PALESTENIAN RAPPER "ILLIAM" RELEASES HIS FIRST ALBUM ENTITLED "BEFORE BED"

After many collaborations and singles since 2018, Palestinian rapper who is based in Qatar released his FIRST Official album on 10th Dec, 2019 on Soundcloud and then it was released on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Anghami, etc...) 

I just finished listening to the full album for the first time, and from the get-go, one can feel the passion this kid has for rap. A lot of discussion on mental health and also incredible punchlines. He is not holding back and lyrically he's discussing many things but the one highlight for me is the fact that "space" is where illiam feels at home. Space has no gravity so you always floating right? In one of the lines he actually says "... I am scared that the planet might not be enough for my imagination" 

My favorite song is "Cinema", from the first second till the last, he kept me engaged... "Bkhaf" is also a song that is getting a lot of love.

Let me know whats your fav song and why?

Love the album! Listen to it below

Show Love. Show Support

Narcy debuts a song for Baghdad on "AlBasheer Show"

Ahmad Al-Basheer is an Iraqi comedian, journalist and director. He is most prominently known for creating the television program Albasheer Show. After he began broadcasting in 2014, he became one of the most famous comedians in Iraq.

Yassin AlSalman, also known as "Narcy" is an Iraqi/Canadian Artist who we been following here at RE-VOLT since we launched in 2007! It has been amazing to support him/cover his news/be inspired by him.

With the revolution in Iraq currently going on with 350+ killed and thousands injured.. Narcy wrote a song for Baghdad and its nothing short than SPECTACULAR !!

The song is produced by the "Spear Of Arabic Hip-Hop production", Iraqi producer Sandhill, whose production impacted myself and many others.

To have a song like this debut on a show like "Albasheer Show" is just incredible. The show has a huge following and is viewed by many around the world but especially in Iraq. Narcy has always been an artist where you can feel his love for his homeland. Despite him performing mainly in English, one can tell his passion for Arabia and his country Iraq by watching his videos, he even did a whole "Arabic Album" which you can find below...




Check out the video and show love.

مقابلة سريعة مع الرابر "اليام" | Re-Volt Interview Illiam

Quick chat with "illiam"

Malikah's 'I am Fighting" | A Testament to Patriotism Reborn

With the people rising up in Lebanon and demanding a change in the government. Artists are also trying to be involved in what they do best. A series of unified protests against the current government have somehow restored the faith of many in their country. 

For Lebanese/Algerian rapper "Malikah" meaning "Queen" in Arabic, it has been an incredible journey. First time Malikah stepped on stage was in 2001 and she overcame that stage fright and she converted that fear to power and she has been doing it since 2001 !!

Malikah 

Malikah just released a track to show love and solidarity to her home country Lebanon, entitled "I am Fighting". The song was actually written 2-3 years ago when some "revolutions" took place in the Arab region but she never really found "her place" to talk about them but LEBANON is a different story since its her country, 
" I recorded new parts, added new lyrics" Malikah said to have it adapted to the current situation. Malikah goes on and tells Re-Volt
" I never even dreamt that something like that would happen to Lebanon, I lost faith, but this movement somehow brought back a lot of hope, and that's why I wanted to support this revolution with this song which means a lot to me..."

Check out the song on Youtube
Song was produced by Fredwreck
Video done by Raed Al Murish 

** Song is also available on Streaming Platforms (Spotify, Anghami, Deezer, etc..)

Bu Kolthoum strikes again with "Jouwana"

“SHAOLIN’S FREESTYLE” is the first single off the up and coming mixtape titled “NALA” by Dubai based creative, ekay !!

ekay (formerly known as Reem Ekay) is an unconventional artist that dubs herself as a Neo-Soul Rap-head and credits the likes of De La Soul, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and the Roots as some of her early influences. 

Born into Hip-Hop and raised as a spoken word poet, ekay uses a freestyle approach when creating music and draws inspiration from her raw emotions as well as color. 

                   

    

Her creative approach and conceptual projects showcase her soulful sounds, strong lyricism and visual narratives

ekay just released her first project under Rogue City Entertainment, entitled “Shaolin’s Freestyle” produced by Zenden Lavon!

