RE-VOLT MAGAZINE ISSUE 11 | September 2014

YOUR MONTHLY SOURCE OF REAL HIP-HOP CULTURE

ISSUE 11 • SEPTEMBER 2014

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 andcriticized, and lastly, where underground, talentedunrepresented 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 film... We choose all the above.The power of the word to inform, to representand to stay real!

EDITOR HASSANE DENNAOUI

ASSOCIATE EDITOR | GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hanane FATHALLAH

CONTRIBUTORS If you’re interested to writefor re-volt magazine, email [email protected]

Cover Artwork Ibrahim El-Salahi Reborn Sounds of Childhood Dreams 1961-1965 http://ibrahimsalahi.com/

Another special edition featuring the old and the new. re-volt magazine team is ending vacation mode, but that didn’t stop us from putting together another recap issue, showcasing some of the greatest features and highlights of our magazine, since we started 11 months ago.So we’ve decided to take a time-out and reflect on what we have accomplished so far.

Many thanks toSudanese painter Ibrahim El-Salahi for the cover.

re-volt TEAM Hassane & Hanane DENNAOUI

CONTENTS

➔ RECOMMENDED VIDEO

El Khateeb | الخطيب

A short filmwith music by Mashrou’ Leila بالتعاون مع مرشوع ليىل

➔ RECOMMENDED VIDEO Jab A’ar | Malikah & Bu KolthoumProduced by Bu Kolthoum Scratches and cuts by Dj Flash-B

TOP videos

DJ Lethal Skillz is the oldest and most established turntablist in the Arab Hip Hop movement. Besides being a world-class DJ, he has also distinguished himself as a prolific producer and long-running ambassador for the Arab hip-hop massive. He has two seminal Arab Hip Hop albums to his credit: _ New World Disorder (2008) _ Karmageddon (2012) Karmageddon (2012) features nearly everyone in the Lebanese hip-hop scene past and presentand many of Arab hip-hop stalwarts from the region and Diaspora!Throughout his journey he has collaborated and performed with major historical figures in hip-hop lore - including opening up for the likes of: Pharoahe Monch and M-1 of Dead Prez at The Forum Kentish Town, in London, England playing with the likes of De La Soul, Dj Q-bert, Rob Swift, Dj Akakabe and Co-ma World DMC Champions mainstream acts likeTimbaland, 50 cents, Whokid, Big Ali, Missy Eliot, Sean Paul, MIMS, Coolio...

For more info, check out these links:www.facebook.com/djlethalskillz961 www.reverbnation.com/djlethalskillzwww.youtube.com/djlethalskillz

www.myspace.com/anewworlddisorderwww.myspace.com/lethalskillzwww.soundcloud.com/djlethalskillz

DJ | Turntablist | Producer | EntrepreneurDJ LETHAL SKILLZ

➔ RECOMMENDED VIDEO

The Narcicyst | 7amith 7ilu (Bittersweet) ft. DAM Brought to you by Indiemaj X The MediumProduced by Sandhill • Video directed by Meshal AljaserStarring Turki Almohsen, Hisham Fageeh, and Mississippi IbrahimProduced by Hisham Fageeh

➔ RECOMMENDED VIDEO

Sphinx ft. Qusai | Cairofornia Arab League Recordshttp://www.arableaguerap.com https://www.facebook.com/ArabLeagueRecords

TOP videos

CARTOONS Discuss this cartoon on Twitter @revolt_magazine

#revoltmag_cartoon

New Khartoon!Shredder

s p o t f . y . i .

A BUNCH OF YO-YOS WHO CAN PAINT!

[FOLLOW FROP AND MUSO] https://www.facebook.com/FropandMuso

Instagram @fropandmuso

“I’m always angry.” one of my 8th on day two of my Introduction to Hip-Hop class. My young men were urged to think, process, and EXPRESS through words who they were and what defined them. I got a lot of answers such as “basketball, football and video games.” But in particular this one boy said “my anger”. As he said that I am cheering in my head saying “now we are talking, yes, child this is what I am talking about!” All I say aloud is “Good! You recognize that you are struggling with something and that something has come to shape you as an individual. Now express for me in WORDS why you have this anger?”

