RE-VOLT MAGAZINE ISSUE 3 by RE-VOLT MAGAZINE

ISSUE 03 • JANUARY 2014

YOUR MONTHLY SOURCE OF REAL HIP-HOP CULTURE

re-volt magazine is a new platform under the same roof as re-volt blog, which initially started as a space where views on mainstream music can be openly discussed, where the music industry is put on the stand and criticized, and lastly, where underground, talented unrepresented artists are given a chance to stand out. Our main focus is to expose hip hop as a positive genre and detach it from the corrupted mainstream hip hop. Starting up an online magazine will benefit this message, as re-volt magazine will reach more readers worldwide and will enlighten people on the power of the word and the role of hip hop in the Arab region. Aside from the well-known elements of hip hop - which are MC, BBoy, Beatbox, Graffiti, DJ and Knowledge - re-volt magazine also focuses a great deal on any other forms of expression/art that concretize the richness of our Arab culture. The list includes films, documentaries, initiatives, events, companies, charity organization, etc... A mic, a choreography, a vocal percussion, spraypaint, a vinyl record, a book or a movie... We choose all the above. The power of the pen to inform, to represent and to stay real! EDITOR HASSANE DENNAOUI ASSOCIATE EDITOR | GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hanane FATHALLAH CONTRIBUTORS If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in writting for re-volt magazine, email us revoltmag1@gmail.com

Contents

REVOLT/REPORT ONEBLO | Producer, MC & Conceptual Artist Arabian Knightz | UN Charity Event Conflict FEATURE LMNZ Worldwide Rap Project THE MEDIUM | The Narcicyst Q&A | “MUSLIM” by DEEN ft. Sphinx HARAM | A play based on Dr. Hathout’s poetry DJ SOTUSURA Jeddah+Acumen “Al-Ma7a6a” Creative Station MIC CHECK Blitz The Ambassador LOCAL FLAVA’ Abdulnasser GHAREM | Saudi Artist DHAD | Graffiti Store in Jeddah BLACK BANNERZ | Eloquent Arabic Rap SPOT.F.Y.I KHARTOON | Sudanese Caricaturist ALBUM RELEASE NARCY | We are the MEDIUM LMNZ | Worldwide Rap Project ODDISÉE | The Beauty in All LYRICALLY ILLZ | Down to Earth JASIRI X | ASCENSION DJ OUTLAW | MIDDLE EAST INVASION Vol.5 JASIRI X | MANDELA REPORTAGE HIP HOP in Tunisia by Tia KORPE Films & Documentaries THE BRIDGE | Exclusive Interview with Alia DIAB RE-GENERATION ON THE GO CHALI 2NA Beating Poetry Luka LESSON | Please Resist Me

Cover • Many thanks to Spanish Graffiti Artist Ruben SANCHEZ http://www.iamrubensanchez.com

[FOLLOW ONEBLO] via Twitter @OneBeLo

REV OLT/REPORT

ONE B LO |Producer, Writer, Emcee & Conceptual Artist I have been following Hip Hop artist One Be Lo for a while now. I instantly became a fan of his powerful lyrics and his humble attitude. He recently hit me up via Twitter - telling me that he was in Riyadh: a one-hour-and-a-half flight away from my city Jeddah! Without any hesitation, I sent him an invite to come for a day to discover the city and to meet some local artists. He humbly agreed and we on! We conducted the meeting at Universal Legends Studios. I truly appreciate their gesture for giving me the space to work out this meetup. Salute fam! In a livingroom relax-mode

kind of atmosphere among some selected artists, we tossed views about the music industry and opinions about diverse topics. It was really an honor to host One Be Lo in Jeddah: I spent the whole day with the brother, just going around the city and talking about the industry, hip hop, Islam and life! We prayed ‘Isha’ and the day came to an end. The bridge is established. Now, let’s start building... - - Also, don’t forget to watch the VIDEO of his stay Hass DENNAOUI revoltradio.blogspot.com

☛ NEXT PAGE some

snapshots from that day!

REV OLT/REPORT

One Be Lo | in Al Balad, Jeddah - KSA

One Be Lo | I know he’s a balla’ so we went to one of the best street basketball courts in Jeddah

REV OLT/REPORT

One Be Lo meeting some local artists - in here Tim Granite from Run Junction

Left To Right: Tim Granite , Gus, One be lo, Myself, Moh Flow & Abz

ALBUM RELEASE | WE ARE THE MEDIUM EP

THE NARCICYST | WE ARE THE MEDIUM Cover designed by Khalid ALBAIH a.k.a. KHARTOON Iraqi-Canadian MC the Narcicyst returns with his WEARETHEMEDIUM #WATM EP, a reflection on music,art, technology and life. Featuring some of Narcy’s old time friends, this project is the beginning of the Medium, Narcy’s independent artist collective and creative agency based out of Montreal, Canada.

[FOLLOW NARCY] www.thenarcicyst.com www.wearethemedium.com soundcloud.com/thenarcicyst/sets/watm

M I C • C H E C K

BLITZ THE AMBASSADOR

Ghanaian/American Hip-Hop artist, known as “Blitz the Ambassador” is a great jewel in the art and hip-hop culture. His passion, true lyrics and loyalty to his nation are all so admirable! 1- What does it mean to you that Saudi Arabia has a special hip-hop show that focuses on the genre itself and the culture? It means a lot to me to see that someone is still willing to educate the people about the essence of hip-hop culture. It makes it possible for us to continue this craft. I salute that! 2- How has your music changed throughout your career? It’s very interesting. The music that I made as a fan of the culture has not really changed. What has changed in my journey is that I have become more confident as a performer and have integrated more of the African culture in my music. My music also depicts the experiences I have gained from Ghana to New York City, the people I have met, the fans, the different cultures I have come across, these factors continue to drive me to tell my story. 3- Blitz the ambassador. What are you an ambassador of? That’s an interesting question. When I stared – I was just Blitz Hip-hop culture is being shriveled to a few topics, even though there are a variety of topics that can be discussed. I often find myself defending the culture and

clearing the misunderstandings about Africa. I’m keen on building bridges between people that don’t understand the culture – hence the word ambassador.

them. Herein lies the power of hip-hop in communicating to the world, telling people, “Listen – we are here, we are not invisible – we can speak for ourselves – we can articulate our problems, we can find solutions – so give us the MIC!” That is what attracted me to hip-hop when I listened to Chuck D (Public Enemy) and KRS-ONE, they expressed to the public what we all wanted to say.