Her new release is a sultry soulful ode to the Wu-Tang Clan where the female might intertwines with the ruckus of love.

Track is produced by Zenden Lavon, Creative direction by ekay, Brought to life by Amir De Leon, Captured by Young Habiti, Featuring Cyrus Izibili, Mastered by J Ulster and Presented by Rogue City Entertainment

Check it out below and also ALL streaming platforms 

When asked about the single, ekay said "This all started with Zenden, me and a mic. He sent me a beat pack and the 3rd track immediately caught my attention. I started freestyling off the dome and the rest is history." 

Zenden Lavon: "Loved working on the project . It was a lot of fun". I always enjoy putting on the producer's hat and creating music with other artists." 

Zenden is also an incredible performer and someone who will have a huge impact in the near future. Catch the "Buckle Up" interview below. 

I had to ask about Rogue City Entertainment and Lisa Tripp from RCE gave Re-Volt the below quote:

"..Marcus and I look to create a label that truly puts the artist first and becomes a household name in the music business on a global scale. 
Right now we are working really hard to expand the careers of the 5 artists that we have. It takes a lot of time and dedication and we treat all artists like our family. 
While we aren't signing any artists at the moment, we certainly will look to expand the family as the company continues to grow in its success."

Rogue City Entertainment as a label that focuses on management and artist development. ekay, Zirra and Zenden are part of that family and we are super excited for what is to come.

"Hold Me Down" Title of the Debut EP for Egyptian-Malaysia based Produced "77"

'Hold Me Down" EP Artwork 

There's a certain feeling of satisfaction when I'm able to spot talents at their early stage or when they drop their first album/EP/song. Im a big believer that if something impacted me that I want to support it. I don't wait until that artist really "makes" it and that could be a good or bad thing. I just trust my instincts and go for it. Supporting someone with a talent is NEVER wrong and that's always been my approach since 2007 till now. 

Yesterday, I heard a new EP dropped by Egyptian producer "77". He is 19. Born-raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and currently in Malaysia pursuing an education in sound engineering. His name is Mahmoud, and his parents calls him "7ooda" and he chose the name "77" as an "artist/stage" name simply because he saw the number "77" everywhere and he took that as a "SIGN" ... 

When I asked him about his debut EP entitled "Hold Me Down", he had this to say: "...this is very special to me because as an individual, I always felt that something was holding me back from achieving what I want whether it is making music as an Arab or taking on the challenge that our society/culture refuses to accept or support. Especially now more than ever we are living in a generation where there is so much negativity being passed around"

I personally support such a theme and the fact that he's 19 and took that step is something I want to salute him on. He goes on and say "While creating "Hold me down", I slowly began to accept that I am the one that is holding myself back, the fact that I let all these things get into my head really shows that it is all up to me whether I will let that stop me from chasing what I'm really passionate about or not. After finally accepting that, I have given myself the freedom to do what I want knowing that there is nothing holding me down."

"77" at work 

".. Nothing is holding you down but yourself! A huge shout out to every individual that was involved in this project for believing in my vision and for expressing their feelings towards this topic through a creative process!" 77 told Re-Volt 

Listen to the FULL EP here and it features few artists that I personally love like , Keyz from Sudan, Felukah from Egypt and Acequared from Jordan + many others 

I personally enjoyed the full EP, the journey I took, I had a 40 min drive and just put it on! and from the intro, "77" was able to take me through that journey of "Self Discovery" and that life might throw certain challenges your way but that's the way you will learn. I loved the production. I loved how simple/yet complicated they are. In terms of rappers, I salute "77" for choosing the names he got. I enjoyed it and I recommend you giving this a listen...

Show Love. Show Support.

Iraqi-Kiwi Dubai Based Rapper I-NZ drops his FIRST EP | Dollars & Dinars

Iraqi-Kiwi artist I-NZ whose real name is Majid, just dropped his first EP just a year following the release of his viral YouTube video ‘This Is Iraq’, a remake to ‘This Is America’ by Childish Gambino.