So where is hip-hop education’s place in urban areas of education? Right in between state standards and mapped out curriculums, and right before school drop-out. Hip-hop education has to find its respectable place at relevance. Throughout my experiences as a student in an urban school, as well as teaching/working within an urban setting for the past 10 years, one common ground I have always found that bridges my students to myself is music. Hip-hop and rap specifically, but I have never, nor will ever forget about the blues, jazz, funk, rock and/or fusion as they all find their way into my lessons. If it wasn’t for those we wouldn’t have hip-hop (specifically when it comes to sampling, but that is for another day!)

I have come to find that my students in the cities I have taught carry a lot of emotional baggage and school for them is not a priority; school tends to be seen as a hin-drance to many of them. Sometimes the relevance of school is do to the divisions of neighborhoods, violence, lack of support, the need to support one’s family fiscally, poverty, and the list goes on. So how do we make our students want to continue to come to school even with the daily distractions of life? Itcomes back to relevance, as an educator. As an educator one has to look to their students to express what they like and what influences them. You learn to take that and adapt it to educate them. You MUST give your students a reason to be in the classroom, because if you can’t provide them with a reason then you have lost...because there is something else out there that has caught and is holding theirattention...keeping them from you.

Why Fight the Culture? (Part Two) by Jessica Noyes M.Ed.,Urban Education

Pittsburgh, Pa, USA

[FOLLOW JESSICA NOYES] Twitter @Ms_Jnoyes Instagram JNoyes90

REVOLT/REPORT | WHY FIGHT THE CULTURE? (PART TWO)

“… Our struggle is just like yours, the steel city of warm bodies with iron clad skin...” is the opening line of hip-hop album, Iron Flag. The unique voice of Julia Pommess introduces artist Klark Kentt and his Steel City warriors on track one, Enter. The idea behind “…city of warriors clad with iron skin…” comes from the saying “iron sharpens iron” strong minded individuals inspiring other strong minded individuals. Each person sharpens each other, mentally, physically, socially,emotionally as well as intellectually. The album is infused with pride in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, once a booming industrial city who is now being revitalized by it’s people and their communities through their ability to face adversity, overcome the settled dust of the old Steel City and to “Raise the Iron Flag [because] my city is indivisible…” (Red Light, Track 5).

Iron Flag moves through many stories in its 16 bar tracks none foreign to any individual who has lived amongst or has been subjected to social, political or economic hardships (that means everyone can contest to some aspect of Iron Flag). The nostalgia that oozes from this sonically soulful hip-hop album is driven from the well defined authentic rhythmic drums that takes k listeners to past experiences. I often found myself drift-ing back to my childhood in Pittsburgh and all of my experiences associated with growing up as a Pittsburgh native as well; Sunday night dinners at my grandparents, Pirate baseball games at Forbes Field (Oh, I aged my-self!) and the flooding of the Monongahela Warf every spring. It wasn’t just my childhood in Pittsburgh my mind always drifted back to but also my experiences of maturity and lessons learned that I reflect on as Iron Flag plays in the background.

In Track Three, Eye of the Storm Kentt exposes his childhood in the last verse of the song Eye of the Storm Kentt returns to his time as a secondary student “I used to always tell the principal that I would never fail she said Jon that’s just the prince in you…” and then the song flows back into the chorus “Dancing in the eye of the storm…” Kentt went on to gradu-ate from Villanova University where he received his degree in Marketing and went on to open the record label Jealousy Encourage Driven Intelligence (J.E.D.I) Entertainment. Kentt danced in the eye of every storm and continues to. His lyrics are meant to inspire and positively instill a pride back into the community of Pittsburgh where Kentt was born and raised but also to every community just like his city of Pittsburgh, one in particular that sticks out to me is Detroit, Michigan. In reality though every city had it’s better days and to those days Kentt takes you and reminds you that they are never out of reach it is up to you to sharpen the iron with and amongst your community.

Album Review of ‘Iron Flag’ Written and reviewed by Jessica Noyes M.Ed.,Urban Education

Pittsburgh, Pa, USA

[FOLLOW JESSICA NOYES] Twitter @Ms_Jnoyes Instagram JNoyes90

CONTACT INFORMATION Email: [email protected]: http://Jedient.com

Twitter: @KentdakiD

ALBUM REVIEW | IRON FLAG

s p o t f . y . i . [FOLLOW DR. WASSMA AL A-AGHA] http://wassma-alagha.blogspot.com/

Iraqi Artist Dr. Wassma Al-Agha

M I C • C H E C K

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!