4- Dear Africa is a great track of yours — what’s the message in your music? As an African, I am a contender of all the positivity in Africa. I find myself promoting the beauty and richness of Africa, even though people tend to see the opposite, because it is easier for them to exploit the continent. There is much misrepresentation around the world; people without a voice are being spoken for and hence an agenda is being drawn for

5- If you had a MIC that was broadcasting through Ghana right now, what would you say? I would say – nobody is going fix us – we are going to fix ourselves and for the youth, I would tell them this is our land, people can help, but at the end of the day these are African problems and the solutions lay in Africa; no one will understand our issues better than us. Africans in the diaspora are doing great things, however it’s time for us to return to our homeland and contribute to solving our own issues. Interview by Hass DENNAOUI June 2013 Follow Blitz the Ambassador via TWITTER @BlitzAmbassador

[Follow DJ BOO] Twitter @Boo515 www.facebook.com/boo.jenkins www.LeftHandedSaint.wordpress.com

Take us through the process of crating “We are the medium”? The process was revelatory and painstaking. I wanted to make a project that represents the spectrum of music making and technology. So, the first song is really about the fleeting problems we face as artists and how insignificant they are when you reflect on the larger problems of life; comparing the process of writing my album, not my EP, to the process of grief, or losing a father, or exploitation. Really saying that, my problems and my worries as an artist are really nothing compared to the real life problems presented to the world. By the end of the EP, with Shadow, so see that I found myself by going 360 degrees back to the beginning. Am I really the compassionate one? Am I the one that I am reflecting on or am I looking at the world? This project was really reflective of my confusion. Leap of Faith was a point where I let go of everything I knew as comfort and started experimenting, this one was the opposite. I was in a place where I was challenging myself, my norms, my sound and my process. I was asking myself if I even wanted to do this anymore. By the end, I realise I do, all over again. ‘We are the Medium’ is confusion and growth. The duality of life.

Your style is like a mixed media painting. How do you keep it so diverse? What does your style feed on? I get bored easily. Also, I don’t like to follow trends or my own comfort zone of creativity. I always want to step out of myself and show that diverse my influences are, but also, layer my music as layered as my life is. I don’t really enjoy rap music as much as I used to, though i LOVE solid rap, I love it when bars make you THINK. So I loaded some tracks with bars, and others with

lyrics. You know, sometimes I’ll speed by you at a million words a second and it seems really fast, but If you slow down and listen to the words I am saying a whole lot about my life, and about my listeners. More importantly, I am learning to reveal more about myself as opposed to the world. I’m introducing people to Yassin. Preparing them for the next phase and wave of art and music. I mix my own music as well, I record instrumentalists, I produce now. I think I’ve found a zone where I have a sound. Everything is purposeful but also natural in the process. I have 75 mixes of First World Problems that are all completely different. I’m not exaggerating when I say that either.

What can we expect from THE MEDIUM? Expect challenging art. Thought provoking collaborations. Moments created through media that reflect on themselves and the future, More importantly, we’re setting up a new platform for independence that’s created through community. To support each other and take each and every artist to a new platform. It’s a bit vague I know, but it will all make sense. I can’t reveal too much. We have a short film coming out, my next album, some art exhibits and alot of media consulting.

Interview by Hass DENNAOUI

[FOLLOW The Narcicyst] via Twitter @TheNarcicyst [FOLLOW The Medium] Twitter @WeAreTheMedium www.wearethemedium.com

R E P O R T a

1st submission for re-volt magazine

Who hijacked the revolution? Three years after the young street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi’s self-immolation sparked the so-called Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, resulting in the ‘Arab Uprisings’ – the soundtrack to the revolutions has been subjected to numerous academic and popular analysis. Coming to Tunis myself the summer of 2012, and then again in March 2013, partly as a researcher, partly as a cultural freelancer and hip hop activist, it can sometimes be hard to ‘see the forest for all the trees’ as we say in the North of Europe. There’s no denying that the revolution did manage to change and develop mainly political, and less so socio-economic issues; however the cultural revolution still has a long way to go. Most of the Tunisian artists I spoke to, only days after the rapper Weld El 15 had been arrested, echoed the same question: Where is the revolution for the youth? How can we have a revolution when we cannot even say what we feel? They were right of course, for the youth holds the key to future development and music holds the mirror to society – reflecting the contemporary sentiments of everyday people.

Artistic and musical freedom of expression under attack... In March, earlier this year, Tunisian rapper Weld El 15 released a video for his song Boulicia Kleb (“Cops Are Dogs”) containing a montage of scenes showing the police using violence on citizens, along with the rapper and his co-stars throwing middle fingers up. He performed the song live with rapper Klay BBJ who was also arrested and briefly imprisoned, but most worryingly; was beaten badly by police during his arrest. Weld El 15 was initially sentenced to two years in prison, in absentia, as he went into hiding. He later surrendered and asked to have the case reopened. On July 2, the Appeals Court of Tunis reduced his sentence to six months, and finally – much thanks to the excellent advocacy and campaigning that was done on the ground, internationally and especially by his lawyer, Weld was freed. It is Article 125 of the Tunisian penal code, which punishes by up to one year in prison to anyone who insults a public servant in the course of the performance of the person’s duties, and Article 128, which provides for up to two years in prison for defamation of public officials. Since the Tunisian revolution in 2011, authorities have repeatedly used these and other repressive laws of the previous government to prosecute artists, bloggers, journalists and rappers for mearly exercising their right to artistic freedom of expression.

