Syrian Artist/Producer "Da MoJaNaD" Changes his name to "Ayham" & is working on a NEW ALBUM!

 

Ayham

"I've had a great career as a producer, but one of the main reasons I changed my name from Da MoJaNaD to Ayham is because when you ask people about the "Production" they know its Da MoJaNaD, and I wantedthe people to know that I also sing, I am an artist and hence why the name change " Ayham on the Buckle Up with Big Hass show talking about his decision to change his name.

The Artist/Producer, wants people to get acquainted with "Ayham" as he is trying to push more arabic into his style, not only in production, but also in the way he sings. He is gearing up to drop his album and he has so far released ONE song from this album and it featured Syrian Rapper "MOUDYALARBE" titled "Ma Malet" - The Album is set to have 6 Tracks & is currently being released as singles..(The name of the album is yet to be announced..) but Ayham is building his artist character with every single that drops! And he is very passionate about using Arabic Instruments in his music, "..rather than getting a Kick/Snare, I'd rather get a "Derbake", My vision is to highlight Arabic music more & also I always say "Speak your emotions..!"

Ayham wants to do what Da MoJaNaD couldn't do/did not do and it feels its the birth of a new artist! Da MoJaNaD has worked with so many artists/rappers, one of the highlights of Da MoJaNaD career was working with Palestinian Artist Big Sam on the album "KAZAB" which dropped back in 2020!

Moreover, Ayham is expressing himself in a different way now and with the support and management of SHBB Collective , he feels he has found himself again and is super excited for what's to come!

When asked about his dreams, Ayham replied back saying .. "I just want my friends, SHBB Collective to be proud of what I am doing.."

Follow Ayham's Journey via his YouTube Channel here , and his IG right here

You can watch the FULL interview here

Bless & Peace!

FELUKAH: EGYPTIAN FEMCEE SAILING HER WAY THROUGH NEO-SOUL

Felukah (Pic by fotometro__) 

First time I heard "Felukah" was on a record that was produced by "Prodby77" who is an Egyptian producer based in Malaysia  - I was so impressed and I remember feeling also proud. She has a very unique vibe and there was something about her that made me believe in her & also show love and support.

I reached out for an interview, I sent in 17 questions!!! I really appreciate the time she gave me & Re-Volt, this is how the convo went, Show Love & Show support and get to know this incredible artist


BIG HASS: I gotta start with your name "Felukah", I know that your mom helped come up with it, tell us that story and since we talking family. How does your family feel about you doing music/hip-hop? 

Felukah: I was sitting with my mom in our balcony back in Cairo bouncing stage names back and forth when she thought up Felukah. We were looking for a word in Arabic that would be easily pronounced in the West—the philosophy around the name unfolded organically after that. 

Just like a felucca that’s sailing along the river, I want to embody an ebb and flow in my verse. Artistically and psychologically, I choose to stay open and explore where the wind takes me… it’s a very peaceful paradigm that I write in. 
Even if the emotion I’m grappling with is unkind or unpretty, the paradigm itself is rooted in authenticity and nature. 

My family sees the depth in what I do and have come to support my music career. I also work a lot with my older brother who co-produces and mixes my music; my sister helps manage me. We’re floating a very homegrown boat. 

felucca

BIG HASS: I love your poetry voice if that makes sense. You have a unique way of expressing words. You are from Egypt, but moved to the USA in 2017. I really am interested to know, If you didn't move there, would you be able to still pursue music in Egypt? 

Felukah: Language is my first love. It was my high school English teacher who introduced me to the power of poetry; it damn near unlocks pockets of your consciousness. I’ve been consistently writing poetry since the 9th grade, partially because of her. Only when I moved to New York City did that poetry evolve into rap music. I was around a lot of hip hop and was discovering my own sense of self in the freedom of a city with close to zero judgement. What’s mad cool is going back to Egypt and placing myself in the scene there, with the same identity and material that I’ve built in NY.

BIG HASS: Your track "Purple Philosophy" released in 2018, is one of my personal fav, love the references and the words, flow you used... can you take us through the process of you writing that and what is the sort of feedback you been getting on this specific song? 

Felukah: That’s crazy that your favorite track is off my first project! I don’t pride myself too much on the material in Battery Acid, I was just familiarizing myself with the idea of writing to record. “Purple Philosophy” does stand out to me however, it’s the first track I ever put out. I still work within the same framework; purple philosophy like I’mma be deepest shade of blue and still get loud as f*** I never wanted to be cool. It’s essentially the idea of welcoming highs and lows as part of a greater rhythm. I also shoutout Faten Hamama and Fairuz, who are two very important women in history. I got good feedback on the song when I dropped it on Soundcloud and that pushed me to keep creating.