BLITZ THE AMBASSADOR

[FOLLOW Blitz the Ambassador] via TWITTER @BlitzAmbassador

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 some-one 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 inte-grated more of the African culture in my music. My music also depicts the experi-ences 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 andclearing the misunderstandings about Africa. I’m keen on building bridges be-tween people that don’t understand the culture – hence the word ambassador.

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 promot-ing 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 mis-representation around the world; people without a voice are being spoken for and hence an agenda is being drawn for them. Herein lies the power of hip-hop in communicating to the world, telling people, “Listen – we are here, we are notinvisible – 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 ex-pressed to the public what we all wanted to say.

5- If you had a MIC that was broad-casting 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 under-stand 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 tosolving our own issues.

Interview byHassane DENNAOUI a.k.a. Big Hass June 2013 Twitter @BIG_HASS [email protected]

[Follow DJ BOO] Twitter @Boo515www.facebook.com/boo.jenkinswww.LeftHandedSaint.wordpress.com

1. How did the idea of “How We Flex” come about? The platform is actually called “The FLEX”, “How We FLEX” is the tagline that we use. The idea came about when I moved back to the UAE two and a half years ago and found that there still weren’t any/many platforms exposing local talent or platforms were artists could feel free to express themselves. Music has always been my life, and after obtaining a degree in Music Industry Management & Studio Production and taking a job in TV production in Abu Dhabi, I fused my love for music, with my new found skills in TV. I grew up in the UAE as an aspir-ing artist without the resources or a suitable platform available to me or any of my friends, to help develop our craft or express our creativity. With such a large multicultural society I think its extremely important to have these types of platforms in place to allow the creative industry to grow and help nurture talent.

2. Other than supporting the local scene in UAE. How are you looking to expand this initiative?Ever since The FLEX began airing on FOX & FX around the Middle East & Africa, we have been receiving lots of submissions and audition videos from region. With Season 3 approaching, our

plan is to expand the show to include countries like, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco, to name a few. We want to not only represent the UAE, but the region as a whole. Middle Eastern Urban and Hip Hop culture is growing nicely and we want to expose it to the world through The FLEX.

3. Why in your opinion the video of poet Farah Chamma has reached the highest in terms of views? First and for most, because Farah Chamma is extremely talented and deserves to be heard!! Her message was very very powerful, and although some may view her poem as somewhat ‘taboo’, people were able to connect and relate to what she was saying. She said what everyone has been thinking but too afraid to say, which can be very common in this region. The fact that she performed the poem in Arabic also played a big part as expected. Arabic poetry is a big thing and we hope to be able to expose more.

4. How has the feedback been? And what kind of support are you looking for? The response has been great so far : we want to thank everyone for their love and support! The FLEX is still new in my eyes so there are a lot of kinks that need ironing out. At the moment we’re really keen on partnering with a few brands and get them involved with our online content and our content that airs on FOX.

5. How can people reach you?People can reach us on all of our social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube & Insta-gram by searching: HowWeFlex (one word). They can also visit the website: www.HowWeFlex.com to subscribe to our weekly updates, and if you are an aspiring artist who wants to get involved, email us: [email protected]

6. On the spot Q. Who are the top 4 Hip-Hop artists in your opinion residing in the UAE?Surprisingly 4 is actually hard to pick, but my top 4 Hip Hop acts in the UAE, in no particular order would have to be: Malikah; The Recipe; Jibberish (Diligent Thought) Moh Flow | MAJOR props to Ghost & Ed Hooligan also, I love those guys! All of these artists have a lot of talent and are representing their region well! I look forward to working with more great artists like them!

