Pages

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Good Company: Experimental / Funk Music Outta Saudi Arabia

 


Re-Volt: what is good company? How many members are you? & how did you all get together to launch this ? 

Good Company: we are an independent group that makes original music for the sake of making music, we are three guys who go by Talal, Mohammad and Khaled.

we we're all friends before we started this and before good company we started this idea of collaborating with other musicians in the local scene , and Mohammed started this soundcloud page called AUX which is based on tracks from various amount of musicians collaborating together, after that all three of us gained this humble work ethic experience separately and brought it to the group with weird experimental ideas coming from 3 different backgrounds embraced with acceptance and the genuine share of loving music.


Re-Volt: Your first EP “Good Company” , how was it received by the public?

Good Company: we were genuinely surprised, we started this with the idea that we we're making weird music that we personally liked and nobody would care for, but it was the complete opposite we were so overwhelmed by the love and support from the people, and that encouraged us to share more and give back .


 Re-Volt: Being in Saudi Arabia and doing the kinda music you doing, what’s the Advantages and disadvantage of that?

Good Company: the big advantage is that everything is raw and the community is kinda Small you'll notice that in a while which is very cool , the disadvantage is mainly the resources available to you as as music lover very limiting stores and material, specially maintenance shops


Re-Volt: You’ve just released your second EP, what’s one major change from this one and the first one?

Good Company: the one major change in this EP from the first one is having a concept , the first EP was more random , more raw and genuine , while the aliens are coming is more well though of during its process but making sure every song still has its theme behind it .


Re-Volt: Love the names you collaborating with, tell us about your collaborations you guys have on both EPs? 

Good Company: Over all each person we collaborated with had a really interesting point of view about music and how to approach it which was cool to see and share , sometimes learn from, shout out to all the people that gave us alot of their time beast amr عمر , ntitled , kali-b , koosh كوووش,  lanky صالح , oyaji big daddy محسن , bayan for making the amazing artwork much love

Re-Volt: What are your dreams? 

Good Company : We just hope we can keep on playing and making music , also the idea of future collaborations and what the future holds for us is very interesting but for now we're just gonna trust the process keep doing what we love.

Re-Volt: What are your thoughts on the evolution of saudi as an art /creative/music scene?

Good Company: its definitely one of its kind and very much growing, specially the last two years but its still in its Early stages and very new to the culture but the future is looking very C major (bright) lol


Check out their latest EP here

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Palestinian/American MC A.Rob Drops an album with 42 Musicians/Producers !!

 





re-volt: How did Hip-Hop get into your life. Did you find it or IT found YOU? 

A.Rob: I grew up in a really diverse city (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA) and Hip-Hop was really popular in my area. It was a staple in my town and my friends group. So I guess it found me, and thank God it did.

re-volt: Tell us about your name A.Rob? 

A.Rob: I made up my rap name, A.Rob at thirteen years old, and it stands for “Always Remember Our Blessings”. I think no matter what troubles someone may face, we’re all blessed and need to count our blessings more often.

re-volt: What are some of the challenges that you face being that you rep Palestine but rap mainly in English? 

A.Rob: It’s tough for Palestinians or any middle eastern people who don’t speak English. I run into a language barrier sometimes. On the other hand, one of my main goals is to make Americans understand the Palestinian story, so I’m glad I can represent my homeland and heritage in front of English speakers.

re-volt: Tell us about your latest album "42"? what inspired that? 

A.Rob: Last year I did a project called “21” with 21 musicians mainly from USA. This year I challenged myself to double that number and expand internationally. It really started with the Big Hass “Lofi beats by Arab producers” video. It inspired me to connect with all these Arab producers and showcase middle eastern Hip Hop, along with musicians from all over the planet on one cohesive album. 




re-volt: 2020 been busy for you, mashalla you released few singles and two albums with "42" and "Abstract Blessings" which btw i gotta tell you "Born For This" is an incredible track.. do you realize you dropping lots of music or do you think people actually will take time to dissect these songs on the album? 

A.Rob: Thank you! I love that song. I definitely realize that I drop a lot of content but I don’t think it’s a bad thing for a independent artist. I record, mix and master all my own music which makes it easier to get material out fast. I think and hope that if I present it the right way and give it time, people will eventually dissect all of the songs.




re-volt: Do you follow the Arab Rap Movement? If so, who do you like listening to? and will we see you feature Arabic rap in your next releases? 

