KUWAITI RAP DUO "SONS OF YUSUF" DROPS A SONG FEATURING JAY ELECTRONICA !!

Big Hass with Sons Of Yusuf (Holding a pic taken by Aqib Anwar)
Pic by Azarel 

Them Kuwaiti boys are really rocking it early in 2020!! They have already released "SONS OF YUSUF & SHAFIQ HUSAYN" EP IN NOV'19 and released 2 tracks from their upcoming album "Shaykh The World" coming out in the next 7-10 days! 

On Jan 31st,2020, the duo dropped a track that features non-other than Jay Electronica ! and man oh man! Loved it! Jay's verse on it just fire! Sons Of Yusuf are once again proving that they are really building that bridge between East & West and connecting us more through Hip-Hop, I believe more people in the Middle-East needs to know about Jay!

I got Sons Of Yusuf on Buckle Up earlier today and they spoke about that collabo..."We connected with Jay Electronica back in 2007... now we have a record wit him.." Ya'koob told me...

Their Buckle Up Episode will be out by next week!

The song is titled "Diving For Pearls" and he went on and said ...

"Our grandfather was a pearl diver, and that's how people used to provide for their families in Kuwait, he's away at sea for 6 months, his family wouldn't even know if he's dead or alive until he comes back.."

They wanted to honor the pearl divers...and at the same time get the East/West bridge..."he's a real one, he's not driven by money..." Humble Abdul said of Jay Electronica

Song is produced by MikeChav who is a regular collaborator with Jay Electronica, his sound engineer, a dope producer and a Hip-Hop legend!

Big up Sons Of Yusuf, to have Arab MC's collaborate with an artist like Jay Electronica, that says a lot! Best of luck to the brothers!

Stream the track and check it out.
Show Love. Show Support 

S.O.U.L. Purpose & Ritual Media "The Check In" EPK!

The brother Mazzi keep working hard, he's someone that defines true consistency in this rap game. His latest project is an amazing collaboration with Ritual Media, and its basically South African & American artists/producers coming together. Some contributors include Young Guru, 88 Keys, Evil Dee, Pharoahe Monch, Skyzoo, Termanology, Reason, & Stogie T just to name a few.

Can't wait for this project to be LIVE and as always, ALL profits from sales/streams of this album will be going towards a charity as the same to ALL MAZZI's Albums/EP's and this time it will be to Mandela’s Children’s Hospital!

Sylvan LaCue - Coffee Break [Music Video]

Simply a dope MC. Blessings to him & WiseCo! Let's Go!

HASEEB - Take A Seat - Vol. 1

HASEEB... at it again!! 

American Muslim Rapper HASEEB hits hard with "Droppin"

Haseeb has always been one of my fav MC's in the game now! I love the fact that he's current yet still can manage to talk about issues that are impacting the world!

He just released his new track entitled "Droppin". I reached out to him to get a quote about the song & this is what he said "This record is really emotional for me, as it's essentially a diatribe against the current power structure, from the perspective of a first-generation Muslim American." Haseeb

Syrian/American Artist Omar Offendum weigh in on #Charlottesville Incident

Omar Offendum

I had to report this on my blog! Omar is a friend, he's an inspiration & most importantly he's someone who believes in the equality of all. 

He just posted this picture & caption that I urge you to read right now.. its very important. Just Read it

I'm a proud Syrian-American Muslim immigrant. My wife is a proud African-American Jew. We both grew up in Northern #Virginia & graduated from @uva in 2003. I met her while walking home from classes at The #Architecture school, which was situated adjacent to the Department of Drama she was attending. I came to find out her mother was a direct descendant of #Holocaust survivors, & her father was the first black Secretary of Education in #Virginia history. She learned that my dad's hometown of #Hama had been bombed mercilessly a month after I was born, & he did all he could to provide his family with a safe & secure environment to thrive in; thousands of miles away from the horrors of the #Assad regime, believing wholeheartedly in the "#AmericanDream" ... It's 2017 now & we are blessed to have a baby boy of our own. He represents all the hopes & aspirations of generational survival our beloved parents & ancestors embedded in our DNA, & thus the tragic events that took place in #Charlottesville have been effecting us in a deep & profound way. We stand in solidarity w/ those who reject the hate-fueled ignorance that was on display there, & offer our deepest condolences to the families of those whose lives were taken &/or shaken by the heinous act(s) of white supremacist violence that were committed. The terrorist who drove his car into a crowd of innocent people held a deep contempt for all that my family is proud of being - #Black, #Jewish, #Muslim, #Immigrant, Open-Minded, #Free-Thinking & #Syrian (he even went so far as to post pro-Assad propaganda on his Facebook page) ... Some might find solace in the notion that this doesn't truly represent #America or #Jeffersonian ideals ... For the record, #ThomasJefferson carried out a well-documented destruction of Black families & held a belief that "their griefs (were) transient", while arguing that Black people’s ability to “reason” was “much inferior” to whites’, and that “in imagination they (were) dull, tasteless, and anomalous.” Despite (t)his callousness, we are a proud(ly diverse) family & will raise our beautiful son w/ an even greater sense of #pride insha'Allah ... #Sinsyrianly ✍🏽 #OmarOffendum.

A post shared by Omar Offendum (@offendum) on Aug 15, 2017 at 8:33am PDT

Rest In Power Prodigy | This is how I will remember you

Prodigy | 1974-2017

This is how I will remember him. 

In November 2015, I attended Sole DXB, one of Dubai's coolest urban events offering contemporary street culture with distinctive Middle Eastern flair. The renowned event is a meeting point for regional and international artists, designers all in promotion of urban culture. 

