بو كلثوم X بيج هاس

فخور جدا بمقابلتي مع الفنان االسوري "بو كلثوم" تحت مظلة "بكل اب" اللي هو بودكاست بدأته من سنتين 

المقابلة جزئين ... الجزء الاول و اللي هي المقابلة الرسمية مع بو كلثوم و الجزء الثاني هي أسألة من الجمهور

اتمنى تعجبكم 

Etymology Records release new lo-fi compilation BARISTA BEATS

I've always been a fan of "Lo-fi Beats", ever since I started listening to music. There's so much tranquility in the space when a Lofi-beat is playing in the background. I for one love to listen and work/write only when listening to these kinda of beats, so IMAGINE my excitement when Etymology Records dropped a new lo-fi compilation entitled "BARISTA BEATS"...


The New York based label drop a stunning 20 track compilation showcasing the best new lo-fi, jazz-hop & chill-hop beats. 

Living in a period of time where people are unable to go to cafes, Etymology Records’ debut album is a concept album bringing together 18 lo-fi producers for an “audio barista”. 
Each producer creates a unique beverage and portrays it into sound form, resulting in a menu within a virtual coffee house. 

BARISTA BEATS provides you with the perfect soundtrack for studying, chilling, walking, meditating, whatever your vibe. 
Sit back, relax and be transported to a new level of chill. 

Home to producers such as Jazzinuf (US) BROCKBEATS (Japan) & Sebastian Kamae (The Netherlands), this global label features the finest lo-fi artists who clock up millions of monthly listeners on Spotify and are staple features in Spotify’s flagship chilled mood playlists such as Lo-Fi Beats, Jazz Vibes & Mellow Beats.

Give yourself and your ear-drum the pleasure of listening to this now!

“Established in 2019 and headquartered in New York City, Etymology Records is a creative collective that focuses its production on instrumental hip hop music. Our first release was my own album published under my stage name “Jazzinuf”, specifically my 9th Album, “Miracle of the Fishes”. Within 5 months we have garnered over 2.5 million streams on Spotify, collecting over 400,000 monthly listeners. 


The musicians of Etymology Records all have one thing in common, they all follow the formula of making timeless music. We aim to make music catering for all generations of people including the people of the far future and those who prefer the sounds of the past. Our initial efforts have been to build a bridge to help Hip-hop and House to reconnect back with their mutual ancestor, Jazz and possibly reunite other genres back to their roots”

Meet Dj Michelle: 8 Year Old Sensation !!

First time I met/saw Dj Michelle play was actually on her instagram which you should go and follow NOW!, I was like "OH WOW!!" and that led me to follow her and I eventually crossed paths with her dad "Dj Shock", I fell in love with how talented she is.. at only 6 years old (when I know about her), she's 8 now and has big dreams, I sent her few questions, so here it goes, 
Show Love & Show Support.. 


Re-Volt: Hi Michelle, Thank you for being on Re-Volt Blog. We love you. Dj Michelle: Hi Big Hass! Thank you for your continuous support as well as the chance to be on your Blog. 

Re-Volt:You posted that video of you Djing with your dad when you were 2 !! Mashallah, how do you feel now that you look back at it? 

Dj Michelle: It feels funny to see myself as a toddler who was trying to scratch and pressing all those colorful buttons :) And of course it’s amazing to see the progress I made through all these years :))

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DJ MICHELLE (@iamdjmichelle) on May 7, 2020 at 8:06am PDT

Re-Volt:Do you have favorite artists to play? 

Dj Michelle:Yes, my favorite artist is Michael Jackson and I play his songs in almost all my sets. 

Re-Volt: Outside Djing, what do you do for fun? 

Dj Michelle: I love dancing, singing, making up stories, producing beats and doing some science experiments. I also love karate and basketball. 

Re-Volt: There are many celebrities that reposted your videos, which celebrity were you happy the most to see them hear about you? 

Dj Michelle: Definitely Missy Elliott and Chris Brown. 

Re-Volt:Do you get messages from kids that also wana be Dj's? and if so, what are these messages saying? 

Dj Michelle: Yes, I receive a lot of messages from all around the world, both from kids and adults. All of them are saying that I inspire them a lot and ask me the questions about equipment.