 


BIG HASS: Correct me if Im wrong, you do have 1 EP + 2 Albums, How do you see you have evolved from 2018 till now? 

Felukah: I consider Citadel my first album and fully conceptualized project. I started getting closer to my sound in the Yansoon EP but hadn’t yet unlocked any signature flows or motifs. The most exciting thing about making music for me is the process and evolution of it all. To have grown through the manifestation of a feeling or an idea - that’s the trippiest, most beautiful thing. 

BIG HASS: Like i said, i love your story telling approach, I also respect and love the fact that you don't wana assign a certain genre to your music. How did that come about? 

Felukah: Because you're right, people tend to always put artists or even other people in a "BOX" and Label them, so being Label-Free is something I am totally with, how did you reach that conclusion? As a poet (and also as an air sign), I guess I see an openness and fluidity to things. We wake up every day and enter systems that perpetuate singularity and a digestibility of sorts, so we end up trapping ourselves under labels. Artists I admire like Solange, Noname, and Tyler, the Creator toy with genre just enough to keep their sounds fresh while maintaining the same essence. I believe in hip hop, I embody neo-soul and my mind works like jazz. Nurturing these different musical callings is essential to me.

Felukah (Pic by Fotometro)

BIG HASS: Name some of the artists you are currently listening to/getting inspiration from? 

Felukah: I’ve been spinning a lot of Tierra Whack and Joey Bada$$, while also taking inspiration from regional artists like Shabjdeed, DAM, and Egypt’s own Abyusif. 
My pallet changes on an almost weekly basis, but constants like Common and Erykah Badu can be found in almost every playlist I make. 

BIG HASS: We have an amazing Arabic Rap scene, but at the same time, there is a HUGE lack of women representation. What are your thoughts on that? and maybe even discuss why do you think it is the case? Is it traditions/culture? Is it that Hip-Hop is not really understood in Arabia...? Thoughts.. 

Felukah: Yes there is a severe lack of female energy in the Arabic rap game right now, but that’s destined to change. It may have been seen as taboo or risqué to be a female rapper at some point but embedded in our culture is storytelling and folklore. If you look at it that way, we were born with material for the mic. I think having more women in the industry in Egypt and surrounding Arab countries will definitely enhance our collective sound emanating to the rest of the world. 

BIG HASS: When you get on the mic in live events/open mics and you say you're from Egypt. How does the crowd usually react if they found out? and what has been the most amazing feedback you ever got? 

Felukah: People in the audience usually go through three phases of shock when the news first hits that I’m from Egypt. First it’s the fantasy built around the land, then it’s the fact that I’m rapping in English, then it’s the realization that I’m actually switching between English and Arabic. I like to keep people on their toes and I plan to incorporate more languages in the future. Someone once told me they’re learning Arabic on Duolingo to be able to understand my lyrics. That took me to the moon in my feels. 

BIG HASS: In terms of collaborations, what's your latest collabos, future ones, who do you wana collaborate with? Love that collabo with "Prodby77", maybe tell us how did that come about? 

Felukah: Most recently I was featured on Dena Anu$ka’s track “Caught in the Moment,” and am currently working on a record with Mvrs and another with Timmy the Nomad. Dig all their sounds a lot. I also have crazy material with rapper/producer Tuyme that we haven’t pushed yet. And that collab with 77 and Mo Sella was fire. Heard the beat and I fell right into it. “Kemia” was the only way to describe that feeling, having chemistry with the beat, and we ended up using that as the title. Dream collabs include Little Simz and Sampa the Great. 

BIG HASS: Your latest Album "Citadel" is incredible. Been listening to it! and Im so proud of you! How long did the album take to finalize? Your track "Ask The Birds In Cairo" Ft MC BolBol is super dope as well. love the collabo, love the English/Arabic, love the theme... + Tell us about the themes you discuss in this album? 

Felukah: Thank you! I started working on the album in December 2019 and decided to release it in July; many told me to take more time and get better mixing/mastering done. While I do agree that the project could still use some fine-tuning and potential remastering, it marked my evolution at that point and opened doors to multiple collaborations thereafter. Producers got a sense of what I was going for and now we can make moves in a far more intentional and grassroots fashion. As hinted at in the track “Ask the Birds in Cairo,” the entire concept behind Citadel rests on a notion of growing, building and taking true flight. The intro to the tape is a literal blueprint that introduces different themes of general elevation that the rest of the tracks highlight. Women’s empowerment, cultural representation and a lowkey profound silliness are themes I value deeply and definitely focused on in the album.