The EP titled ‘Dollars & Dinars’ is now available on ALL streaming services. As a Kiwi born in Scotland to Iraqi parents, the cultural diversity is evident throughout his music,

The 8 track project is reflective of I-NZ’s current headspace as he addresses aspects of his personal life alongside various social injustice and political subjects.

The EP carries a dark and mysterious theme throughout yet still offers head bobbing moments by way of quality productions from A’Y and Prince Q.

There are couple of tracks that I really like on the EP, I like "Geppetto" and "Ellah Billah". I think I-NZ style challenged the producers which results in something kind of unique. It will be interesting to see how the Dubai Hip-Hop fan base react to this EP especially that it has "Vibes" but also there are important lyrics/songwriting that addresses issues that people in Dubai/region might not care about or want to get away from.

I-NZ has since been creating music that aims to bridge his Eastern roots with his Western upbringing. He does that in his own way. I still want to see what he has for the future and can't wait to get to know that EP he just dropped a bit more. 

Give it a listen. Show Love. Show Support 

Full EP, hear it HERE

I-NZ

Mazzi & Tac : They Met Once in Dubai and BOOM, An EP is now LIVE!!

EP Artwork (Designed by Tac)

It's surreal to witness this project come to life. I've know the fam "Mazzi" since I launched the blog, way back in '07. We have always remained in contact and throughout my journey, he has ALWAYS showed love and support. Just last year, he was passing by the UAE and we connected and I was telling him about SOLE DXB and he got really intrigued and knowing him, he really fell in love with the idea of being in Dubai and witnessing this Cultural Hip-Hop festival. So, 3 months later, Mazzi made it to SOLE DXB as part of the Def Jam crew that was coming with Dani Leigh.

Last year, I was blessed to have a "Radio Booth" at Sole DXB, I called it "THE BEAT" and it featured 8 Rappers, but when I found out Mazzi was gona make it, I had to add him to the mix and watching all these rappers spit on various beats was a blessing
(Mazzi, Tac, P.Storm & Swerte (The Recipe), Jaysus Zain, Menon, Moh Flow, Freek and Malikah) 

Mazzi, Tac, P.Storm, Swerte, Jaysus Zain, Menon, Moh Flow, Big Hass
(Missing in the pic: Malikah and Freek)
Pic by Hitesh Dewasi

I found myself introducing Mazzi to the community and one of those artists was Tac and to see that they now have a project together makes me super happy. I asked Mazzi how did this whole project see light, this is what he said :- 

"..Stepping into the SOLE DXB cypher, I immediately sensed the immense talent around me! 
Dubai has an array of artists with unique styles! One person who stood out was a this kid Tac! He was young, lyrically gifted, & hungry! 
Soon after, I got a chance to build with him & saw that our styles would definitely compliment each other... That led to us mutually & organically deciding to record an EP on my next trip to Dubai! 
We completed it in two days, & spawned “S.O.U.L. Broke Forever”! 
Hope you guys enjoy it! Looking forward to further collaborations out there! YALLA!"

Tac 

I had to also ask Tac about that collabo and he had this to say: 
"no disrespect to anyone I ever worked with, but there's only a handful of rappers that give me a hard time on a record, and man... Mazzi?? He up there.." adding that when he met Mazzi in that Sole Dxb Cypher, the EP was born then.. 
a YEAR later its a reality and its LIVE!

The project is now ONLINE and you can hear it HERE


What's admirable and amazing is that ALL proceeds/profits from sales go to the Kenya Community Centre For Learning 
which is a special needs school in Nairobi and this is how Mazzi has been releasing every single project/album and it's amazing to see this collaboration with a Dubai-Based Artist. 

I want to thank both artists for collaborating, it is somehow a bridge, Tac is an Egyptian-UAE based rapper and Mazzi is American-Iranian based in NY. Its just beautiful..

I Love it. Show Love and Show Support.
Stream it, Download it. Push it.

Let's go TAZZI ;)

"We are Staying Put" , Sudanese Artist TooDope talks politics with his latest song

TooDope

I appreciate artists that use their platform to reflect a certain reality or truth towards a situation that is on-going in their homeland. 
One of those artists is TooDope whose latest single doesn't shy away from addressing a situation that happened in Sudan. 

