanted attention lately — from ISIS.
According to Dillz', his website was hacked by members of the Algerian cyber branch of the Islamic State terror group this past week. The hackers allegedly posted anti-American pictures and messages, as well as praises of ISIS.
“I didn't know they cut off websites as well as limbs and heads,” Dillz' told the Jewish Journal is a recent interview. “I think they do anything as a hacker to gain notoriety and stay in the media.”
Dillz' was contacted by members of the ADL [Anti-Defamation League] shortly after the incident. “They knew a lot about the hackers,” he told the Jewish Journal.
The National Anti-Defamation League sent a security bulletin last month warning of similar online attacks on temples and Jewish radio station website in the name of ISIS.
Though Dillz' isn’t sure why he was specifically targeted, several of his tracks include pro-Israel messages. He recently released a song called "No More War" that included music recorded by a soldier during the Israeli-Hamas conflict this past summer.
Dillz’ is no stranger to anti-Semitism. According to CBS, he has been the target to anti-Semitism in the past. He’s used the attacks as “creative fuel.”
“I try not to be scared of an ideology or group of people,” he told the Jewish Journal. “I have never been scared before of personal attacks, so a computer attack is sort of childish to me.”
Dillz’ website, which he uses to promote his music and sell merchandise, is still down as experts work to clean it out and protect it from future attacks.
editor@jewishweek.org
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