Re-Volt:Whats your dream? 

Dj Michelle: My biggest dream is to become the youngest World DMC Champion. 

Re-Volt:Whats the hardest thing about being a Dj? 

Dj Michelle: I don’t see any difficulties in DJing. When you passionate about what you do, you can achieve anything. Love, practice and dedication will improve your skills and help you reach higher level every time. 

Re-Volt: Question to Mom/Dad: How do you feel about the success that Michelle has been having? :) 

Parents Of Michelle: We’ve never imagined that Michelle would become a DJ at this young age. Seeing her success makes us feel very happy and proud. And also we feel responsibility about being the parents of this talented little girl. We are ready to help Michelle developing her talents and will support her in everything she wants to do. Thank you

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DJ MICHELLE (@iamdjmichelle) on May 3, 2020 at 8:18am PDT

Palestinian/Lebanese Rapper anees releases his first song "Neverland Fly"

anees

To be honest, I find it really refreshing to chat with a rapper like "anees" who is half Palestinian/half Lebanese based in Washington DC, USA. He's someone that brings a lot of positivity and great vibes through his instagram posts/stories and LIVES....So, it makes total sense to me to feature him on Re-Volt the moment he decided to drop "officially" his first single on streaming platforms... He's good people and I do love his flow, lyrics, it brings me joy listening to him...

I caught up with anees the moment he released his song "Neverland Fly" which you can stream anywhere now and watch the video posted below... I am posting this now, and the song has been out for couple of weeks now and I am loving the reaction hes been getting, he also just told me that he will be working with "ThanksJoey" ,  one of the dopest producers at the moment that works closely with nikohigh, Narcy and Offendum ...

To Re-Volt readers, followers and supporters.. I introduce to you ...
anees..

Re-Volt: Give re-volt readers a quick intro about you, where you from, when did you start rapping, what got you into it? 

anees: I'm Anees. I am a hip hop/indie pop artist from the Washington DC area. I've been rapping since a young age. I started freestyling at 15 but I only began my pursuit of a career as a hip-hop artist last January. 

RE-VOLT:Watching your stories and videos has always given me positive vibes, it is the "way you rap", your "Flow", the topics you discuss in your writing. How did the love for writing start? Who inspires you? 

anees:Man, my love for writing began with a love for words. I grew up on word games. Smart Mouth, Scrabble, Boggle, crossword puzzles, you name it. Finding ways to play with words, letters, syllables, has always been a rush for me. When I'm crafting rhyme schemes and word-smithing, I am truly alive. I'm inspired by artists who do the same, the elite lyricists of music. And I'm not just talking about rappers or singers, I draw inspiration from any writer who weaves wonder from words. I've drawn inspiration from Nas, Eminem, J. Cole, Immortal Technique, Los, Kanye, Bill Withers, John Mayer, Jim Croce, India Arie, the list goes on. And, of course, we cannot have a discussion about inspired writing without at least reverencing the true GOAT, Khalil Gibran. 

RE-VOLT: You just released your first single "Neverland Fly" , how do you feel? i know its been 2 days, but if you can explain the process of releasing this first song? How long did it take you to actually take this step? (im so proud of you)(this was sent 2 days after he released the track)

anees:  It's surreal to have my own song streaming on major platforms. I'm still processing the experience and taking it all in. It took about 15 months to get to this juncture of my journey. I'm grateful and humbled to be where I'm at. I'm trying to be mindful and enjoy the moment, but also making sure to remember that my next single has to be on deck. 

RE-VOLT: One of the great things about your content is the fact that you always consistent, how hard is it to maintain that consistency? 

anees: To be honest, it's not hard at all. I'm hungry. I wan't this bad. When I love something, when I'm truly passionate about something, there is nothing else I'd rather do. I can't do anything less than everything I can do. Every second spent working on my craft is thrilling. Every step I take in this journey is a micro-adventure. A story within a story. It's crazy easy to be consistent, when you're living your dreams. 

RE-VOLT: Do you miss Vlogging? And will you go back to it? :) 

anees: I'm surprised you even knew about my vlog, lol. Yeah man, I low-key do miss vlogging. Vlogging was my first step into a full-time creative life. It holds a dear place in my heart. The time I spent vlogging was so formative to me as visionary and as a creative. I will definitely make more vlogs at some point, maybe once I'm touring... Hopefully that means soon. 

