"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.

An Open Letter to Hip-Hop // From A Saudi

Pic By Azarel 

I have dedicated a decade of my life to a music culture that has endured many obstacles, sometimes skepticism, but has proven its resourcefulness and its essence as it has expanded globally. 

Today is the day we celebrate the 45th anniversary of Hip-Hop, a music culture that took a blue-eyed Saudi passion-driven radio host from a humble state of mind to a inquisitive and activistic position.

It started as a backyard party and an enthusiastic DJ, it pushed through the ghettos and the voiceless, it got picked up and glamorized by the mainstream media and with all that said, artists still cave into this urban music genre and in some loopholes, you can still hear the real sound of hip hop. It is important to acknowledge the beginning, the legacy, the purpose, the knowledge, the elements and the culture. 
It is important for artists nowadays to give respect to the pioneers and to know their history. Hip-Hop started in the Bronx but it has impacted so many cultures and has been adapted to their languages and to their heritages. I am thankful to this mind elevating music genre, as it has taken me places around the world, in my way of thinking and up my career ladder. 

Affinities have been created, misconceptions have been broken, hip hop has kept me intrigued and passionate to know more, learn more and shed more light on talent with a capital T.

#ThankYouHipHop 

With Chuck D Public Enemy  (A great moment in my career)

ماجد العيسى - هواجيس | Majedalesa - Hwages

This is dope on many levels. Straight outta Saudi Arabia. 

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

Mothanna Anbar Performs on Laish Hip-Hop? W/ Big Hass MIX FM

BROTHER ALI TWEETS ABOUT HAJJ

AMERICAN MUSLIM HIP-HOP ARTIST BROTHER ALI TWEETS ABOUT EXPERIENCING HAJJ FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WHAT HE SAYS WILL BLOW YOU AWAY (2010)

-Most challenging experience of my life, my Hajj is complete. Just said farewell to Allah's house in Mecca. Cairo for a day, then home. 

-I Lived in two pieces of simple white cloth,slept in tents and on the ground, visited the most ancient symbols of spiritual oneness. 

-I prayed and meditated on the plane where humanity will be gathered for the day of atonement. 

-I slept in the dirt on the plane where the first man and woman descended from heaven and created humanity. 

-I stoned the Jamrat, the ancient symbols of the devil to commemorate my rejection of my ego, greed, lust, anger, etc. 

-I visited the home, mosque and grave of our beloved Prophet Muhammad in the illuminated city of Medina, established by the first Muslims. 

-The Hajj is extremely difficult and grueling. There were funerals at all five of our daily prayers for 3 weeks without exception. 

-There were somewhere between 3 and 5 million pilgrims from every country performing the same rites at the same time. 

-You Literally get caught up and carried by the crowd of humanity. Terrifying, humbling and beautiful experience. 

-Met some of the most beautiful people of my life and some really troubled ones. Imperfect people united by a perfect system. 

-That's the most reflective and naked I've ever been. Tears of joy, repentance and immense gratitude.

-To be in place with millions of people with all the commotion and hear it get dead silent for prayer and all you hear is wind and birds. 

-I got lost in the tent city of mina with no phone,no cars, no guides and no one speaks english. Didn't know if I'd ever find my group. 

-I walked for 8 straight hours with no idea where I was going. I have blisters covering the bottoms of both feet. Still performed my rites. 

-While living in our tents, it rained for two days in a row. Scary thing in the desert where it never rains. 

-I never believed that you could go to place and feel the presence of God until this. Its tangible in the air.

-You can taste it. -The feeling of true brotherhood is electric in the holy precincts. Even the police are bound by it. 

-People come from every corner of the world. Many on foot from africa and eastern europe. You see people on canes and crutches. 

-People spend months walking thousands of miles and sleep in the streets. Other pilgrims feed and look after them. 

-Saw a family with kids and the parents were sharing a pair of shoes. Went into a store to buy some things and a stranger picked up my bill. 

-I've had some very low, dark moments in my life but it hit me on this trip that I Literally have received everything I've ever prayed for. 

-I was challenged in every imaginable way. This has been the greatest exercise in patience I could imagine. I'm so very grateful. 

-After loosing my father, my friend and making this pilgrimage all in 3 months, if you don't believe in God, let love be your god. 

-Please don't assume you know Islam because of what you've heard. I've practiced Islam for 17 years and didn't truly understand until now.