Kobi Oz reveals a surprising confession at 56: "He is worried about my livelihood"
Singer Kobi Oz, lead singer of the band "Tipex", shared that a supporter of the Prime Minister recommended he avoid expressing political views to protect his career: "I do not belong to that generation of artists that is always waiting for a campaign and therefore it is better for them to be pretty and shut up."
Singer and songwriter Kobi Oz, lead singer of the band "Tipex", makes sure to express his views on social media regarding issues that receive extensive public and media discourse in Israel. Against the backdrop of the extensive discourse on the upcoming elections and the surprising unions in the political system, the musician shared that an ardent supporter of the Prime Minister recommended that he refrain from expressing his opinions lest the glorious career he built over the years be harmed.
In a tweet he published on his X account, Oz wrote:
"What do I answer to a supporter of the PM who disagrees with my views and worries about my livelihood to the point that he recommends I not get into the political shit? I have always been political like my uncles and aunts and also like my father; even as a teenager I published political posts in the newsletter of the 'Noar Oved VeLomed' movement. My songs express an opinion, they are not 'from the UN', I do not belong to that generation of artists that is always waiting for a campaign and therefore it is better for them to be pretty and shut up."
He continued:
"I love Ariel Zilber, I love Amir Benayoun, Rotblit, I love Naomi Shemer and I am glad that they were caring and political even if I did not agree with them on everything. I produced 'Hadag Nahash' which is a political animal, I sang with 'Tipex' 'Push the Button' in the face of all of Europe. We are quite profitable, we sell many tickets and many shows despite, and perhaps because, we have always been open. I am indeed political but not partisan, I have no loyalty to one leader, I have an intellectual calculation of what is best for us."
After emphasizing that he is not afraid that the move will harm him or the members of the band "Tipex", Kobi Oz claimed that "politics is not shit, it is 'Tikkun Olam' (repairing the world)." He views elections as a choice for a house committee, selecting whoever seems to represent him best and work best for his family.
Oz addressed a sharp message to the Netanyahu supporter:
"As a free person who also has a career - I will not harm my freedom of expression just because you are not democratic enough to come to a show of artists who slightly disagree with you. By the way, the gap between my views and your views is very small. It's just that I am not at all enthusiastic about one central politician whom you think is really, really great."