RE-VOLT: As you know, I am a big supporter of the Arabic Hip-Hop movement, who are your fav rappers from Arabia? 

anees: If we're including Arab rappers living in the Western Hemisphere, I gotta go with my OG's: Offendum and Narcy. While we're talking on OG's I love me some DAM, and you can't understate their influence on the craft in the homeland. Another artist who comes to mind is BiGSaM. A friend put me on to his music this past year and I was taken back by the remarkable balance he carries between a venomous flow and groovy rhythm. 

RE-VOLT:It seems that you have many many songs written, what made you decide to release your first single with 'Neverland Fly"? 

anees: I just knew I had to get my first song streaming. I have 12 other complete songs that are waiting in the pipeline, but you've got to start with one step. "Neverland Fly" is that one step for me. It was the splash I needed to get my feet wet, to introduce me to listeners, and to get the ball rolling. I made the decision a while ago, but I needed help to get the timing right. Shoutout to my homies Tantu Beats and Zak G for engineering this track and helping me get it across the finish line.

RE-VOLT:You help people with your music. Who helps you? 

anees: Everybody. I believe in humanity. I think we all help each other. I believe we are all connected in ways we will never fully understand. Interactions with others bring me joy. So everybody helps me. And as much as I may help my listeners, they help me tenfold. I think my followers/FAM base and I have a very symbiotic relationship. I am blessed by them in ways I could never deserve. But if I had to pick one person, my wife is my greatest help, hands down. She supports the vision and embraces all the madness that comes with it. She makes this music journey possible. Without her, there is no way we are even having this interview in the first place. 

RE-VOLT:How does the family feel about your music? and what was the Best Reaction you received from your fans? 

anees: They are extremely supportive. Borderline fanatical. I couldn't be more blessed in that regard. They have probably plugged my music to a cumulative million people by now. No lie. Oh man, the best reaction? I received crazy amounts of love, but I think the best reaction was my mom's. She's the president of the fanclub. When I got back home from my IG live song-release listening party, which I hosted in my car till about 2AM, she was waiting at the front door to welcome me home with a glass of scotch. That's the winner. 

RE-VOLT: Does your Arab Background play a role in your music? If so, will we ever see you use that in future releases? 

anees: I believe my background DOES play a role in my music, in the sense that my culture informed many of my values and views on the world. I am never afraid to make reference to my Arab Background and I'm proud to promote my people and my culture. I don't know how explicitly that comes across in my music, but we shall see. The future is a mystery but I'm open minded to collabo with artists from homeland, that would be incredibly special

RE-VOLT: Tell re-volt something NOT a lot of people know about you... 

anees: I am a licensed attorney in the Commonwealth of Virginia. But I have never spent a day practicing, nor do I ever intend to.

x

MEET SUDANESE MC shqzu

shqzu

It only took few seconds to fall in love with the sound of shqzu, I hit him up and I became a fan instantly...

From Sudan, through Riyadh to the world... REMEMBER THIS NAME VERY WELL !!

Quick Q&A with the man himself:

RE-VOLT: How did it all start with you? and what's behind the name shqzu? 

SHQZU: It was 2009, we’d kick it me and a group of friends some of us were still in High School but at that time I had graduated. We’d pick an instrumental off YouTube write to it and record using one of those Headsets that came with a microphone, back then used for Skype Calls I used to go by ShaQ and that’s after my father’s name Shakir (NOT SHAQUILLE O'NEAL), I was thinking of how I needed to standout and it was quite frustrating living the shadow of a great NBA player haha I was inspired by an article I read about the Zulu tribe and their leader at a certain point in time SHAKA ZULU, so it was metaphorically beautiful and inspired a lot, that’s where it first originated “Shaqazulu” then I just had to like come up with an abbreviation because it was quite long so I finally settled on SHQZU, sounded dope. 

RE-VOLT: You Sudanese, based in Riyadh. When did you move there? 

SHQZU: I came to Saudi Arabia in December 2018, like literally 48hrs before the Sudan revolted. I was in Khobar then after that moved to Riyadh in June 2019, I liked it here more to be honest.