A.Rob: I’m surprisingly pretty new to the Arab rap movement overall. Recently, thanks to you Hass, I’ve connected with some amazing Arab producers like Saüd, Sandhill, Big Moe, Wa3ak, B-Element and more. As far as Arab rappers I definitely look forward to finding artists I never heard about, I’d love some suggestions! Incorporating Arabic rap into my music would be amazing, it’s something I definitely want to do. 

re-volt: Who are some of the MC's that inspire/Inspired you to pursue rap? 

A.Rob: Lupe Fiasco was my idol growing up. His lyricism, intelligence, and the fact he spoke about Islam and Palestine really resonated with me. Eminem really helped me figure out rhyme schemes and technical skills, he’s one of my favorites. More recently, Chance the Rapper and Kendrick Lamar have been my biggest inspirations.

re-volt: What does the family think about you doing hip-hop? and are you able to live off doing only music or you have other sources of income? 

A.Rob: Over the years my family has become more accepting of music as my career choice. As most families, they just want me to find success and be financially comfortable. It took a while but I’m finally able to live off of only music by recording and engineering songs for other musicians. 

re-volt: You've been at it really, i mean if we go to your soundcloud, we see that you dropped an EP 8 years ago "WORD" - throughout all these years, what kept you motivated to continue? 

A.Rob: Man, you really did some digging, thank you for that! One of the biggest motivations to keep making music comes from the people I lost along the way. In 2013, my best friend and fellow MC, Skyler Stewart lost his life. The very next year another great friend and producer, Zach Moore passed away. I promised their families I would keep them living through the music and made it my life’s mission to follow up on my word.




re-volt: You mad lyrical. What pushed you in that direction given that most of the hip-hop we hear now is about fun/party music, where do you stand in the debate of "Real vs Not Real Hip-Hop", whats real to A.Rob? 

A.Rob: Lyrical rap just resonates with me more. I feel like it has longevity and is true to the art, unlike a lot of non-lyrical rap that is short lived and disappears in a year or less. For me, “real” Hip-Hop is powerful, emotional, vulnerable, intricate and definitely lyrical. At the same time I like to have fun and keep a balance of all types of songs, not everything needs to be a heartfelt message.


re-volt: Going back to 42 , what are some of the tracks people been vibin? And how challenging it was to get 42 musicians in one album? 

A.Rob: People really been vibing with “42” so far. A lot of people like “Snapchat” which is a fun party song (I do those sometimes). “How Many” with Sandhill, Mike Nappi and Shefali has really been resonating with people. So has “Long Way To Go” with Saüd and Waheeb Nasan. There’s something on there for everyone so I’ve been getting a lot of different favorites from different people. Thanks to social media it was easier than you may think to get 42 musicians on one album but it definitely took time, persistence, organization and of course a little money.  


re-volt: what’s coming up in the next few months? 

A.Rob: More music videos! I’ll be working on visual art for the “42” album in the next coming months, including a video for “Long Way to Go”. I can’t wait to share them with you and the rest of the world. 

re-volt: what scares you? 

A.Rob: What scares me is looking back on my life years from now and regretting what I did, or didn’t do. I believe in trying your hardest to do what makes you happy every day, because no one wants to look back with that “should have could have” mindset.

re-volt: what’s your dreams? 

A.Rob: My dream is to have my music help people all around the world believe in themselves, get through tough times in life and connect with each other while helping spread the Palestinian story.

re-volt: Tell re-volt something not a lot of people know about you (could be any fact you wana share).

A.Rob: Not a lot of people know I have a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Music has always been my career choice and path, but I think even as an artist education is really important. Never stop learning and growing! 

Any Last Words to re-volt:

A.Rob: Thank you so much Hass! Taking the time to ask these questions, talk to me about music and support my art means so much to me. I'm forever grateful and inspired by what you do and will always appreciate the platform you've laid out for musicians like myself. Much love.

