Excerpt:
Berlin rapper Massiv, formerly known as Pit Bull, was born Wasiem Taha to Palestinian immigrant parents in the German town of Pirmasens in the Rhineland region near the French border. Fifteen years ago, the now 28-year-old moved with his family to Berlin to launch his career. Massiv's "Blut gegen Blut" (Blood for Blood) album, released in 2006, firmly established him as a powerful force on the German rap scene.
After being shot in January 2008 under mysterious circumstances on the street in Berlin's Neukölln neighborhood, home to a large number of immigrants, Massiv landed in the headlines again. Whatever the motive for the crime, Massiv's star continues to rise as one of the few gangster rappers Germany has to offer.