You have a chilling vibe, love the wordplay, what inspires you in rap at the moment? 

SHQZU:Appreciate it bro, umm well I kind of get inspired by many different things, it inspires me seeing fellow artists unlocking their potentials and setting milestones, I love collaborating. 
Like when two or more artists come together and there’s chemistry and each present their own ideas, their own touch and be able to just capture that vibe and deliver it.....man I don’t know what to tell you, that’s just beautiful! 

- Who are your top MC's in Sudan? 
SHQZU: Well this is a tough pick... We have so much great talents back in Sudan bro, some of them not as popular as others, but there are countless dope talents and I’m just talking about the ones I had come across or met, I’m pretty sure there is a lot more, anyways I’ll name a few of my personal favourites, not in order of course... - Naj - AhmediHussein - O’D - Ace - The Circle - A7md - Flippter - YoungJustus - Oddisee ...You see I just had to stop myself because I could seriously keep going for days haha - 

Who are your top MC's ever? give me a top 5?
SHQZU: Well the first Hip hop track I ever heard when I was a kid was a Tupac track, so yeah I’ll play it safe and in no order - Tupac - Biggie - Jay Z - Nas - Method Man But to make it clear, you can ask me this same question on a different day and get a different answer, I guess today is this kind of day - 

Your production is mad dope! What's the process of your production, who is a producer that inspires you? 

SHQZU: Much love much love fam I really appreciate it... Well first of all I love beats, (I mean like who doesn’t...) but I love sampled beats! Especially those with vocal samples and soulful vibes, man I live for that. 
The process is umm I listen to music often, usually not Hip hop when I’m in the mood to make music though, so I’m usually playing the music while doing other stuff and I would usually come across a certain sound or vibe that steals my attention and qualifies for a “sound I would go for” in the music I’m making. 
At that point its either I’d start beat making right away or I’d just label it for later, depends. Producers there is also a lot that I love and aspire to be like for example there’s J Dilla, No ID, 9th Wonder, DJ Premier and back in the day Kanye 

J Dilla

Have you ever thought about rapping in Arabic? 
SHQZU: Actually I’ve been told a lot the “Why don’t you rap in Arabic your mother tongue etc. etc.”, therefore I actually did work on a couple tracks where I spit in Arabic, Sudanese dialect to be precise. So the answer is Yes, I did

Tell us about the "111" EP. I LOVE IT!!! How long did it take you to put it out there? 
SHQZU: 111 is the story of how I silenced my negative thoughts and second guessing and pushed through to get back to making music, In numerology 111 signifies the manifestation of your thoughts, it’s said one should be mindful of what they constantly think about as these thoughts good or bad come into reality. 

So 111 to me is an audio representation of how I gradually stepped out of a “negative thought loop” into a more brighter or a positive perspective, it’s a fresh start and a new beginning. I’m constantly making beats some of them I end up using some of them I don’t, but I put aside a certain set of beats and started writing and recording to sometime around mid-Sept 2019, the project release was on the 11th of Jan 2020. 

Is there a story behind "homeboiii"? :) 
SHQZU: Initially I was going to name it “Overthink”, like you know, how most of us do! But as I mentioned I was trying to overcome the negativity and have a positive approach in presenting this project therefore I had created this, my alter ego aka Homeboiii. This was an introduction and I’m going to dive into that persona more and more in the near future insha’Allah just stay tuned!

In the EP "111" which track is the most personal to you? (i know all of them are but if you given a shot to give a track out of ur EP to Sway, to play it, Which one would you send and why?" 
SHQZU: Well you already know that it’s really hard to pick out just one because they’re practically like a story building up haha but umm I can say this...the most personal track “although it changes with time” and the track I would give to Sway if I were to, are not the same haha If I was to get a record to spin on the radio I’d probably say “Been There” because it kind of summarizes the whole theme of this project and has a sort of an uplifting good vibe, nice to bump while cruising or during traffic and stuff “the whole project is actually, I recommend you check it out this link” 

RE-VOLT: Any shout outs you would like give...
SHQZU: I definitely have to shout out every single soul that made it possible for this project to come about and those that inspired me to make a “comeback” in the first place...I’m going to drop their Instagram accounts if you don’t mind... 