Listen to "42" right HERE 

Friday, October 2, 2020

UAE Based Somali Rapper "FREEK" Announces his debut album "150"

FREEK


After making waves in the Middle East and the UK, through his songs “Wala Kilma” and “Wala Kilma Remix ft. Eyez & Young Tribez”, along with hit tracks “Mush Fathi”, and “Shwaya”; Freek is currently ready to release his debut album “150”. 

Freek is a Somali Hip-Hop Artist, born and raised in the United Arab Emirates. He is considered a pioneer of the Arabic Drill sound and easily paved the way to inspire young artists to rap in Arabic. 

After touring the UK in December 2019, Freek was inspired to write this album, which reflects the current state of fame. The album name “150” represents the fast highway speed limit and was used as an example of his music career for the past 2 years. Album is set to be released first week of January 2021

The album consists of 9 tracks, and will feature Middle East and UK producers as well as major artists. Album cover artwork was designed by the legend CREATIONS OF LA (www.creationsofla.com); his work is associated to ARIANA GRANDE, BIG SEAN, STORMZY, AMANDA STEELE, and IDRIS ELBA. 

An upcoming video of the song “KHALI WALI” from the album will be out on the 15th of October 2020. 

Included in the video none other than one-half of D Block Europe (Currently one of the UK biggest artists), dirtbike_lb

KHALI WALI” was produced by JB MADE IT (Who worked with DRAKE, FRENCH MONTANA, and Fivio Foreign). 

Freek’s wardrobe was provided by the world class brand Qasimi (www.qasimi.com). 

Snippet of the video clip will be released soon




Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Sudanese Group "The Cirxle ⭕️" drops "Almost Home" and It's already a CLASSIC!!



I have so much respect and love for all the members of The Cirxle, they are just doing it right in my opinion. They have just released "Almost Home" that features Eaz Da Bully, AidyProof and Aka Keyz and in my humble opinion, this song is already a classic. I love it. Each of these MC's hit different. I connected with every bar really, related to the lyrics in my own way. Big Love to the Circle!!

Eaz Da Bully, AKA Keyz, AidyProof

Ive asked each MC to send me a quote about the song and they humbly accepted my request exclusively for re-volt:-

"Almost Home to me reflects on my level of comfort. Home is a safe place where I’m most comfortable at. I’m trying to reach that same level of comfort mentally, spiritually as well as financially and I feel like I’m almost there. In my verse I touch on the times where “home” seemed like a thousand miles away." Eaz Da Bully

Almost Home represents a mix of  being almost home by being able to leave home. Basically our environments can be harsh and detrimental to our growth and sometimes leaving is the best way to find your way. I was expressing my desire to get rich not for self but to move my friends and people away from situations that are unfavorable. It’s a feeling that grips me from my hood in New YORK to my hood in Bahry (Sudan ). “- Aidyproof

"In the hook & my verse for Almost Home, the intention was to capture the difficulties of succeeding while being in or from Sudan & also to voice the irony in how people back home want to leave Sudan, whereas Sudani's across the world have a deep yearning to go back home & help out with development. The closer we get to our long term goals, the closer we are to going back home." AKA Keyz

Stream the song on ALL Streaming Platforms right here:- 

The Circle is a group that consists of five artists. Follow them and show support

Much Love to all.

Show Love. Show Support

Big Hass brings together Sudanese Rappers TooDope X T.A for the first time!!





Big Hass drops his seconds single as he brings together Sudanese MC's TooDope and T.A on a track entitled "RASSA". Produced by Sudanese Producer MoSauce, the track is the FIRST collaboration between these two rapper who were able to build an incredible fan base individually, the collaboration started out with a text message from myself to both rappers, after back-and-forth, the rappers decided to go with fusing two beats and i believe they went in-hard!!