With a beat that mixes Jazz and Sudanese sampling, TooDope's voice and Arabic lyrics hit home because they are very simple yet POWERFUL. He made an impact.

I asked him about the song and this is what he said " Sabbinaha is a Sudanese melodic revolutionary song I made in support of the Military Headquarters Sit-in that took place in April 6th until the the 3rd of June when the Janjaweed militias along with the support of government forces dispersed the sit-in in what can only be described as a massacre. I consider this song a landmark for me personally, because it highlights a switch up in genres going from hiphop & trap into Afro-fusion also it was the very first song I wrote that is fully in Arabic except for literary 1 line" 

Matkhalesh Hada Ayesh: The Synaptik crushing labels with his ‘not exotic enough’ approach

Artwork of the song by @sick.g

Nearly ONE year ago, Jordanian rapper "The Synaptik" released an album entitled "Om Al Mawjat". Album already considered a "classic" in Arabic rap. A movement that I am proud to support personally since 2007.

I been very vocal about supporting our youth, supporting the voices that actually portray a certain truth to what's actually happening on ground and just 4 days ago, The Synaptik dropped a song that i felt so emotionally attached to, a track that actually voices some of the things Im very passionate about. 

I went all nuts when I heard the track, loved every lyric, loved the beat and the whole message behind it. There's a movement of Arab rappers working really hard but it seems that their efforts are only viewed by a "niche" of people in Arabia but I believe this is about to change and the sound of truth and creativity will break through.

The song is called "Matkhalesh Hada Ayesh" which somehow translate to "Don't Keep anyone alive" and when I asked The Synaptik what did he want to address with this song, he gave me the below quote that I would like to share here on RE-VOLT : -

"... I wrote this song after the Palestine Music Expo, where there were foreign bookers looking for "exotic" Arab artists,  I felt like there was a huge margin of artists being ignored for not fitting the orientalist version of Arab music being pushed to the western audience, so I wrote this song as a statement that we as local artists that are not exotic enough for a western crowd, we have something to say, in fact we are the majority" The Synaptik told 
re-volt.

Very powerful indeed and something to think about. The song is on YouTube + all major streaming platforms. 
Track Produced by Bittar & Ameen

Show Love. Show Support.

Come Back from "Little Brother" with ‘May The Lord Watch" Album !

Little Brother are an American hip hop duo from Durham, North Carolina that consists of rappers Phonte and Big Pooh. 

DJ/Producer 9th Wonder was an original member of the group but departed in 2007. 

& Now, Phonte and Big Pooh have released their "May The Lord Watch" album, their first since 2010.

I been listening to the album since it dropped Aug 20th, 2019 !! and I keep saying every song is something. What a project. What a journey. Its beautiful to see what Phonte and Big Pooh would say about the album and the process. 

I just think its amazing they took that much time to put something out to the world that is 100% classic. I feel this should be somehow put in a "time capsule" so that future Hip-Hop generations would get a taste of how hip-hop should sound like.

You wouldn't believe that there was a 9 year break!!! 

Do you think this is what Hip-Hop needs right now?

What are your thoughts of the album and what's your favorite song?

Show Love, Show Support.

DIZASTER VS BROTHER BULL (VIDEO OUT) - THE ARENA #ArabBattleRap

Brother Bull Vs Dizaster (The Arena) 

On August 18,2019 , the Arena held a Battle between Dizaster and Brother Bull 

Video of this battle is now out and being circulated around the web with people reacting to it and even non-Arab speakers are just loving the vibe or what they feel from the visuals/actions from the scene.

I salute Brother Bull for accepting and going with this battle, it ain't easy standing in front of a Battle legend like Dizaster and actually holding your own which is really something to be celebrated. 

He Exclusively gave Re-Volt a Post-Battle Quote :-
"The battle was something I was looking forward to. I couldn’t write as much as I wanted to because it was on short notice and I was preparing for another battle already, but that pushed me to deliver a round with as little filler as possible. After the battle me and Diz talked and we both had a lot of respect for each other especially when we saw how much we prepared for each other. I think preparing for your battle opponent is the highest form of respect in this subculture." 