- The man behind the cover art of the project who is also a really talented rapper and a visual artist Ace @iam.vce 

- Visual arts by my very good friend the talented Muhammad Mahboub @kayboxthefirst 

- The painting, that covered almost 70% of the cover art, which was actually created around the same time this project was being made and was quite an inspiration for the direction of this project, both the art and the artist. 
Made by this amazing talent Aya Atif @_aaa_ya

 - And of course shout out @bahrainibruh and each and every one that supported me throughout and all my friends my family even if I don’t mention names know you’re always in mind and heart, one love! 

RE-VOLT:You & KAFV... Collabo Soon? 
SHQZU: KAFV is good friend of mine and we’ve known each other for a long time, so yes definitely you could expect some *fire emojis* real soon haha 

RE-VOLT: Tell Re-Volt Something not a lot of people know about you 
SHQZU: I’m a 27yr old, born and raised in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Studied in Malaysia then moved to Sudan and now in Saudi Arabia. Most of my friends are really dope artists I used to think it was a coincidence but yeah. I’m a Scorpio and I think the language of love is somewhere between food and music....PEACE!

Edd Abbas Drops Al Moutarakam 2 & its FIRE!!!! /// Word Play Master!

Al Moutarakam 2 is the Sequel to Edd Abbas 's 1st Solo Concept Project titled "Al Moutarakam". 

Al Moutarakam 2 is mostly self produced with additional productions from @djlethalskillz , @Qarar from @soulplanelb , @stormtrap , @StickyNoizeholy @beat-heatmaker-toop and @jundimajhulwatar . 

Special guest features by Ta2irat el Rou7's own @Mahmoud-Ramadan-1 & @Zeinedin , ivory Coast's finest Tupai & Kami, Germany's multi talented artist @LMNZ and Ramallah's poetic spirit @she3rap . 

Additional sax by Bilal Tarabay on tracks (3 - 5 - 10 ) Additional guitars and vocals by CC on the track "Tajribeh ma3 CC" Additional bass guitar by @john-imad-nasr from @FareeqElAtrash on the track "elMa Zahir". 

Additional Kuts by @DjGoadman on the track "terbeyit Sheri3" Mixed and Mastered by @Jean-Madani Artwork courtesy of the graffiti artist Spaz Uno

Islam + Hip-Hop in Unity (Article for Sole DXB Magazine 2019)

Rights to Google Images/Unknown

I was blessed to have written articles for the biggest PREMIER CULTURE + LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL in the region "SOLE DXB"

Below is the article that was published in their Sole DXB Magazine '2019, please read through it and share if you can..

FULL ARTICLE BELOW

Islam is the religion of peace and a code for life. The Muslim community in the US has forever struggled with misconceptions and racism, as so many people keep formulating inaccurate ideas and stereotypes of what being a Muslim is. Since society was not willing to ask the right questions and strike curious conversations, it was up to the Muslim community to dominate the dialogue and address their experiences as Black and non-Black Muslims living in the US, in order to challenge the racist norms. 

The biggest supporter of these conversations was Hip-Hop. Known to be the artform that gave a voice to the voiceless, Hip-Hop, through poignant lyricism and imposing beats, sheltered and empowered the Muslim community to stand up for their rights. Influecned by personalities like Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, Hip-Hop culture was strongly connected to the essence of Islam, from the foundation of Zulu Nation in the early 1970’s, to the “Golden Age” of hip-hop and onto the present. Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), A Tribe Called Quest, Rakim, Public Enemy, Gang Starr, Ice Cube, Lupe Fiasco, The Wu-Tang Clan, Talib Kweli and many more were some of the most prominent artists that contributed to Hip-Hop culture, however, all of these names were identified as Muslims and/or are connected to Islam. Just listening to the pioneers of rap uncovers various Islamic references, such as ‘Alhamdullilah’ and ‘As-salamu Alaykom wa Alaykom As-salam’. Being the birth place of Hip-Hop, New York was also the hub of the Nation of Islam in the early sixties. In a way , Hip-Hop became Islam's language through which it found a whole generation of voices. 