"Super proud of this, the guys came in and hey were very excited to work on this and I believe they delivered and this will go down in history as he firs collabo between these two incredible artists, wish them all the best and Its an honor to have worked with this line-up" Big Hass 


"this specific song has been a long-time coming, because its my first collaboration i make with You, first collabo with T.A and first collabo with MoSauce, I love the fact that I got all of you guys on one song, very highlight anticipated song and both of my and T.A's fans have been asking for it, super excited for the song" TooDope 

"Me and TooDope met 2018 November and caught the vibe since then we wanted to work together we just never perfect timed it but thanks to big hass he drove us to this collab a month later and with the amazing Mo Sauce on the beat we came out with a BANGER big shout out to the team work." T.A told re-volt 

Single Artwork was designed by Egyptian illustrator Nora Zeid who has worked with me before on Sudan Cypher, Lofi-Beats by Arab Producers and is one of the most professional artists we have in the region 

Check out the song on ALL-Digital Streaming Services here:-

Music Video is now being shot in Sudan!!
Most probably would be out in couple of weeks from today
Song was mixed and mastered by MaMan 


Friday, September 11, 2020

Swerte From The Recipe releases his first solo song! 🇦🇪🇮🇩



One-Third of the rap group "The Recipe", Swerte, has released his first solo project/song. "Esso" a song produced by Mjeezy and features UAE based-Somali rapper Freek & Indonesian rapper Saykoji. The track blends both the UAE & Indonesia which is something I personally am always with!

Had a quick chat with Swerte about the record, check it out below:-


re-volt: It took a long time for you to release a solo song, salute to you for the career you had/having in music. Take us through the process and feeling about releasing your own work solo? 

Swerte: Thanks! To be honest, I’m kind of surprised myself by how long it took to actually put a song out commercially and it only clicked in my head when I had it uploaded and ready to go before I was about to click “Send” that, damn! it’s taken me 22 years to do this! 

I guess I always felt like I wanted to understand the Industry as best as I can before I released anything that people would pay for. It was kind of a similar process with The Recipe and it took us a long time before we released our debut album but I think that experience helped give me the confidence to do this. Especially with the team that I have supporting this release. It’s been emotional. Starting as a young teen and nearing 40 before releasing something properly.

             

re-volt: how did you choose the artists you collaborated with on this track. What was the reason behind selecting them to go to this new territory for you? 

Swerte: I have so much respect for the two of them. Seeing Freek grow to the artist that he is has been so inspiring and humbling to know that, as The Recipe, we had a small part of that. Saykoji I’ve never actually met but I’ve known him for so long because of his music back home in Indonesia and I learn so much from watching what he does. 

Its super inspiring to see someone be completely independent and make a living the way he does with his art. So when it came to finalizing this track and making it complete, I knew i wanted to ask these 2 artists to work on it with me. The fact that they both said yes when they heard the song only boosted my confidence more so I knew I was doing the right thing leading with this. 


re-volt: bridging Indonesia & UAE together on one track. How did the idea of the track come about and how has the reaction been a far? 

Swerte: I’ve been working on a lot of songs with the idea of bringing my two worlds together. Working with artists from the home where I currently live and artists from the home where I was born and grew up. Both places shaped me and the artists from both homes play such an important part in my life. It’s been amazing seeing the reactions online and especially how people have accepted the track despite it having 3 different languages on it. I hit over 20k plays on Spotify in 20 days which was a huge milestone for me personally. At this age, I’m sure you know how great it feels knowing people appreciate your work in a field where youth dominates and many times dictates whats dope or not. 

re-volt: any exclusive news you can share with re-volt about upcoming projects ?

Swerte: Im working with you!!! We got something really dope in the pipeline that also bridges many borders and I can’t wait to share that with everyone!!

Also got the below quote from the producer of the song "Mjeezy" about working with Swerte:-

“Working with Swerte was such a thrilling experience. I grew up listening to The Recipe and I watched them build the music scene from the ground up first hand. So to be able to be a part of a project like this was such an honor. And to be able to help Swerte release his first single as a solo artist was very exciting. Needless to say that having two legends from the UAE and Indonesia such as freek and saykoji bless the track with their features was an even more mind blowing addition to the whole process. So in summary, I’m very proud of the song and how it came out. And I’m even more proud and thankful to Swerte for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the scene’s history with this joint. Finally, I’m grateful to everyone that’s shown the track love and support and to you (hass) especially, for your constant support of this track as well as all the other great music that we, or all the other artists within the region, put out”


Check out the song below. 

Show love, show support.


Friday, August 28, 2020

Bu Kolthoum in a message of GRATITUDE !