Giving the fact that the FIRST OFFICIAL BATTLE that took place at the ARENA was in 2015, 4 years later the league has gained popularity and a reputation. Some really amazing battles went down. I salute the grind and hustle from the Arena team , because it's not easy at all running such a platform especially that Battle Rap is not really that understood in the Arab region yet! but The Arena is for sure making a change here..

For me however, personally, I do believe that the highlight of this battle was at (9:26) - I do believe the whole battle after that changed and became in-favor for Dizaster because of what/how he said what he said.

Watch the full battle below and show love and support 
Who in your opinion won this?

Fans are now requesting a Battle Between Dizaster and Syrian MC "Al Darwish" - Will we see this battle take place?

Al Darwish , Dizaster 

Qahwah Con Leche: Hip-Hop on a Coffee Break !

I am a big advocate of using samples that represents a culture, so when two cultures collide, its a beautiful day for me...

Qahwah Con Leche is the collaborative instrumental album by music producers Thanks Joey & El Bles. The album is an ode to their mutual love for coffee, culture, & vinyl where their two worlds collide using Middle Eastern & Latin influences. 

“Qahwah”, Arabic for “coffee” represents the two Producer’s roots in their respective cultures heard throughout the album in their choices of Latin & Middle Eastern samples. “Con Leche” or Spanish for “with milk” is the bridge between East meets West, where their influence of Hip-Hop Culture is evident and deep-rooted.

They just released the first single from that album entitled "Qahwah Con Leche" - Check it out on ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS... 

More power to the brothers. Lovin this. Put this on and just drive or chill, whatever you end up doing, be sure you will be transformed to a place filled with positivity, creativity and culture..

DIZASTER SET TO BATTLE BROTHER BULL IN THE ARENA - BEIRUT (LEBANON)

GREAT NEWS FOR RAP BATTLE FANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST !!

THE ARENA which is The Middle East's 1st Official Battle Rap League based in Beirut, Lebanon has managed to organize a Battle Between DIZASTER & BROTHER BULL that will take place in AR_KA on 18th August as part of the SCUM Week Festival 

"We tried setting up a battle between Dizaster & Kalash , but unfortunately that didn't work due to Kalash working on his album which we respect, however, Dizaster has always been up-to-date with The ARENA Battles and he checked out the battles online and decided on Brother Bull" Chyno who is the Co-Founder of The Arena told RE-VOLT.

And when asked about how did The Arena Launch back in 2015, he said:

"... I think Im just a huge Rap Battle fan, I been watching Battles for a long time. In 2015, Dizaster contacted Edd Abbas for a battle, that was Diz idea to make that battle happen and I was working on content, doing lots of videos and this is when Edd Abbas contacted me to shoot/create video for the Battle. I did a page on FB, but the whole idea was jumped started by Dizaster and Edd Abbas inclination to accept his invitation for Battle.."

Make sure you Subscribe to The Arena YouTube Page and show love. They have lots of amazing battles and the Arab Rap Battle Culture is really taking off.

Who do you think will do better in that Dizaster Vs Brother Bull Battle? Leave your comments and Tag @BIG_HASS & @THEARENAME on Twitter 

UAE Based Rapper "KAFV" releases his debut album "AKSHUN"

I've known this brother for a while at least online, I've always appreciated his style and patience. KAFV which is pronounced like "Cafu" as the Brazilian Football team captain, is a UAE based rapper that just dropped his debut album.

Khaled Fouad came to the UAE when he was 4 years old. He started professionally rapping/releasing songs after he graduated in 2015 "Chemical Engineering" degree. "Rapping felt natural and me since day one, everything about rap feels natural" KAFV told re-volt

KFAV - Pic by Waleed Shah

AKSHUN which is his debut project took a whole year to finish, mainly because he wanted to learn how to produce/record himself. The album consists of 7 tracks spanning various sample sources and various lyrical themes but one artistic style, that of KAFV and KAFV only. 
Drawing influence from his life and his surroundings, he compiles this piece of boom-bap hip hop into something akin to a cinematic experience in audio form which is also reflected in the Album Artwork (Hand Painted on Canvas). 