BIG HASS: What would you say is the most "Underrated" song you ever did? (A song that you personally thought it would do better, but it didnt)?
Felukah: Honestly “Whereto From Here” is my most underrated song. Verse is so fast and the beat is mad groovy, shoutout Rageh for hooking me up. I like my faster flows that incorporate lazy hazy hooks and I hope people catch onto that pattern soon. 

BIG HASS: Who are some of your favorite Arabic Female Musicians at the moment? 

Felukah: A lot of female talent on the rise. Dena Anu$ka just put out a wavy EP called Honey and Cream. Lella Fadda, Kilma and Peri are all about to launch. I’ve been blessed to perpetually find myself around divine, creative female energy. I can’t wait to work with each of them and inspire more women to hit the studio. 

BIG HASS:The fusion in your music is natural. One can see that, what has been the most challenging thing you have faced artistically? 

Felukah: I do like fusing languages, genres and concepts in my work. It actually hasn’t been challenging from a production standpoint; I think and feel in this way so I’m just staying true to my process. The difficulty might be in how people receive the material.. But I don’t make music for streams or followers. I drop bars and then see where they circulate.

BIG HASS: Are you getting support from Egyptian Media? If so, please shout them out because we want to highlight them too

Felukah: It’s cool to see independent production companies raising the heat in Egypt. I worked with DROOGS on the visual for “Ask the Birds in Cairo” and sat with them for a dope interview session afterwards. More recently I collaborated with Vybz to create this next project. They’ve also been the coolest team -- very hard working.

BIG HASS: What are you currently working on? Would love to see you in Dubai very soon performing maybe for THE BEAT DXB!!!? 

Felukah: 2020 starts this month for me. My first trap song “The Daughter” comes out on Monday (10th Feb'20) alongside a music video directed by the brilliant Seif Omar. I’m also cooking up an EP and outlining a collection of vignettes/short fiction for a book. I want to keep my place in literature in the written word. Books and records for the win. I’m trying to come through to Dubai mad soon! 

BIG HASS: Before I let you go, I need you to tell of few names we need to check in the Cairo Music Scene. Who you into? And If people can take ONE THING only from your music, what would it be? 

Felukah:Definitely peep Wegz and Molotof. We also have a scene for progressive rock, led by the band Sublunary. Kilma has an experimental sound and is definitely one to check out. If there’s one thing I want people to take from my music it’s the beauty of lyricism. I want to be remembered as a thinker and a poet. Nas reacts never calmy on a hype track - but we might. I’m getting spiritual on trap beats and switching flows while staying lo-fi. I’m learning the universe through verse of my own and I’m psyched to have people on this journey with me.

BIG HASS: Any Last words, Any Shout Outs, Please Go! 

Felukah: Shoutout to all the women artists in the MENA region who are searching for a reason to release their music, share their visual art or pursue their creative passions. Believe in your seat at this table. The world is listening.

Follow Felukah & Show Love

Q&A with Amal Murad | A Pioneer in the UAE Parkour Scene

On August 11th,2017, I was honored to host TEDx Fujairah. I was truly inspired by the speakers I met that day and also by the amazing team efforts from he organizers. There was some inspiring speakers and some incredible entertainment that took place. One of those speakers was "Amal Murad". My first impression of Amal was that shes very energetic, passionate. Amal is a pioneer as she is the first Emirati female parkour instructor. 

Below is a quick Q&A with Amal about how she started and what does parkour mean to her. Check it out & also at the end of the interview, check out the link of her TEDx Talk..


Q: How did you get into Parkour. Was it a specific video you saw, a friend? tell us. 
Amal Murad: Since childhood, I used to play video games like 'tomb raider' where the woman lead character would be doing all kinds of cool stunts. Being the daredevil myself as a child who had climbed over to the neighbors' houses and found a path to avoid getting caught by the dogs, I've always felt that I had that side of me. However, I didn't understand what "that side" really was until I could give it a name almost 20 years later. It was when Xdubai started sponsoring two parkour athletes. That is when I was introduced to the sport and had finally started appreciating what possibilities there were. 