Syrian Artist Bu Kolthoum who is based in Holland at the moment strikes again with a hard-hitter song "Mamnoun" which means "Gratitude" in Arabic". The song discusses many things and maybe gives out mixed signals about his life and his dreams, but the way he did the song was pure genius in my opinion. Maybe he's discussing the Butterfly Theory..Maybe not...

What's amazing is that we have an Arab Artist that ain't afraid to let his emotions out and he finds comfort in the music, music heals him and in that aspect, the music he makes heals people too..

Watching the video and listening to the track, one can see that there are so many references, I see a "lullaby" reference at the beginning, i see a "Mahmoud Darwish" reference with the "Butterfly", I see a "home/country" reference in addition to the mother reference that can also circle back to his "motherland".

Or maybe we are all over-analyzing ... but that art is all about, to provoke thoughts and make us think, sometimes its to shake booty, sometimes its to shake the mind..

Beautiful track, powerful video.

What do you get from it?

Show love, Show Support

Watch the full video below

Friday, July 24, 2020

Arab Femcees




Ever since I started re-volt back in '08, I've always been vocal about the lack of Arab females rappers, so in hopes to just encourage and highlight that aspect, below is a list/database of Arab Females Rappers "Arab Femcees" for you to check out and show love to!


  • Amaani (Yemen)


  • Amy Roko (KSA)


  • Bnya (Kuwait) & Moon (Saudi)


  • Felukah (Egypt/USA)


  • JARA (Saudi)


  • Khtek (Algeria)

  • Little G Fresh (Lebanon/USA)

  • Malikah (Lebanon/Algeria)

  • Manal (Morocco)

  • Maysa Daw (Palestine)

  • Medusa TN (Tunisia)

  • Meryem Saci (Algeria/Canada)

  • Mona Haydar (Syria/USA)

  • N1yah (Lebanon)


  • Nadine (Sudan)



  • NAYOMI (Iraq/Syria)


  • Perrie (Egypt/Morroco)


  • Queen G (Kuwait)


  • Ranoosh (Sudan) 



  • Shadia Mansour (Palestine/UK)


  • Taffy Raps (Egypt)


  • VENUS (Lebanon)


  • Yukka (Egypt)

Moroccan Rapper SNOR is taking us on a VIBE !!


Masked On, Vibes and pure genius video content.
Check out this video & song by Moroccan Rapper SNOR


Sunday, July 19, 2020

Moroccan Rapper ElGrandeToto hits us with "Confiné" | Prod. by OldyGotTheSound




Mental Track! 
The song/freestyle is taken from his upcoming album ROOMTAPE.

Production is crazy!


ABIR, BLOSSOMS WITH “INFERNO”

ABIR (pic provided by Abir's Team)


Moroccan-American vocal powerhouse, ABIR makes a bold statement with her new single “Inferno”, along with a stunning visual that was filmed on location in a desert in Marrakesh. 


“Inferno” celebrates ABIR’s Moroccan roots, while director, Sharif Abdel Mawla, perfectly captures the essence of the “modern Arab woman”, ABIR self-proclaims to be. 

“Inferno” marks the first single from ABIR’s forthcoming EP, HEAT, slated for a late summer release. 

With its kinetic beat and lush string arrangement, the track serves as a potent introduction to the EP’s message of finding strength through self-celebration. “I’m a lot of things a Muslim Arab woman isn’t expected to be,” notes ABIR. 

“What she looks like, what she does, how she acts, how she feels, what she wants . . . The current narrative is uninformed and it’s honestly fucking boring.” 

HEAT sees ABIR infusing modern pop/R&B with the extraordinary sounds of her native Morocco, bridging her two worlds for reasons that extend far beyond simply music. Created in partnership with 2x GRAMMY® Award-nominee Mick Schultz (Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson), the EP is rich with lavish string work, complex rhythms, and commanding melodies, often sculpted with traditional North African instruments. Songs like “Inferno” are gorgeously textured and uniquely powerful, expertly spotlighting the NYC-based artist’s hypnotic vocal presence and intensely personal songcraft. 

ABIR has spent much of the past two years expanding her already-significant knowledge of Moroccan music, notably studying the Arabic scale to better integrate it into her own idiosyncratic take on pop and R&B. 