I was so excited to be finally attending such a grand platform! One of my goals that day was to check out Narcy's installation and to support him. His pop-up shop was basically a stand alone baqala (Middle Eastern small grocery store) where he exhibited his #iraqafella & #WATM trademark urban wear and accessories. 

The vibes at #soledxb rock! You feel alive. I just wish we got somethin like that in Jeddah.. It just doesn't work & culture there won't event allow it. What a shame. Beautiful vibes. 🙏 #MyDubai #Dubai #Vibes #Adidas

A post shared by Big Hass (@big_hass) on Nov 20, 2015 at 6:52am PST

The adrenaline rush of meeting your favorite artists is always a positive stamp. People were buzzing in the store, fascinated by Narcy's installation and merchandise. His mom – may Allah bless her – was his number one supporter as she was witnessing her son's success. For a moment, everyone became silent. Even Narcy seemed quiet – almost in shock - and was humbled by the presence of a legend in the hip hop realm. Guess who walks in? Prodigy of MOBB Deep! WHAT?! That was the first and last time I saw him. He was accompanied by his partner "Havoc"

I notice Narcy whispering to his mother in arabic “I used to listen to these guys when we were kids!” A proud moment I am sure for him and for his mom; and I honestly couldn't help myself but share my pride and amazement at Prodigy's humility and show of support towards an Arab hip hop artist.

The Mobb came through to #Baqala to get some #WATM gear. Rap Life. #ThrowATVAtYouCrazy #Infamous #FatherPart3 @mobbdeephavoc @prodigymobbdeep thank you brothers 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 #WATM

A post shared by NARCY (@narcynarce) on Nov 20, 2015 at 7:06am PST

   

In a baqala: it couldn't get any more “street” than this. I am privileged to have briefly crossed paths with a legend, an iconic figure in Hip-Hop.

TOKEN releases "New Problems"

Big salute to the fam Token for always being on point. This is a very powerful track with honest bars. Check it out

Saudi Singer/Songwriter 'tamtam' releases new EP | Identify Myself

Saudi artist "tamtam" has always captured my admiration!! She just released her new EP entitled "Identify Myself" alongside the video for the track with the same EP title.

Love the track, love the message & more power to her! The message of ONE, of not being boxed in, of being human first..

Check out the video now! 

TOKEN - Exception || VIDEO

That's what Hip-Hop was created for, Token at only 18 years old has been able to impress me a lot. I love his passion. I first saw him when he made history with this crazy freestyle at SWAY's show. 

This song and the video is very important. I think the message coming from a guy like TOKEN is incredible and it's effective. I love when artists do something that can help "Change" a negative reality. 

Token, you got my support and I am honored to have been the first Radio Host to have played your music in the Middle-East. 

Keep Rocking my brother

Khalid - Location |

Thanks to my cool Sudanese friend Doha, I was introduced to Khalid !! In my opinion truly UNDERRATED, dope vibes

Check him out now

SOLE LAUNCHES HIP HOP SHOWCASE EVENT | Photographer | Lisa Leone

THE DUBAI-BASED STREET CULTURE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LATEST CULTURAL OFFERING – WITH PHOTO EXHBITION FROM ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHER LISA LEONE AND MUSIC FROM HIPHOP PIONEERS THE BEATNUTS 

Monday 14th March, Sole announces its debut event of 2016, with the support of Bloomingdales Dubai, Cadillac, and Dubai Design District (d3). Sole plays host to Lisa Leone, in a celebration of the life and work of this iconic Bronx-born hip-hop photographer. The exhibition, running out of Dubai Design District, March 22nd - April 5th and offering the public sale of her editioned works, will launch opening night with special guest performance from hip hop pioneers The Beatnuts.

A hip hop history showcase, Sole are set to unveil a range of never-seen-before archive photography from the legendary photographer, as well as standout selects from her notorious Here I Am book, and those captured on her recent trip to Sole back in November 2015. Hip hop’s cultural fundaments – spanning music, dance, art and fashion – are forever in their nascent and most authentic in Here I Am. From Nas in the first studio recordings for what would become Illmatic to Snoop on the set of his first video, from ingénue Debi Mazar hanging on the stoops of the West Village to Grandmaster Flash at a RockSteady reunion, Leone’s photographs open portals to the sounds, places and, most importantly, the people who forged and continue to influence the energy that is hip hop. This Spring, with a soundtrack set by hip hop pioneers The Beatnuts, Lisa brings that portal to Dubai courtesy of Sole, in an another landmark cultural step for the brand and the region.

Having begun life sneaker-focused, Sole has grown into so much more – a melting pot of cultures, passions, styles and logos. The Lisa Leone exhibition looks to continue where the main event left off last November – offering the first glimpse of the Dubai-based festival’s foray into a standalone art exhibition, and giving regional residents the opportunity to immerse themselves in one of the founding pillars of global street culture.

As Lisa Leone comments, “I'm very excited about coming back to Dubai. On my last trip, although short, I could really feel the enthusiasm and passion for a culture so close to my heart. The artists I met".

SOLE DXB
Email hussain@soledxb.com
http://www.soledxb.com/

Big Hass Interviews Chino XL on #LaishHipHop LIVE on MIX FM (Saudi Arabia)

It was a huge honour connecting with Chino XL ! Check out what he had to say about Hip-Hop, Life, J-Dilla & the Arab World in RIGHT HERE:-

HASEEB x Curtiss King - Deep Gritty Ft. Freeway

Kendrick Lamar Visits Mr. Mooney's Class