ON THE GO | Sadiece HOLLAND

Phot

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edit

• Bun

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Sadiece HOLLAND FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER THE FLEX SHOW

s p o t f . y . i . [FOLLOW EL SEED] https://www.facebook.com/elseed.artist

Calligraffiti EL SEED

GIVE US A CALLwhen you want to get creative

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY DESIGN

[email protected]

GIVE US A CALLwhen you want to get creative

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY DESIGN

[email protected]

MOH FLOW | INSPIRED

::About::Genre Rap/Hip-Hop/R&BSinger Molham Homsi Producer/Manager Ayham Homsi Record Label Harmony Brothers (www.ayproduction.net) Based in Jeddah Saudi Arabia and Dubai

Music https://soundcloud.com/MohFlowMusic Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mohflowmusicTwitter https://www.twitter.com/mohflowmusic Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mohfleezyWebsite https://www.MohFlowMusic.com

ALBUM RELEASE | INSPIRED ملهم

ALBUM RELEASE | INSPIRED ملهم

::Biography::Moh Flow Started Off In 2005 Rhymin’ after he watched his older brother (AY) for Many years, Getting Most of his insight on Rap/Hip-Hop Music.And Since Then He’s Been Mastering his Mc Skills to rise And Take His Place Among The Greats! His First Mixtape “Nothing Personal” Was Dropped In 2010.Since Then Moh Flow Collaborated With The Run junction Crew And They Released Their “ J City Chronicles Vol.1 “. in March 23rd 2012 he Re-leased his mixtape “Peace Love & Music”. November 24th 2012 he released his mixtape “Born Ready”. A Mixtape with Ayzee is in the final stages! to be released early 2013. Listen to the album here https://soundcloud.com/mohflowmusic

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Monkey Graffiti Mural by ZED (Eli Zaarour) Faraya | Lebanon

[FOLLOW ELI ZAAROUR]

https://www.facebook.com/ezaarour1?fref=ts

R E V O L T / R E P O R T

OMAR OFFENDUM

[FOLLOW OMAR OFFENDUM] Twitter @Offendum Instagram @Offendum www.facebook.com/offendum

Looking back at your life in Al-Khobar, can you recollect one knick-knack, one happy moment and one unforgettable scenery that all remind you of Saudi Arabia? I was the youngest of my four siblings when we left Saudi, so unfortunately my memories are not as strong theirs. That said, I do have faint recollections of spending time with my family at the beautiful Sunset Beach Compound. When I revisited Al-Khobar for the first time back in 2008, I was struck by how much it had developed and expanded since we left. I still have our old family membership card from the 80’s & it appears that they kept the same company logo, which put a smile on my face.

>> RETROSPECTIVE

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Photo credit Flemming Bo Jensen

THE BIG MOVE Going from one culture to another requires a great deal of tolerance and open-mindedness. How was your first interaction with the WEST?I was quite young when we immigrated (4 years old) so my family had to deal with the cultural shocks and transitions much more than I did. However they soon enrolled me in the Islamic Saudi Academy, where I spent most of my elementary, middle and high-school education. There, I was surrounded by students from all over the Arab/Muslim world and that kept the cultural ties strong, in addition to yearly travels back home to visit family in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and the GCC.

Family & Education A healthy surrounding and a solid family support help sustain one’s background, origins and individuality. What strengthened your Arab origins and your love for the Arabic language? How do you keep these bonds intact?I was taught Arabic and Islamic studies at school for 2-hours a day based on textbooks straight from KSA, so that definitely had a huge impact on my ability to maintain the language. It was also a pan-Arab experience in the sense that I had teachers from Saudi, Iraq and Palestine, and best friends from Sudan, Egypt and Oman. So while I identified as a Syrian, I could relate to people from all over the Arab world and was familiar with their accents/customs. However, I’d be remiss if I did not men-tion that my mother was the biggest linguistic influence on me. She quite literally taught me how to use my mother tongue - and being a graduate of Arabic literature from Damascus University herself - she was very well-versed in grammatical and poetic studies of the language. For this reason I can say with absolute confidence that she is my biggest artistic and lyrical influence to this day.