Check out the whole album below on Bandcamp, its 
"Sample Heavy" in addition to some crazy wordplay in there.

Enjoy & Support 

SUDAN GETTING READY TO SHOWCASE ITS BEAUTY AND TALENT VIA HIP-HOP

This is just AWESOME NEWS! Sudan has always been about talent and creativity. I love everything that is coming out of Sudan. My Sudanese brothers and Sisters ... I SIMPLY LOVE YOU! This is an exciting project that we looking forward to.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Proof⭕️ (@80proof79) on Aug 2, 2019 at 11:06am PDT

 

I had to reach out to the fam Ahmed Hamad (known as Aidyproof) and get a statement from him on the project and here's what he said to re-volt :- 


"A 249 Experience, is a compilation album featuring 17 cuts from Sudanese artists from Sudan and around the world. It’s objective is to highlight the vast amount of talent our community has to offer. It was birthed during the early stages of the revolution by myself (Ahmed Hamad aka Aidyproof) with the help of some of the artists on the project. Notable artists Bas, aka Keyz , G salih , too dope and many more . It’s a message to the hip hop world ...249 is coming ! " 

Stay on the look out !!
8th August,2019. Sudan will take over 


** UPDATE** ALBUM IS OUT & ITS BANGIN' - Check it out BELOW + ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS 

DAM - EMTA NJAWZAK YAMMA

Palestinian Hip-Hop group DAM. They been active for a while, since 1999 I believe and when I got into blogging in 2006, I found myself following them and their journey. What I love about DAM is their statements but in a "sarcastic/comical" way - very powerful.

About 5 months ago, they released the below track/video entitled 
" Emta Njawzak Yamma" which translates in a way to "When Will You Marry my son/daughter?" 

Discussing marriage and the pressure that could be on both females and males from older generations to get married but in a sarcastic/cool approach.

Check out the full video below.

Kuwaiti Duo Sons Of Yusuf Strike Back with "Ma Nesaina"

Saudi Producer "Saüd" set to release his Second Album !

Artwork by : Marwan Shahin

Very excited to share the below Q/A with Saüd , who I have became a fan of since he dropped his first album last year. He has showed re-volt and me personally lots of support and I am so proud of him. The album that he's about to drop is so dope and is truly is a "Bridge" and a connection between East and West. I personally liked how the "beats" somehow matured even more on this one and I am a big fan of the names that were involved. 

Album will be released on Streaming Services and on Soundcloud 

I leave you with the interview below...
Show love, show support...


RE-VOLT: Before we start talking about the new album, your first album "013-310" was dropped in Sept last year. What has been the most memorable part of that journey? 

Saüd: The most memorable part of that journey was definitely the process of creating records with a diverse group of talented friends and putting it all together. The reaction and feedback I got from a lot of people, and most importantly, the love and support that I received from all over the world was an incentive to keep me going. Also, the bonds created and the people I met along the way are ones that I will forever remember and be grateful for.

RE-VOLT: Tell us about Brij Ent? 

Saüd: B.E is my entertainment and distribution company based in Los Angeles, California. B.E is all about bridging music and culture and having people from all over the world collaborate and create timeless art. It is also an active process of incorporating sounds I hear from different moments and experiences. In the future my bigger plans for B.E is to expand in the Middle East and build music production houses in Saudi Arabia. The reason behind this vision is to find ways to develop artists, build their brands and prepare them for the current industry standards and global music scene. Additionally, creating masterclasses with professional singers, rappers and songwriters to learn the ins and outs of the process of music creation. The talent in our region is undeniable and so precious that we have to do everything right from the start. 


RE-VOLT: And now, your SECOND Album,  which you were kind enough to reveal to re-volt is entitled "Follow Me Home" Who does it feature? When will you release it? Will we see more Arab MC's in this one? Spill the juice. 