Q. You've always said that parkour somehow "Liberated you" - Can you expand more on that? What were liberated from? 
AM: I've always considered sports as a way to release pent up negative energy. Not only is it scientifically proven that exercise gives out endorphins, but to me its more about the way you feel after a dedicated workout. Parkour especially allows you to express yourself through movement. It isn't about jumping over buildings but more about what you find yourself capable of doing when you set your mind on something. 

Bar, we finally meet again! 😭 I'll be announcing something exciting soon so keep an eye out these couple of days ❤️ @gravitydxb

A post shared by Amal (@leap.of.hope) on Aug 14, 2017 at 8:03am PDT

Q. Parkour for you is a way of life. What is/are the main misconceptions if any about this sport? 
AM: I have heard that parkour isn't considered a "real" sport and that it doesn't do much for the body. People tend to underestimate just how much endurance, cardio, strength and explosiveness is required in parkour. We use legs for jumping and balancing, arms for climbing and hanging; truth be told, its a full body workout but the best part is that you don't feel it is. 

Q. You were part of an incredible campaign by "Nike". Tell us about that opportunity. How did it happen? & what is the message that they were trying to convey? 
AM: It was such an exciting opportunity because Nike approached us and wanted to know the struggles we faced as Muslim Arab women in sports. When we initially spoke to them, it was on a very superficial level where we discussed attire and that we had to wear more layers but the dialogue got much more personal. We then went to discuss the reason why we were afraid to even practicing a sport. Almost all of us said that we were afraid of what people would say about us. That is the mental wall we all have and continue to face on daily basis and only we are the ones who are capable of overcoming that wall. 

Q.  How important is the support you been getting from your family? 
AM: I can't stress enough on how important it is to get support from the people you love especially your family. It truly makes all the difference. I am never an advocate to go against your family to do something but more of trying to prove to them over time that you truly are passionate about something.

Q: At any point during your journey. Did you feel like giving up & if so, what did you do to overcome this? 
AM: Yes, when I broke both bones in my forearm. It truly broke my spirit because I felt like that was the end of the road for me. However, that is when your true strength is tested. I feel like it was a good time to reflect on what I have accomplished and whether or not I had the faith to continue. It's about remembering that everything happens for a reason and you have to trust the process. 

Q. What's your dream with Parkour? 
AM: My dream is to encourage more women to try new things in life and to not be afraid of diving into something they love.

Q. You were one of the speakers at TEDX Fujairah. Tell us about the experience of being on a Tedx Stage? & how did the crowd react to your talk?
AM:The experience was overwhelming in the best kind of way. I never expected the crowd to cheer as much as they did. It truly showed me that there are so many people out there going through the same things I am and that we're all in this together in trying to figure out what our purposes are. 

Q. Any last messages/shout outs.. go ahead. 
AM: Shoutout to Big Hass who was the MC during tedxfujairah. He truly is one of the most uplifting people I have come across in a long time. I remember how he hyped me up before my speech when I was nervous and I couldn't be more grateful.


**Watch Amal Murad's Tedx Fujairah HERE

Talk Thru || A project that allows you to dive into a stranger's life

Couple of weeks ago, I was happy to meet Sara & Roba , the women behind the project "Talk Thru" and had a great time talking to them on camera about random things. I loved their simplicity, I loved the questions and I want to thank them for having me on their channel.

I have always believed that "normal" citizen are our true heroes. The ones that don't get a lot of exposure. What I mostly loved about meeting them is I actually got to know MYSELF a bit more and that's incredible.

Go Support them. 

These are the episodes. 

Usually their interviews are 5 min and less but I am a RADIO GUY! kept talking and I just want to say to them .. "Great EDIT sisters!" ;) 

Part i:

Part ii

Interview with French/Algerian rapper Médine | Video SOON!

Big Hass Interviews "Father" Of Hip-Hop DJ Kool Herc on Laish Hip-Hop? MIX FM KSA

KOOL HERC FIRST APPEARANCE  ON ANY ARAB FM !

The Urbanist hosts Od Od | Virgin Mobile | Creative Collective Blog

I present to you one of my favourite Saudi talents, Od Od ! She is a Calligraffiti artist, a filmmaker & overall a cool passionate and humble person. I sit down with her & interview her for VirginMobile KSA. It was the first time for me to be shooting/directing & editing. So I hope I did a good job at it. Check her out & also check out the music I put in there supporting local producers I personally admire. Share & RT this!

I also got to thank Dhad Store for allowing us in their amazing creative space.

Big Hass hosts Mohflow on #LaishHipHop (MIXFM) - Saudi Arabia