Syrian American Hip-Hop Artist Omar Offendum

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Can you recall an anecdote that occurred during your first steps into Hip Hop?According to my older sister Rama, there’s video footage of an 8 year old Offendum performing LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out” somewhere in this universe... I pray it never sees the light of day. When was your ‘formal’ transition into Hip-Hop?I grew up memorizing rap lyrics and watching Hip-Hop videos on Yo MTV Raps / BET / VH1- but to be perfectly honest I never imagined I would become a rapper myself until I started attending the University of Virginia. I remember freestyling for hours in my friends’ apartments or on stage at local clubs, without dealing with the pressures of identity politics. After the events of 9/11, I began feeling that a microscope was being placed on my Arab/Muslim/American experience and that’s when I decided to take things a bit more seriously. It was no longer just a hobby, but a creative outlet that I could use to empower myself and effect a positive change on the hearts and minds of people around me. The amalgamation of your flawless writing skills - both English & Arabic - and the importance of lyrical appeal in Hip Hop hints to a profile of a perfectionist artist. How do you describe your writing process? What role does the Arabic language have in your songs?My writing process has always differed from track to track. Sometimes I’ll have an idea for a story I want to tell, like Majnoon Layla or Straight Street, and find a beat that suits it later on... Other times the instrumentals themselves dictate what emotions I bring to the piece - as was the case with #SYRIA and Hustle On ... Regardless, I am always ready to recite my lyrics without music as I feel they need to be able to stand on their own to truly last the test of time. This comes from years of watching poetic recitations by great Arabic poets like Nizar Qabbani and Mahmoud Darwish. Even when I’m writing words in English, I find myself channeling their energy, confidence and charisma. The topics you engage in are socially conscious themes that include as much the mundane as politics. What is your ‘mission statement’?My mission statement has always been to approach my artistry from a sincere, honest place that is rooted within my life experience. It just so happens that I am Syrian, and belong to a religious group that is constantly being demonized by the media outlets of the world - so when I speak about my identity it is easy to assume that I’m a ‘political’ or ‘revolutionary’ rapper, taking one aspect of my work and casting judgement upon the rest of it. This is perhaps a meta-metaphor for the kind of stereotyping

I am dealing with. Those who take the time to actually listen to the variety of subject matter I address will find deeper meanings, and perhaps eventually see that even my name “Offendum/افندم “ is a play on words that sym-bolizes this irony; being viewed as something so ‘offensive’ on one side of the world, and so noble on the other.

Your patriotism and longing for Syria translated through Hip Hop, added to your eloquence and poise captivate listeners. What prolongs this outer-calmness and confidence?I think confidence actually comes from a combination of hard work & humility. As Aristotle said, “the more you know, the more you know you don’t know”... I find that the loudest people in the room tend to be compensating for some sort of deep-rooted insecurities (and this is certainly the case for a lot of entertainers). I have always been attracted to people who project a positive energy and are just as ready to listen as they are to speak. I pray that those I love feel the same way about me.

‘SYRIANAMERICANA’ A musical treasure with fresh beats, smart lyrics, and worldly dynamism and interactivity. How long did it take to ‘build’ this masterpiece? My first solo album was the culmination of many years of writing, beat-making and artistic collaboration with friends / artists all over the world - which is why I so often refer to it as a ‘Nation-State of Mind’ ... From conversations with my mother in Damascus, to freestyle sessions with my boys in DC, so many people (and places) I love had a hand in shaping how it ultimately came out. Some of the lyrics were written many years before the album dropped, while others were penned just months prior to the release. Although I was the only MC on the record, I owe a lot of thanks to my partner-in-rhyme The Narcicyst for always pushing me to do better, and to my brother Sami Matar for agreeing to mix / master it all for me (without even contributing any beats of his own!). A majority of the instrumentals came from my dear friend Nawar (aka Sandhill), whom I consider one of my favorite Hip-Hop producers of all time and am very fortunate to work with. Ultimately I wanted to create something that would last the test of time, that people from many different walks of life could relate to, and that I could look back on years later with a sense of pride and accomplishment. The fact that many people who listen to it today are shocked to find out it was originally released in 2010 tells me that I did my job.