Turning The Tables It was in the wake of all this that I was in Tunis, writing my thesis on artivism alongside opening the first independent music lab for the NGO Turning Tables in a space in downtown Lafayette – ‘Radio Chaabi’, which now has metamorphed into ‘Turning Tables Tunisia’, where Tunisian producers, film-makers, rappers, dj’s, social activists and young people can come and create, free of charge. Since 2009, Turning Tables have worked to provide marginalized youth (at first primarily in Palestinian refugee camps across Lebanon and Jordan), with an opportunity to get involved in the global Hip Hop culture. What started out as a small initiative, has turned into full scale production labs across the Middle East and Asia; despite little funding, we have been able to build up a unique non-profit model that works with local talent and local youth, who have the potential to flower, in a safe creative space, providing a platform for artistic freedom of expression. The catch? Anyone can join in. Hip Hop is still primarily the tool by the youth for political expression through music, it is non-elitist, it is not gender, age or ethnicity-bound, you don’t need to know notes or even be literate - and once you’ve joined the local family, you will find a global family. But governments, police, state officials, NGOs and civil society are still skeptical. Especially rappers become a threat – because they speak out where others are silent.

Rappers stamped as “terrorists” Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end here! The fact that Hip Hop is viewed as “threatening” and perhaps, in some cases, a ‘Western’ influence is not only a clash of generations, but a clash of beliefs. It seems like an impossible paradox, that while Western NGO’s & numerous associations can

Artist mobility issues are nothing new, especially if you are a European arranger and producer, you’re well aware of the difficulties of bringing African musicians into the country. But that rappers are regionally targeted and put in the same category as ‘security threats’ is outrageous.

engage in questions like media and internet censorship, democracy, youth unemployment – Tunisian artists are still being jailed simply for performing their songs. But what about “artistic terrorism”? Cultural boycott? Can we speak of an actual Hip Hop boycott? When Turning Tables Tunisia presented the first Tunisian interregional Hip Hop Festival L’angar this month (Dec. 2013), supported by Turning Tables, it featured renown rappers such as Klay BBJ, The Narcicyst and Boikutt. However, the line-up of rappers decreased when El Rass and Al Sayyed Darwish from Lebanon and Syria respectively, were denied a visa to perform in Tunisia. El Rass has previously performed in Tunis on numerous occasions – and when the arrangers asked for a reason, a representative of the Tunisian Ministry of Culture orally explained that the rappers came from “terrorist countries”.

If the Arab Hip Hop movement is to develop even more, it is not only the limitations of freedom of expression that are to be faced, but it is also an improvement of cultural inclusion, a wider regional collaboration and the acceptance of Hip Hop artists, gracing stages all over the region and internationally. by Tia KORPE (Producer & Coordinator for Turning Tables) www.turningtables.org For more info on L’angar Hip Hop Festival facebook.com/LangarFestival

[FOLLOW A. GHAREM] abdulnassergharem.com edgeofarabia.com/artists/ abdulnasser-gharem Twitter @abdulnasserghar

LOCAL FLAVA’

Abdulnasser Gharem, Installation view of The Stamp (Inshallah), Rubber on wooden stamp.

Q&A | Saudi Contemporary Artist Abdulnasser Gharem In 2007, his live performance piece ‘Flora and Fauna’ came across as unusual and shocking, as it was set up in midst of conservative Abha in Saudi Arabia. Gharem wrapped himself in plastic sheeting, also encasing one of the trees running down the main street. “‘Flora and Fauna’ was a neat exploration of how man must exist in equilibrium with his environment,” says Gharem. Saudi artist Abdulnasser Gharem is revolutionizing the art scene in Saudi Arabia. Although it was never his essential path in life, he shifted from being your average lieutenant-colonel in Saudi Arabia’s army to a visually outspoken artist. He embraced art as part of a life mission - to encourage independent thought and highlight the way religion is used. In the early days there were times when Col. Gharem would sit in front of his

Flora and Fauna | Abdulnasser Gharem’s first live performance piece (Abha, 2007)

Abdulnasser Gharem, Installation of The Capitol Dome

computer for hours, downloading images and exploring concepts that would change his life. Inspired by Marcel Duchamp and Dadaism, he ventures into his own projects and ideas. In his first live performance piece, Flora and Fauna, he wrapped himself and a tree in plastic sheeting to highlight how imported trees were damaging indigenous ones.

“At the beginning they thought I was crazy,” he says, but then people started to ask what he was doing, which gave him the chance to explain. As there were no galleries to showcase his art, he decided to take his installation straight to the streets of hometown Abha. “Performance is a very effective and strong medium because you just go to the main street and you find the real audience,” he says.

Later, a significant theme emerges in his work: the rubber stamp - as a commentary on the bureaucracy that controls every aspect of life. In his London show, he exhibited a series of three enormous handcarved stamps made by Moroccan craftsmen. There are also stamp prints on paper sucas “The Stamp (Amen)” and “The Stamp (Moujaz)”. “When you are born you get a stamp, when you get married, even if you need a vacation you need someone to stamp a paper for you… these stamps are delaying our dreams, delaying our goals, wasting our life.”

“I have no studio so my studio is where I can find people. When I see the opportunity I go. That is my way of thinking about art.” In other art pieces, Gharem used geometric patterns from Arab culture meshed with subtle messages about the way religion and authority are used to influence people. Some of these works reflect on the events of 9/11. He particularly keen on aspects

and people involved in the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in 2001. Suffice to say, he went to school with two of the men who hijacked the planes. One of his most controversial installations is the Capitol Dome: it is a replica of the Capitol Dome in Washington, held up by Thomas Crawford’s 19th century depiction of the armed goddess of Freedom. This specific precarious positioning of “The Dome” was inspired by his childhood hobby of building bird traps out of baskets and unwanted food. Freedom stands for both welcoming host and armed guard. She’s inviting us in, but only on her terms: one move and the world will come down around her. Gharem’s exploration of art versus society’s flaws is relentless. Leading a double life, Abdulnasser Gharem finds that both his careers contribute in protecting society. He joins his strong optimism with his continual art, creativity and strong messages. He serves the message to highlight art as a power...