HEAT represents the culmination of years of growth and self-discovery for ABIR, a remarkable journey that extends to a blossoming new connection with the meaning of her name, an Arabic word (عبير) that translates as “fragrance of a flower.” 

So many things I’ve always talked about doing, I finally got to do with this project,” ABIR says. “I’m so comfortable in my skin, and I just want to share what I represent and what my culture is. I know that we have so much to offer the world, and I’m not afraid to get loud about it.

Show Love, Show Support

Watch Abir's Video below 


Sunday, June 28, 2020

Mesh Hastanna : Where Rap & Illustration Fight for Equality!

Still Frame from "Mesh Hastanna" - Provided by Rama


On June 26th, 2020, Musawah which is the global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim Family, launched a campaign that advocates to reform systems that oppress Muslim women and fights for equality and justice for all. 

With Egyptian Rapper Felukah on the mic & Syrian illustrator Rama on the Animation, the result is "Mesh Hastanna" which means " I Wont Wait" and it's a track that fights for equality...

I fell in love with the track, the music (that is actually produced by Felukah's brother Malik Elmessiry), the animation...

I had the honor to ask Musawah, Felukah and Rama few questions about song/campaign, please find the answers below and show love:-


Musawah: 

re-volt: Thank you for doing this. What inspired you to tackle this issue using rap and illustration? 

Musawah: We have been  advocating for equality and justice in Muslim families since 2009. This year, we launched the Campaign for Justice in Muslim Family Laws, bringing together activists, scholars, policy makers and civil society to advocate for the reform of discriminatory family laws and practices in Muslim contexts

As a knowledge-building movement, we have produced a lot of materials aimed at family law reform, but this Mesh Hastanna project was the first time we used rap and illustration together

It was a learning sprint of sorts, to turn our usual work on its head and come at it from a different angle—of culture, song and illustration—and reach new audiences, particularly young people 
who are engaged and mobilized to change our world for the better. 

We were introduced to Felukah through one of our national Advocates; she was passionate about the project from the get-go, Felukah in turn was a fan of Rama's on Instagram, and so it all came together quite naturally into what you see today!  





re-volt : In what way you think projects like these are needed to start changing minds? 

Musawah: The importance of projects like Mesh Hastanna, and artivism in general, is to inspire people to envision other ways of being and doing. As activists fighting for family law reform, we are coming up against centuries of patriarchal thinking and power structures that don't live up to the trajectory of justice in the Qur'an

The DNA of patriarchy is ingrained into our societies and families, and dismantling it can be arduous, long-term work, in part because it tackles sensitive issues of identity, religion, politics, power. 

But it's not enough to point out how our systems are broken; we have to make spaces and spark conversations to imagine alternatives. So we have to show women's stories in ways that resonate on a deeper level than facts, and that help us to change the discriminatory laws that govern our lives. 

Art, music, poetry, and culture give us other lenses through which to understand each other and the realities we deal with in our daily lives, which is especially crucial for making visible people on the margins and making heard voices previously silenced.

re-volt: it’s been 3 days since the project dropped, how’s the feedback from the public? 

Musawah: The feedback has been phenomenal! People have been playing the video on repeat, wanting to translate the lyrics into local languages, asking for the song as their ringtone and the illustrations as their wallpaper. 

The overwhelmingly positive responses show that this collaboration between Felukah, Malik El Messiry, Rama Duwaji and Musawah has tapped into a truth about gender injustice that resonates with people
It's a testament to the insightful and fantastic work these young artists have put into making this moving video together, and to the necessity of reforming Muslim laws and practices that discriminate against women and girls. 
Rama

re-volt: What was your initial thoughts when you first were approached to work on this project? 

Rama: When Musawah first approached me I was really enthusiastic about their campaign because they represent everything I stand for in terms of raising awareness about taboo issues in our communities and challenging the ideals that we have taken to be as norm in order to create new systems that work with Muslim women, not against them
I was also a little nervous because this was my first time doing a full length animation, but excitement took over nerves and it was a great challenge! I think the amazing vocals of Felukah really made it come to life.

re-volt: How did the illustration come to life, how long did it take you to complete it?

Rama: The animation is 2,500+ frames long and took me about a month and a half to finish the project, storyboard and all. 