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Occupy Utopia Festival | Performance in Copenhagen | Photo credit Charlene Winfred

Occupy Utopia Festival | Performance in Copenhagen | Photo credit Charlene Winfred

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Occupy Utopia Festival | Performance in Copenhagen | Photo credit Charlene Winfred

R E V O L T / R E P O R T

“It’s hard living in the west when I know the east got the best of me.” (Destiny) How has living in the U.S. added to your identity? Do you think you would have pursued Hip Hop if you were living in the Arab region?Growing up in the United States has definitely had a huge impact on my identity, and I feel this whenever I visit the Middle East.I find myself dispelling stereotypes about Arabs in America, and vice versa in the Arab world. I’ve often wondered what my life would have been like if we stayed in Saudi Arabia, or Syria for that matter ; how would I look, sound, dress, act? etc... Even if we remained in the latter (Syria), the situations were/are still quite different in my mother’s birthplace of Damascus versus my father’s birthplace of Hama. Oddly enough, after spending 10 years in Los Angeles, I now find myself wondering what life would have been like if we immigrated here instead of Washington DC, as they too are very different experiences. All this has led me to continue finding wisdom in the words of the great Edward Said when he said: “With so many dissonances in my life, I have learned to actually prefer being not quite right and out of place.”

Including Nizar Qabbani’s poetics in your song “Finjan” has brought a touch of refinement to your modern hip hop. What summarizes Omar Offendum in two couplets?I should clarify that only the first two verses of “Finjan” were actually translations from Nizar Qabbani’s iconic poem. The third verse was my own, and featured a few lines that were sampled from one of my favorite books of all time: “Leo the African” by Amin Malouf. So while it would be difficult to summarize my body of work in two couplets, these words mean a lot to me:“When a man is rich / Whether in gold or knowledge / He should try to treat the poverty of other brothers with consideration / Knowing that the highest form of flattery is imitation”

In ‘SYRIANAMERICANA’, you bring an authentic perspective to your songs, highlighting our rich Arabic culture through an undeniable drive and dedication. How important is it to shed light on our culture, making it approachable to all?Coming of age in the United States during a time when most major media outlets were vilifying and demonizing Arab people played a huge role in shaping my identity and how I chose to represent myself. I found that many Arab-Americans were too apologetic and defensive, going out of their way to proclaim that we were NOT terrorists / extremists / radicals / etc... Yet seldom did enough of us take the time to tell people what we actually were, and why we had so much pride

in our cultural traditions. Given that music is a universal language, and poetry is the backbone of the Arabic language, I have found the best way to relay some of these messages was by incorporating the two in a meaningful way. This doesn’t always have to come in the form of literal translations, as the medium itself soon becomes the message; where a young, confident Arab-American navigating both cultures with a nuanced perspective and using a familiar vessel to channel it through (Hip-Hop) ultimately proves the point just as well.

Among your numerous collaborations, The Narcicyst always stands out. What is the secret behind this chemistry?The Narcicyst and I have a similar family history of triple-migration: Syria / Iraq >> Saudi / UAE >> USA / Canada This coupled with our bilingual upbringings and love for Hip-Hop culture gives us an ability to relate to one another on multiple levels. We also happen to compliment each other stylistically while offering unique points of view, allowing us to share in one another’s successes without a need to feel threatened. I consider him a brother before anything else - our wives and siblings are all friends, and insha’Allah one day all of our children will be too. Isolating Arabic Hip Hop from Hip-Hop culture has been a topic of controversy. How do you decipher this conflict? Do you think Hip-Hop should be sub-categorized?I think it is only natural that someone would want to call themselves an ‘Arab Rapper’ when all of their lyrics are in fact in Arabic. I’ve even noticed a tendency to sub-categorize it further depending on the person’s nationality or country of origin. So I guess the question then becomes where do we draw the line? I’ve spent he majority of my life in the US and have written most of my lyrics in English, and while my social media analytics tell me that the bulk of my support base is in America, they also state that the largest concentrations in any given city can be found in Europe and the Middle East. To me the beautiful thing about Hip-Hop is that it is a chameleon-like culture that has adapted itself to the specific needs and trends of different communities around the world for decades. The internet has pushed this global phenomenon even further. When it is all said and done I would like to think that I am making positive contributions to Hip-Hop culture in a more general sense, and I have love and respect for anyone who does the same - no mater how they choose to identify themselves.