Follow Arabian Knightz via Twitter @ARABIANKNIGHTZ www.arableaguerap.com

REV OLT/REPORT

UN Charity Event Controversy|Arabian Knightz’ Plead When it comes to real Hip Hop, the perception of unenlightened people shifts towards demoralizing hip hop artists and their potential. People tend to estimate the value of their music as ‘not too popular’ therefore discriminating them from other more ‘commercial’ artists and bands. This relentless tag has suffocated talented hip hop artists such as Arabian Knightz, who were recently confronted with quite a predicament. Sponsored by the UN, an event was planned to be held in honor of National Volunteer Day and many local artists were eager to participate and to collaborate in such a public-spirited occasion. As modesty is key in any artist, Egyptian hip hop crew Arabian Knightz did not hesitate to express their involvement. When

negotiations were made concerning some sort of compensations, An Egyptian UN representative explained that there won’t be any! But, what seemed as a collective decision was actually biased. The other collaborating artists and bands WILL be collecting some sort of recompense. What was made clear to them, sadly, was that Arabian Knightz music was not popular enough to be rewarded and that performing on stage should be enough. As a result, Arabian Knighz decided to pull out from the event. Here’s what Sphinx (One of the members of AK) had to say: “The sad part is that we get love outside of this country: touring with huge names and getting showed support and appreciation for the art and hard work we’ve done. Yet, locally, even after all

we have been able to do with Hip-Hop, it gets treated like a lower form of art or not even art at all. As if we should be happy just to be able to perform. Well we won’t help in cheapening the art form for anybody with all due respect...” Arabian Knightz are considered one of the most established Hip Hop groups in Arabia as they have been very active and are always a big advocate of authentic hip-hop. Standing in solidarity with my brothers and I wish them all the best! Hass DENNAOUI http://revoltradio.blogspot.com

ALBUM RELEASE | THE FUTURE ANCIENTS

LUKA LESSON | THE FUTURE ANCIENTS Released | October 12th, 2013 The Future Ancients is a collection of Luka Lesson’s best slam poetry pieces and rap verses. A record of 30 poems written from 2008-2013, it takes the reader from the Greek coastlines of his ancestors, through reflections of Australia’s dark history and into pockets

of philosophy and pathways of love. Part poetry collection, part notebook, The Future Ancients includes blank spaces for the reader to pen their own lines and QR codes which link through an easy smart phone scan to audio or video recordings of Luka’s performances online, giving the reader a fully interactive experience.

[FOLLOW LUKA LESSON] www.lukalesson.com.au

➔ GO TO BEATING POETRY

for an extended feature on his poem “PLEASE RESIST ME” tainted with Luka LESSON’s capturing style and eloquence

ALBUM RELEASE | LMNZ WORLDWIDE RAP PROJECT

LMNZ | WORLDWIDE RAP LMNZ had the vision to produce a Hip-Hop album that brings the world closer, a multilingual Hip-Hop album without a limit to musical influence. Musicians with different styles from diverse backgrounds fused together. The influences range from jazz, soul, blues and salsa to Arabic & Chinese music and the texts do not

follow the clichĂŠ image of hip hop displayed in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s media. The album tells of war, societal ills and problems, but also of love, funny daily situations and inspiration. 76 artists from all over the world, who sing and rap in 29 different languages to realize the vision of a worldwide album.

[MORE ON LMNZ] http://www.worldwide-rap.com

Films & Documentaries

THE BRIDGE

Bridging the gap between cultures Producer and Director | Alia Diab Field Producers | Fatma Kayed & Dawn Bourgland Editor | Bassem Shalaby

“The Bridge” is a short documentary by Alia Diab that aims to bring together the misguided views that Arabs & Americans can have towards each other, and to also reinstate a cultural bridge of understanding and tolerance. On December 1st 2013, “The Bridge” succesfully premiered at the Souq Film Festival in Milan, Italy - a festival dedicated to the theme of urban suffering. A short documentary, in a strong tonality, interviews Americans and Arab-Americans, asking them their views of one another, in parallel to recent events - such as the evocative contreversy of 9/11. Check out the trailer...

☛ Check out next THE BRIDGE Poster + EXCLUSIVE interview with Director of THE BRIDGE | Alia DIAB

Films & Documentaries

[FOLLOW ALIA DIAB] Twitter @diab_alia For more information: facebook.com/TheBridgedocumentary

Q&A | Alia DIAB, Director of ‘THE BRIDGE’ 1- What triggered the idea behind “The Bridge”? During the years that I lived in the United States, I have experienced some prejudice due to my origins and also when I used to go home, I used to get criticized for defending the Americans; and I realized that both groups are misguided and therefore decided to make my documentary to expose this issue and give an idea about its importance.

3- “The Bridge” premiered in the Souq Film Festival in Milan. What kind of vibes did it stir up? What was the highlight of the premiere? The vibe was great! I was congratulated by many of the other filmmakers and some of the organizers. I got great comments. I’m glad people got the message behind the documentary and that they have not felt any bias, which is what I wanted the audience to feel.

there are people who criticize media and are aware of the media manipulation but are still repeating the point of views that the media shows them. 5- Can Arabs and Non-Arabs reconcile - in views - through documentaries such as “The Bridge”- which sheds light on the truth? I think that its very important that they do, one step at a time. I think that it’s our duty to make the world a better place for our next generation instead of carrying on our ancestors prejudices and transfer it to our children. 6- Will your documentary be screened in other Festivals? Hopefully I have sent it to festivals and waiting for response.