Frame by frame animation can be a super time consuming method, lots of people prefer to animate using programs like Adobe After Effects, but to me, the hand made feeling that the frame by frame method creates gives the animation more character and life, so it was worth the labor. 
After listening to the song, I pitched the main storyboard to the team, they helped refine it and from there on out it was just about getting the work done, one scene at a time.




re-volt: In What Way You Think this campaign can make a change?

Rama: I think music and visual arts can each be so impactful and attention grabbing in raising awareness about important issues, so when they come together and intersect in the way that they do in the Mesh Hastanna project, hopefully it’ll create an open dialogue about Muslim women’s rights and shift how people see the outdated cultural norms in our communities.

It’s also really important to me that the project is primarily in Arabic, and Felukah did an amazing job in expressing the issues of the campaign all while rapping and singing it beautifully. 

I’m always in favor of making more content in Arabic because it never feels like there’s enough, and because I’m always cautious about making work that panders to western audiences, when the focus should be on our own communities. 

There are of course English subtitles and (hopefully) a universal visual language because the obvious matter of the fact is, not all Muslims speak Arabic and vice versa, so in addition to the English translations, I added familiar cues in the animation in order to be accessible and speak to not only a wider Muslim community but also everyone else.


Felukah


re-volt: When Musawah reached out to you and told you about the project, what were your initial thoughts?

Felukah: Initially when Musawah reached out to me and told me about the project, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to assist them, or I wasn’t sure I was the “right person” for this. 

The cause hit home, being that I am a Muslim woman myself who grew up witnessing countless injustices to the women around me and learning about the corrupt paradigm we operate in. 

I spoke to my mother who strongly encouraged me to challenge myself and write the song for the campaign— the minute I put myself in the headspace of urgency, calling for change and recollecting the experiences I (and those around me) went through, the lyrics started pouring out. My brother Malik Elmessiry caught the vibe and produced the music for this song.

re-volt: Thank you for using your talent to discuss such a topic. How long did it take you to write the song?

Felukah: I wrote the first draft of this song over the course of two nights, but I’ve been meticulously editing and redrafting the lyrics for precision in Arabic and accurate translations in English, for about three months now. It’s been a largely collaborative effort, the entire execution of this project.

re-volt: In your opinion, how much work needs to be on equality in the Middle-East?

Felukah: So much work needs to be done on equality in the Middle East.. I stand by the notion that revolution begins at home and then extends to the streets, the institutions, and finally can change policy. We need to work on our own wiring, as innovative thinkers, artists, or conscious members of any society that desperately needs change. Once our perspective has changed and we’ve come to view social issues as urgent opportunities to build culture, we develop a closeness with the cause we’re fighting for and wind up seeing it through. That is the aim, in my eyes at least.


re-volt: The song addresses the issue and also addresses the fact that a problem like this wont work itself out.. In Your opinion and as the writer for he song, I believe you already contributed to more awareness on this issue, but as felukah, what are the steps needed on ground beyond music to eradicate such mentality?

Felukah: That’s a good question. I definitely don’t think these deep-rooted issues in Muslim societies will just magically fix themselves, and I also recognize that it’ll take the combined, collaborative effort of everyone involved (and even everyone *not* involved) to speak up and create enough momentum to instigate real reform. 

Looking beyond music, what this entails is internalizing ideas of assertiveness and confidence in women, highlighting the efforts of men who are supporting the deconstruction of corrupt institutions/ideals, and emphasizing the importance of community building and solidarity. The more we can empathize and learn to see each other fully, the more this reliability will carry over to other facets of life and move us (collectively) to pursue the ongoing fight for equality.

Watch the full video below and stream it on Music Platforms, 
let the voice and actions of this campaign reach, push it, be LOUD about when you do so...

Super salute and love to Felukah, Rama, Malik and of course Musawah for putting this together. I am truly inspired..





Musawah is the global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family. Since launching in 2009 in Malaysia, Musawah has built a knowledge-based global movement, bringing together activists, policy makers and scholars to challenge the ways Islam is used to justify discriminations against women in law and practice, and to offer a rights-based discourse and framework to advocate for equality and justice for women and marginalised groups living in Muslim contexts.
For more information on the Campaign for Justice and to join our campaign, visit www.musawah.org/campaign-for-justice.