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A modern age entrepreneur. Being an influential personality, how do you give back to the community? And how do you entice the youth to perceive the world more consciously and to become more proactive?As the years have gone by my sense of ‘community’ has expanded greatly, and I have found that messages are much less effective when one simply preaches to the choir. I believe that we are one human family and I try to live by this basic principle. While it will always be important for me to address issues that relate to my Syrian / Arab / Muslim roots, the simple truth is that my wife and many of our best friends do not share that same background. The conflict in Syria, which has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced, is so complex and tragic that many of them don’t even know how to begin addressing it. Therefore it has been extremely important for me to understand their own perspectives and concerns in order for us to be able to ultimately find a common ground. This is how bridges are built, and how the seeds of change can slowly take root.

Sound of Freedom: Epic performance. You reached the Metropole Orkest bringing your lyrics and music toa fully classical level! How did this opportunity see the light? and how was it received? On September 21, 2013, The Netherlands celebrated the 300th Anniversary of the Treaty of Utrecht, a series of individual treaties between various European states that finally ended the War of the Spanish Succession which lasted over a decade. This was commemorated by a large music festival that brought together artists from various backgrounds to perform alongside The Metropole Orkest, a jazz and pop hybrid orchestra that is the largest full-time ensemble of its kind in the world. Over the past couple of years I had been working with several Dutch organizations (such as PAX and Adopt-A-Revolution) to raise awareness about the Syrian crisis, which culminated in this memorable performance in front of a 6000+ audience. Needless to say it was a huge honor for me to hear beats that were normally played off my DJs turntables, all of a sudden being orchestrated by 52 incredibly talented musicians behind me. It gave me the chills and the audience’s response was overwhelmingly positive.

In the Arab world, music event companies tend to book international commercial artists, and never give the proper spotlight to local/regional artists to open up for them. What are your thoughts on that? How can this system change?I think what you are doing with Re-Volt Radio, your radio show ‘Laish Hip-Hop?’, and this groundbreaking online publication is all part of that change. I think the fact that YouTube sensations (like the Telfaz11 boys) are being so supportive of regional musicians is part of that change. I think the ability of our generation to ultimately take ownership of our cultural production and create content that is meaningful to us is part of that change. International / commercial artists will slowly become less relevant to our youth. Music event companies will soon enough realize where the tides are moving and have no choice but to support rising local talents if they are to remain profitable... and that my friend is the bottom line.

What are your aspirations?My aspirations are to always be mindful ofThe One / الواحد, as is reflected in the oneness of our collective humanity, & to be able to pass this knowledge on to children some day. To always show love & gratitude to the village that it took to raise me, and the global community of conscience that I’m so proud to be a part of today. To be seen as someone who didn’t chase fame or celebrity status, but sought to create genuine relationships in life first. To create artistic expressions that can inspire and add value to people’s lives, while building platforms that allowed others to do the same. To leave behind a diverse body of artistic work that can last the test of time, and that I can be proud of. To be remembered as the turtle who won the race, not the rabbit who lost his way and showed up last. Well, perhaps a more appropriate metaphor would be the camel, whom to the outsider may seem to wander aimlessly, but who himself knows exactly how to follow the signs to his next destination.

Tell re-volt magazine something not a lot of people know about you.I love to draw and take pictures, which folks can get a glimpse of on my Instagram feed (@offendum) ...and if you ever catch me singing “Black & Yellow”, it’s because I’m an Itti7ad fan ;)

Interviewed byHanane [email protected]

s p o t f . y . i . [FOLLOW YAZAN] www.facebook.com/YazanOne

s p o t f . y . i .

‘Mahmoud Darwish’ by Yazan HalwaniIn Djerba, Tunis

[LISTEN TO ALBUM]https://soundcloud.com/runjunxion/sets/shocknawe

REVOLT/REPORT | RUN JUNXION | Shock ‘N Awe

Hip-Hop in Saudi Arabia is always on the move even with the difficulties that faces the artists regardinga venue to perform at or when it comes to theperception of the people on this art-form/culture. Releasing albums can be always challenging but things are slowly happening for local artists in Saudi; it will only improve with the support of the people and the continuous hard work from the artists.