Saüd: I would rather keep the names as a surprise my brother. But in the meantime, 
I dropped 2 Singles from the album already, 
- Cassidy and Cerdafied entitled "With Me Or Against Me" and I also dropped another one featuring pre kai ro and 24hrs entitled "Follow Me Home", go check them out. Album will be up on all platforms 16/07/19 

** Update 

@TheNarcicyst , @Royceda59 & @TalibKweli on ONE TRACK! Out when @saudd013 drops his album!
16 JULY 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/9XxHHzs33N

— BIG HASS (@BIG_HASS) July 11, 2019

RE-VOLT: I have to ask you about that amazing Album Artwork, We love it. What did you want to convey through the artwork?
   
Saüd: The artwork by Marwan Shahin is a depiction of both my worlds. My life in California for the past 7 years and my identity as a Saudi and what I really represent. 
I wanted to convey that it is so important to be proud of where you come from and represent your roots to the fullest. My life in California polished me as a creative and I owe it to the people out there that paved the way for me and helped me understand the process. But at the same time, if it wasn't for me growing up in Saudi, my family and my friends, my perception of music and life and my approach would be completely different.

Saüd

RE-VOLT: Do you feel "restricted" in anyway being a Saudi Producer that does this kind of production - which is not something a lot of Saudis are used to hear? 

Saüd: In my opinion, we are a country of tastemakers which is why I don’t feel restricted at all. On the contrary, a lot of Saudis listen to various styles of music ranging from hip-hop to heavy metal. We have so much influence mainly because of how active we are on social media and all online music platforms. The youth is definitely more open to exploring what music they like instead of what they are forced fed to like. 

RE-VOLT: Last time we chatted, you mentioned few names as artists you admire from the Middle East, would you want to add any additional names?

Saüd: 

Narcy: The first Arab hip-hop artist I’ve listened to together with my brother Omar Offendum. Both are pioneers in this Arab hip-hop movement. Both are legends in my opinion and their names should be mentioned every time anyone discusses Arabic Hip-hop. 

- pre kai ro: in my opinion is ready to take over the global scene anytime soon. Timeless sounds, beautiful melodies and incredible songwriting.
- Sizer is an amazing DJ and is finding his sound as a hip-hop artist! Great talent! 
- Freek is killing it! He created his own lane. Amazing melodies and great energy in his music! Absolutely love what he does. Drill music just bought a new house in the UAE. 

- Keyz reppin Sudan to the fullest! He is an incredible lyricist and such an energetic and humble dude and I believe he has so much potential and will be something big real soon.

RE-VOLT As a producer, do you feel that a rapper/singer should do music that connects with his/her people in order for them to be successful?

Saüd: I believe that success in music comes when you connect with ALL people. If you make specific songs about specific issues, it’s cool but it will only take you so far. People love music that is fresh and relatable. Give them that, and once you’re on, connect with your people and pay homage.

Saüd with Dj Ali Dawood from Radio Bahrain 96.5 FM

RE-VOLT: Some artists in MENA region feel that their music is universal, but at the same time, they can’t leave MENA, how can they approach that while doing music? 

Saüd: With the rise of the independent artist movement, it really does not matter where you come from as long as the music speaks. In today’s music business, the internet and cutting the middle man (label) from the equation has made it so easy to distribute and market your own music to a worldwide audience. It is really up to the you to choose the preferred target demographic, setup a budget and market to them.

RE-VOLT:  Curious Question about your joint BEIT SH3R with Offendum on "013-310". How easy/difficult was it to convince Offendum to get on this beat, especially that it might be a bit different that the beats we are used to hear Offendum on? 

Saüd:  On Beit Sh3r, Omar and I felt that the beat actually screams Offendum. He was actually pretty excited to jump on it right away. Omar is one of the most talented songwriters/poets that I have ever encountered. Not only is he willing to try out new things, but he embodies every beat I send him.




RE-VOLT: What attracts you in a rapper? His flow? Words? personality? how can some of the rappers reading this get on your next project. 

Saüd : Talent, work ethic and humbleness. They can always reach out to me on my email as I am constantly seeking local talent. 

RE-VOLT: Any Last Words for Re-Volt?

Saüd:  The Journey to my second album has been a crazy one Hass. I can't wait to share this music with the world! Shout Out to everybody who worked on this album! I appreciate each and everyone of you! And thank you brother Hass for always supporting the Arab music scene and showing us all so much love!