2- How long did it take to compile the interviews for “The Bridge”? Did any ever disrupt your objectivity throughout filming? It took 3 years of interviews with people from different backgrounds and regions in the US and UAE.

4- What do you think about international media and their role in depicting Arabs, especially after the Arab Spring? I think that international media is very manipulative and I dedicated a section in my documentary about media. I also show that

Interview by Hanane FATHALLAH revoltmag1@gmail.com facebook.com/revoltmag.arabia

It’s OFFICIAL! Alia DIAB has received an invitation to submit her documentary THE BRIDGE in the American Online Film Awards 2014 Spring Selection!

MEZZE: A Labor of Love by Barbara Abdeni Massaad ORDER A COPY HERE

[MORE LINKS] www.barbaramassaad.com/index.html www.facebook.com/barbara.massaad www.facebook.com/pages/Mezze-A-Labor-of-Love/156542111223609

LOCAL FLAVAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

[FOLLOW DHAD]

www.facebook.com/dhadstore Twitter @DhadStore Instagram @DhadStore

DHAD | A graffiti store in the heart of Jeddah

Wednesday, December 18th 2013 DHAD Team was so humble to welcome me into their store to socialize and to see what they are all about, up close and personal. In a convivial atmosphere where graffiti artists gather, along with walk-ins and other creative individuals - who are passionate to learn about sketching and graffiti, I set up my mixer and started playing hip hop tracks. The eye-popping graffiti on the walls of the store are so vivid that you could almost see them animate. The eclectic wall of well-stored spraycans mimic large buttons moving along a wave of color. DHAD is such a great way to expand the minds of the youth and is a place where they can unleash their creativity. Art has a strong status in Saudi Arabia and DHAD try to reflect the power and art behind graffiti, the techniques, the hard work and the flow of creativity.

LOCAL FLAVA’

THE BEAT is a series of events that help promote local talents in Jeddah, KSA. In a convivial atmosphere where you can get up close and personal with the live performing artists, THE BEAT compiles raw talent in all its forms, into one space, to shed light on the richness of our Arab culture - while covering all music genres and other art forms.

s p o t f . y . i .

#MANDELA #RIPNelsonMandela #Sudan #cartoon Khalid AlBaih is a self-proclaimed artist, political cartoonist, illustrator, designer and a dislecsic writer... from the two countries of The Sudan. Khartoon! is his social and political commentary on the Sudan, the region and the world.

s p o t f . y . i .

‘I won’ | #Syria #Iran #Iraq #flags #BasharAlAssad #victory #fail [FOLLOW KHARTOON] twitter.com/khalidalbaih instagram.com/khalidalbaih facebook.com/KhalidAlbaih flickr.com/photos/khalidalbaih Khartoon.tumblr.com

s p o t f . y . i .

Khalid Albaih

HARAM

‫حرام‬

A play based on the poetry of Maher Hathout Written and directed by Wesam Nassar This play is a collaboration amongst five artists - Maher Hathout, Wesam Nassar, Omar Offendum, Susu Attar, and Samira Idroos. The play will be held in the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in Los Angeles, California from January 10th to 12th 2014 «Oh Morning Light! We long for you. We anxiously await you.» Is it possible for love not to be soured by an eroding world? Troubled times threaten to tear apart a young Woman and Man, deeply in love. As he hears the call to join the resistance and abandon his beloved, she battles for the survival of their loving home. An abstract drama, Haram tells the tale of the universal struggle of love and war; the love of a couple, of a people, of an ideal world in the face of tyranny and oppression. Whatever choice they make, inevitably, they are left with Haram.

To donate to help make this play happen, click on the link: https://fundly.com/haram-a-play-basedon-the-poetry-of-dr-maher-hathout?ft_ src=widget_campaign_card

[JOIN ‘HARAM’ PLAY EVENT] www.facebook.com/ events/1382617378654272/

ALBUM RELEASE | DOWN TO EARTH

LYRICALLY ILLZ | DOWN TO EARTH James P. Eastman (Born August 30,1988) who records under the stage name Lyrically iLLz, is a New York City based recording artist, rapper, songwriter. His style can be described as poetic lyricism, who can switch up flows to deliver strong and relatable messages through his music while maintaining a commercial sound. Down To Earth is his latest mixtape. This project stands against greed, capitalism, and mainstream radio hip hop. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a mixture of social, political conscious rap, which also touches on relationships, old school boom bap mixed with that underground story telling style.

[FOLLOW LYRICALLY ILLZ] TWITTER @lyricallyillz Download the Mixtape here http://lyricallyillz.bandcamp.com/

THE REMINDERS [FOLLOW THEM] Twitter @TheReminders @Ajaboogie @BigSamir @LazyEyez www.facebook.com/pages/The-ReMINDers/71614875812 theremindersmusic.com ALBUM | WE ARE BORN CHAMPIONS www.cdbaby.com/cd/thereminders

Q&A | “Muslim” | A track by DEEN ft SPHINX Islam is a religion based on peace and love. Sometimes, the only thing that goes through distortion is a pure source. Nevertheless, the message of Islam is in its purity and submission to God. The anti-Islam movie that surfaced the web took the whole Muslim community by storm and angered it. Some of the reactions from the Muslim community didn’t reflect the true essence of Islam. Civilized self-expressions are very important in this case. Hip-hop is one tool the youth can use to express and channel their thoughts. Hip-hop artists Deen and Sphinx teamed up and launched a track called “Muslim” in response to the ignorant video “Innocence of Muslims” and the violent protests that occurred as a result. Deen, whose name means “way of life” in Arabic, was born in California to parents of Pakistani and Afghan origin. Sphinx is one of the members of Egyptian hip-hop based group Arabian Knightz. The track is a civilized reply to what was proven a hate message from ignorant souls that used freedom of expression to hide as a coward and promote hate. What Deen and Sphinx did was to rise up and alert the Muslim community that we all should stick together and put our views across using civilized art or other civilized ways of expression.