Rakim (Image by CHE KOTHARI)

These were the years that saw a resurgence of interest in Islam as a message of social justice, self-empowerment, and resistance. For instance, Film Director, Spike Lee released his epic Malcolm X biopic, and Louis Farrakhan led a million black men to Washington. The names Malcolm and Farrakhan were mentioned and their voices were sampled in thousands of rap songs. 


Rap music was filled with references to Islam, whether the symbolic interpretations of the Five Percenters, praising Minister Louis Farrakhan, when Biggie used it in his song ‘The What’ with Method Mad, as follows “.. It's the praying mantis, deep like the mind of Farrakhan” or by simply putting these words into practice, like Yasiin Bey (formely known as Mos Def), who begins all his projects and songs with the phrase “Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim” - which means “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful". Nas in his “Undying Love” track released in 1999 had a verse that said “..To Muhammad and Allah, the most beneficial Through you, all things are possible, I know you're listenin...” Common in his song “G.O.D. (Gaining One's Definition)” said “.. Koran and the Bible, to me they all vital And got truth within 'em, gotta read them boys..” 

Common 

Islamic greetings went beyond the rappers of Muslim faith. Many mainstream artists started leaving hints of Arabic salutations in their songs. In full transparency, they were able to make Muslim accessible and friendly. In her book “Muslim Cool”, Professor and anthropologist Dr. Suaad Abdul-Khabeer introduces the conversation about the broader relationship between Islam and Hip Hop. In preparation for her book, she spent a lot of time observing people and one of the highlights was how young Black muslims were using Hip-Hop based activism, to deal with inequality in the community. Hip-Hop is a way for them to interpret the world and to find themselves in it, hence the term ‘Muslim Cool’. The more these Islamic references were spoken by popular rappers, the kinder and more approachable was becoming the image of Islam. 

That said, setbacks like the aftermath of 9/11 left many scars in the US and developed Islamophobia, so the struggle for validation and recognition is continuous. The misconceptions about “the danger of the religion” increase the gap between the status quo and a more inclusive and racism-free nation. 

“It’s important for Muslim Women to be present in places that we don’t expect them to be, because that’s where change happens” Poetic Pilgrimage which is a hip-hop duo from the U.K., and their music is influenced by their Muslim faith, Jamaican background and British upbringing. Their music has given a voice to Muslim women, and has undoubtly become a bridge between the global hip-hop community and Islam.

When two elements collaborate with each other and create effortlessly a new entity that works and stands on its own, that’s harmony. Islam and Hip-Hop come together to form the voice for peace, the lyrics to existence, the guidelines to life, the power against social flaws and the light for the youth to naviagate in the darkest times. 

The Father of Hip-Hop said it best! In an interview on Saudi’s First FM Hip-Hop Radio Show ‘Laish Hip Hop?” hosted by myself, DJ Kool Herc answered with so much conviction and confidence, an existential question about Hip-Hop culture and its relation to Islam and this is what he had to say : “ It [Hip-Hop] comes with it ... there’s a lot of stigma against Hip-Hop, there’s a lot of stigma against Muslims, we still taking hits, we don’t accept it, we need to show the positive/humble side of it ” 

I recently dropped a Hip-Hop mixtape entitled “Al Jisr” - which means The Bridge in Arabic - and it combines Arab and International rappers, in an attempt to show that Hip-Hop is a great means to bridging cultures. I requested special shoutouts from all the featured artists, including Brother Ali, who delivered a one-minute breath-taking gift of wisdom, praising the initiative. Brother Ali embodies the ultimate example of an inspiring, empowering and truthful rapper. His light is contagious, as his verses transcend spirituality and connection with others. His energy has left me speechless throughout the years I have known him, and I have yet to enjoy the day I meet this humble man, who till this day embraces the power of Islam and the creativity of Hip-Hop. 

Brother Ali

Peace and Love and leaving you with the below verses from Big Daddy Kane and Ghostface Killah. “​Hold up the peace sign, As Salaam Alaikum!” Big Daddy kane from his “Aint No Half Steppin” track dropped in 1988. “I grab the pen for revenge and let loose, see Like Muslims, standing on the block, rocking a kufi “ Ghostface Killah Investigative Reports in the 1995 record.

Salam...