[FOLLOW DEEN] Twitter @DEEN562 [FOLLOW ARABIAN KNIGHTZ] Twitter @ARABIANKNIGHTZ

1- Do you think the Muslim community would respectfully validate “art” being a reply to the anti-Islam movie? Sphinx: “Well, as long as Islam validates it, then it doesn’t really matter whether Muslims do or not; but with that being said, I think the majority of the Muslim community would.” Deen: “I believe in our present day, art provides us the biggest platform to communicate our message in a very palatable form to a wide demographic of people. From an Islamic point of view, if you look at the time period when the Qur’an was revealed, poetry was at its peak in Arabia and yet God provided the Prophet (peace be upon him) with a message that could not be matched by any human or jinn. Hip-hop is a form of modern-day poetry, and we’ve done our best to represent our beliefs and our people in this song. From the reactions we’ve been getting so far, our fellow Muslims have embraced that, and the common sentiment has been that they’re proud that somebody stepped up to speak on their behalf.”

2- How can we educate people to really follow the Prophet’s legacy, which is being humble, and respond to hate actions in a civilized manner? Sphinx: “I am trying to do so with music, which has made me fortunate enough to be flown out to countries in Europe to meet with people and show them the other side and actually have a direct dialogue with a group of students about the subject. I’ve learned that people really want to know and are very curious, because what the media spread is all hate against Muslims.” Deen: “I think the best way is to lead by example. People need to educate themselves. Islam urges us to read, research, and to not follow things blindly. We’re doing our part through our music to spark ideas in people’s minds and give them a different perspective on things. Inshallah, our work can influence them to look further into what they believe. We aim for our positivity to breed more positivity.”

3- The track is done in English. What’s your response to people who think Islam is only represented by Arab speakers? Sphinx: “Well, our message is mainly to non-Muslims, which mostly don’t speak any Arabic. Secondly, Arabic is only mentioned in the Qur’an as the way God will preserve it— not that it’s some magical language. Islam is for all mankind and not just for Arabs.” Deen: “My response to this is, Indonesia is the largest Islamic country in the world and Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Wake up. Islam is universal, and whether it’s said in Arabic or not, our message is for the world.”

“Using art to reflect truth” by Hass DENNAOUI Published in Arabnews October 2012 www.arabnews.com

TOP 5 TUNES

on my headphones

➔ RECOMMENDED VIDEO 21 Forever | Jasiri X http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zJKGCPScXug

➔ RE:GENERATION (2012)

Documentary | 1 hr. 30 min. Re:Generation Music Project is a documentary that examines music’s past, present and future, while yielding five revolutionary collaborations in the process. The Crystal Method, DJ Premier, Pretty Lights, Mark Ronson, and Skrillex use technology to mix musical styles and generations for the creation of five original tracks. RE:GENERATION is a triumph for all generation, as younger music lovers will grow in their knowledge for the forefounders of the music we hear today, while seasoned music lovers can appreciate the versatility of contemporary artists to work with unfamiliar genres, all for the sake of creating something new and unique. With precise camera work and skillful footage, we are brought into the studio, onto the stage and into the minds of these musicians as they venture into truly unchartered territory. An honest and fascinating look into the art of making music, the film will strike a chord within any music lover. We can only hope this means another generation of brave new music.

LOCAL FLAVA’

[FOLLOW BLACK BANNERS]

via FACEBOOK via TWITTER @BlackBannerz @BlackBannerzARA http://www.blackbannerz.com http://www.orientsquad.com

BLACK BANNERZ | Duality creates ‘Hip Hop’ identity Black Bannerz consists of 2 MCs Holywar and S.O.T.A (Slave of the Almighty). To complete the team, the production is trusted in the hands of Orient Squad, who are 2 Producers Rekta and DJ Ouss. Originally from Syria, they venture the Middle East and France. Black Bannerz are about to strongly resonate in the Arab region and internationally. Music Revolution is the name of their debut Double Album which is finalized and soon to be released. It’s revolutionary in its beats, language and messages. As mentioned by them, the use of the “Original Arabic Tongue” (Fusha Language) is a revolution of its own. It’s indeed a double album, with both an Arabic and English side.It features guests such as Shadia Mansour, Malikah, Hasan Salaam on the Arabic Side. As for the English side, artists such as Immortal Technique, Vinnie Paz, Sean Price, R.A The Rugged Man, Chino XL, Crooked I, Reef The Lost Cauze, Nino Bless, Planet Asia, Scram Jones,Beyond Belief, Kool G Rap,King Magnetic - they all complement the magnitude of this Double Album. All tracks are produced by Orient Squad.

“This Double Album will defy the heavy-weights of Hip Hop heads in the Arab region and worldwide. Taking the best of both worlds makes their project at the reach of all cultures. Black Bannerz decided to empower the Arabic side of the album by going back to the ‘Original Arabic Tongue’. The Arab region is quite diverse in dialects. Nominating the Fusha language as a means to attract more listeners is a promising endeavor. The variety of Arab artists taking part in this Double Album add maturity, inspiration and pride to the project. The English side is also supported by great names, leaving room for experienced artists to embellish Music Revolution. In duality comes identity - a new concept that will captivate listeners internationally and the revolution will reach to all.” Hanane FATHALLAH (re-volt magazine)

LOCAL FLAVA’

Stay tuned Music Revolution Double Album release SOON!

Here is the back cover of their Double Album the “Music Revolution”. Stay tuned for this exciting fusion of hip hop culture with authentic Arabica and intense English! Black Bannerz have already released two tracks from the album so in the meantime you can check these out to get a feel of their Music Revolution! https://soundcloud.com/blackbannerz

â&#x17E;&#x201D; The United (2012) Produced by Walt Disney Pictures Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Arabic-language film Produced by Rachel Gandin Directed by Amin Matalqa Written by Nizar Wattad Featuring Farouk Al-Fishawy, Waleed Zuaiter, Bosaina, & Amir Scandar Cinematography by Ray Peschke, Edited by Debbie Berman Original score by Omar Fadel feat. rappers vocals Omar Offendum, Deeb, & Salah Edin. The United tells the story of a legendary Egyptian football coach (played by Egyptian screen star Farouk El-Fishawy) brought out of retirement to train a team of teen misfits from across the Middle East. Peripeties and emotions also include his former superstar player and his determined granddaughter as they gather a team of the best youth soccer players from around the Arab world.

ONEQ&A

Director Amin Matalqa As a film maker, what is your advice to young Saudi and Arab Film-makers? Amin Matalqa: Make movies and have no fear. Tell your own stories, find your voice, grow your artistic passion and have fun doing it!

[FOLLOW KARIM JABBARI] Twitter @karim_jab Instagram @karim_jab www.madefromwords.com

Q&A | Karim JABBARI: Bringing the Streets to hometown 1. Kasserine is your hometown. How important was it for you to organize Streets Festival there? What affect did it have on your young compatriots? For me it was extremely important to bring this festival to Kasserine. It’s my hometown. It’s the place where I was born and raised. After so long living in Montréal, and having had so many opportunities there to advance as an artist and creative person, I felt it was my duty to share some of this. In Kasserine, due to its history of social and economic neglect at the hands of Tunisia’s rulers, the youth here don’t have opportunities to engage with much art or culture from outside. The region is in many ways quite isolated from what goes on in the coastal regions - not to mention outside Tunisia. And now, exactly three years after the uprising against the Ben Ali regime, inequal-

ity and oppression, it’s hard to see what Kasserine has gained for the part it played in the uprising and the many sacrifices it made: the region remains on the fringes of the political process going on in Tunis, and unemployment is sky high.

The youth, who has been so badly affected by all this, yet has such tremendous energy and creativity, just needed the chance to see that it is possible to turn that energy into something beautiful, something that expresses what they are living and dealing with. The artists that I invited for the festival are people who have succeeded in doing that. As for the effect on Kasserine’s youth, I think it has been extremely positive. Many of the young people who helped me organize or document the festival told me that the experience changed their lives. One young man, named Amine, told me that before Streets he spent most of his time at home, or surfing the internet. Then, he participated in one of the festival’s photo workshops by Tamara Abdul Hadi, and also a beatmaking workshop by Sandhill,

and he says that now he’s discovered talents he didn’t even know he had, and has learned how to put them to use, with a camera, or a soundboard. 2. How challenging was it to put this event together? What are the highlights in your opinion? It was a huge challenge to put this festival together. In the end, far more artists participated than I had originally envisioned. It took enormous amounts of energy and patience on the part of my friends and family in Kasserine, as well as myself, to bring them all in, to supply them with the tools/supplies they needed, to make sure they were comfortable. Moreover, Kasserine hasn’t seen an event like this before, so it didn’t really have the institutions or the specialists needed to handle the organization of the workshops, the performances, and all the logistics. So it was a little messy the first couple of days, but it came together with a lot of hard work and some luck.

It’s hard to say what the highlights were, because the festival itself was a highlight! If I had to name some though, I would say that Medine’s concert & The Narcicyst’s concert were big moments that gave a lot of good energy. The Breakdance final competition was huge, filled with energy, and brought in a lot of local

talents from Kasserine who will now get the chance to perform abroad with the famous French Pokémon breakdance crew. Finally I would say that the beautiful graffiti murals created by Zepha from France, and Saile One from Chile, are also a highlight. Those one will last, too, keeping the festival’s memory alive in Kasserine, which is important for me.

3. How vital is this type of events to small towns like Kasserine in reviving tourism via music and art? I think Streets in the beginning of a process. Through it, we’ve begun to encourage local youth in their artistic and cultural pursuits. We’ve brought in some (limited) media attention to the area. We’ve shined a little light

on the tremendous talents that exist here, unknown to much of the world and much of Tunisia too. It’s my hope that the festival will continue on a yearly basis, and that it will become an event of national and international importance, and that in the years to come you will have fans of hip hop culture coming to Kasserine to witness the raw positive energy that is created when these talents and minds come together. It’s my hope that these fans and tourists will bring business with them, that they will patronize local businesses, and that the festival itself will provide employment opportunities for local youth in accommodating and providing services for these tourists. I also think that now that the young artists in Kasserine have seen their own potential unleashed and know what they’re capable of, that in time they too will go on to become artists of international regard, and bring back still more media attention and business to Kasserine. In the end, I think that Streets and events like it are very important for the local economy, We are, however, only at the beginning of a process of building and improvement. Interview by Hass DENNAOUI Twitter @BIG_HASS

ON THE GO | TESTIMONIALS ON HIP HOP CULTURE

EXPRESS Q&A | CHALI2NA You have travelled across the world doing your art. How does that make you feel? Chali: Blessed. The opportunity to travel in your mind is definitely possible but not probable, so to be able in my older age to actually see the places that I read about or see my favourite entertainers. I feel blessed. What was your most memorable gig/event and why? Chali: I’ve had several in my time and I am grateful for those times. But I think the most recent, I got the chance to travel to Istanbul and make “Ishaa Prayer” in the Blue Mosque; that was amazing. That was the closest I got to the Middle East. There is no balance in the radio world: it’s all about escaping and not a lot of real issues get discussed. What are your thoughts on that? Chali: I can agree that there is an unbalanced focus on what’s superficial as opposed to

looking at everything from a balanced perspective. Music can facilitate answers, it can facilitate situations that provoke questions that can bring about the answers that you might need amongst your community, amongst the people that you dealing with. It’s a bunch of different things that music can do, other than “help” you escape; and so I say, expose that aspect as well in an even fashion and “We are cool”. We should moderate how we listen to music because alot of it would take our minds away from what’s most important. How did Hip-Hop change your life? Chali: To be honest, Hip Hop exposed me to Islam in a way that made me understand how to participate, how to practise on a daily basis. Hip Hop took me away from the streets of Chicago and LA, and gave me a creative outlet so that I wouldn’t have to chase behind some of

the guys who were doing things producing monetary things but wasn’t producing for your spirit. What does your faith mean to you personally and culturally? Chali: For me, it’s a live transaction that helps me from a discipline perspective live. I know and understand that the most important relationship that I have is with God. We are all in orbit around the creator: I respect that to the maximum and I feel that being in tune with that is like being a well round watch; it does its part. I appreciate Allah for creating these situations that all fit together..if man would only just recognize that we should connect instead of disconnect. Excerpt from interview with Hass DENNAOUI on “LAISH HIP HOP” 21st December 2013

FULL ALBUM RELEASE | JASIRI X

JASIRI X | ASCENSION Emcee and community activist Jasiri X Album Released in March 2013 Produced by RELIGION You can buy the complete album on iTunes itunes.apple.com/us/album/ascension/id617177484

ALBUM RELEASE | DJ OUTLAW

DJ OUTLAW | MIXTAPE - THE MIDDLE EAST INVASION - VOL.5 Released on January 2nd 2014 www.djoutlaw.com FREE DOWNLOAD www.mediafire.com/download/7o0yqgft2kke8al/The+Middle+East+Invasion+vol.5.rar

EXCLUSIVE interview with DJ OUTLAW in ISSUE#04!

ALBUM RELEASE | ODDISÉE

ODDISÉE | THE BEAUTY IN ALL Executive Producer | Michael Tolle Mello Music Group Copyright 2013 “The Beauty In All is about the flaws & mistakes that give life its character and worth - how even ignorance can give light to knowledge. For me, not knowing how to do something and still trying is a process that helped my production style evolve. If everything we are is out in perfect

tutorials, we might never deviate from the teacher. This record is dedicated to imperfection and the sense of pride and accomplishment we get from our struggles. Hopefully, you listen to this record, reflect on the ups and downs of life, and see the beauty in all.”

[FOLLOW ODDISÉE] twitter.com/oddisee instagram.com/oddisee www.facebook.com/oddiseemusic soundcloud.com/oddiseemusic

[FOLLOW DJ SOTUSURA] Twitter @SOTUSURA facebook.com/sotusuraofficial

Hip Hop DJ Sotusura (Credited Image: ÂŠ Omar Alkalouti)

[FOLLOW Onqoud] Twitter @Onqoud Instagram @Onqoud http://onqoud.com/

Jeddah +Acumen presents “Al-Ma7a6a” Creative Station

‫المحطة‬

Jeddah +Acumen is a self-organized, volunteer-led group that seeks to learn and share Acumen’s principles and approach to help change the way he world tackles poverty. Our chapter is one of 30 +Acumen chapters around the world sharing the principles of patient capital, cultivating an understanding of Acumen’s values, and putting these principles into practice in our community.

➔ We’re holding our 1st event Al-Ma7a6a | Creative Station, managed & developed by Onqoud creative incubator. “Al- Ma7a6a” is a two-day event with 3 main stations: 1. Shopping Station: Promoting local business owners with creative products/services 2. Creation Station: Creative workshops for visitors of all ages. 3. Share Station: A lounge for visitors to network and share creations .

Our Manifesto: Stations are destinations. Al-Ma7a6a, a creative destination where every visitor will build the confidence to create! We aim to highlight the importance of creativity and design thinking, and help community members establish themselves as problem solvers! Jeddah+Acumen Twitter @JEDDAH4acumen www.jeddah.plusacumen.org www.acument.org

SINGLE RELEASE | JASIRI X

JASIRI X | MANDELA [LISTEN TO WHAT THE DRUMS SAY] Dedicated to one of the greatest leaders of our time Nelson MANDELA. “Mandela [Listen to What the Drums Say]” was produced by Agent of Change and shot by Haute Muslim. “Jasiri X mission is freeing minds one rhyme at a time ...” Free Download http://jasirix.bandcamp.com/ [Follow Jasiri X] https://twitter.com/jasiri_x

Beating Poetry | IN DEPTH

Please resist me Colonise me, compromise me, conflict me Please don’t risk me If you see me at the airport please come and frisk me Please resist me Colonise me, compromise me and conflict me Please don’t risk me Please call me stupid Because your resistance brings our evolution Please resist me Call me a ‘wog’ It’s brought us so close together I could call me a squad Please resist me Lock me in solitary confinement I’ll close my eyes and admire the quality of the silence I’ll write rhymes in my mind honestly and define them Solidly redefine and memorise them Until like a diamond when I come out I’ll be better than when I arrived in Please resist me Keep me under the thumb Keep me down trodden Keep me under the gun Keep me working harder under thunder and sun Son, haven’t you heard? I’m becoming a gun Please resist me Because resistance brings evolution and you’ve resisted me consistently I thank you for your contribution

I’m a happy man Your stupidity has made me strong I’ve developed wings, a thick skin and this here opposable thumb It holds my pen which loads my explodable tongue So without loading a gun I’m killing high quotas of unemotional... punks Sorry - you also taught me to speak French I learnt it when you kept keeping me at arms-length And then I learnt Italian just to expand my head And Greek to learn from where my ancestors had fled And then I learnt some Yanyuwa just to show the people of this land some respect You see it’s been your example that has led me to leave you for dead So don’t trust me I’m risky Insurmountable, unaccountable I’m an undeniable, unreliable, maniacal liability I fire soliloquies and my liturgies literally leave a literary litany You see When I was little They told me I was illegitimate, illiterate and limited Little did they know that in a minute I’d be killing it I’m vivid like in cinemas so my synonym is vividness I stick it like I’m cinnamon and kill it like a militant I live it like a citizen - you live a life like imprisonment Besides Indigenous immigrant might be the most legitimate of citizens So it’s better to live a life like us... Isn’t it?

2013 ÂŠ re-volt magazine