Jeddah based Hip-Hop group Run Junxion are a family, even though they come from different parts of the world. Their nationalities range between Syrian, Saudi, Canadian, American, Indonesian and Eritrean. They somehow use their differences to unite under one group. On Friday 15th August’14, they officially released their 2nd album to date calling it “Shock N Awe” in an event that featured so many local artists & community people who enjoyed a thorough listen to the album & even got some “live” performances from the artists. The Junxion group is considered “hardcore”; they are lyrically strong not to mention that the album was fully produced by local producers which in my opinion is a huge step in elevating the Hip-Hop scene in Saudi. The event also had Qusai “Don Legend” Kheder as a guest; he has been supportive of the underground Hip-Hop scene in Saudi and had a nice speech when asked about his thoughts on the album launch. “I have been waiting for this!” Qusai said hyping up everybody with his hosting skills, he goes on to say “We need the artists to continue and keep releasing tracks, I am proud of these guys that I can call brothers!”. The event also included a “FREE” distribution to the CD along with T-Shirts for the group. It is important also to applaud sponsors who support these local artists and for this event, it was G-SHOCK and Printing company EKTIMAL” that helped make this event a reality.

Arab News had a quick Q/A with Tim Granite, one of the members of Run Junxion and here’s what he had to say about the event:

AN: What is the initial feedback on the album?Tim Granite: The initial feedback is good. Of course, nothing is ever perfect and we constantly strive to improve. We want to thank everyone that liked, shared, and listened to our music. We encourage feedback and are curious of our fans’ thoughts on the album too.

AN: In your opinion, what is needed to see more album launches for local hip-hop artists in Saudi?TG: Venues. Venues and Venues. Then more recording. More Work. Performance is a vital component and we wish that the entire scene had more of it. Hamdulilah we have more events in the pipeline coming inshalla

AN: What are some of the message you are discussing in this album?TG: The message will change from song to song and rapper to rapper; but perhaps the underlying theme is always a reflection of our lives in the Middle East. We are reporters after all, so themes can vary from broth-erhood, the struggle of oppressed people, to lighter topics as well. As our producers’ music changes so too do the rappers. So the topics can be as ever changing as the emotions that music inspires.

You can support Run Junxion and listen to their album “Shock N Awe” right HERE:https://soundcloud.com/runjunxion/sets/shocknawe

Saudi Based Hip-Hop Group “Run Junxion” New Album Release Shock ‘N’ Awe

by Hassane DENNAOUI Published in Arabnews

REVOLT/REPORT | RUN JUNXION | Shock ‘N Awe

WWW.VISUALTHERAPYONLINE.COM

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F E A T U R E

Meryem SACI ‘Float’ like a butterfly, rap like a bee!

by Hanane FATHALLAH

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Your love for Soul, R&B and Blues music is reflected through the timbre of your voice. When did you first get acquainted with Hip Hop? And what has it added to your initial musical experience?I first heard about HipHop pretty young as I was listening to R&B artists. By the mid 90’s, I started seeing graffitis out in the streets of 2PAC and Biggie. More hits had rappers in them and I really liked the flows and attitudes in the song, although I didn’t understand a word. I was crazy about Koolio’s ‘Gangster’s paradise’. When I was 12, I discovered there were rappers in Algeria and started listening and understanding the lyrics and I loved every second of it. The ability to use your mind and your art as a weapon, or simply as a conduit to sharing messages with people was fascinating to me.It’s only later, a few years after I moved to Montreal that Hiphop resurfaced in my eardrum. I met a crew of rappers that were truly inspiring. I started collaborating with them and writing with them around the age of 16. I knew that I wanted to write my own music and I knew that I had a lot to say that doesn’t always work with melodies. I was really mesmerized by the skill of rap and the talent of the guys around me. I loved how eloquent and witty they were; freestyle sessions blew my mind. How could they think so fast and so smart! I secretly wanted to be a rapper too. With English being my 3rd

language I was very insecure then, it took 5 years before I tried it. I am glad I did. I’m still on the journey of improvement but I feel hiphop shaped my musical experience like no other genre. It helped dig into oldies I never knew existed and fall in love even more with soul, blues and funk music. Meeting the Arab diaspora in the West is inevitable. You had previously collaborated with Omar Offendum in “Straight Street”, adding a smooth flavor to the song. What was the highlight of that collaboration? The funny thing is for that song, Omar and I were not in the same country. So the highlights happened when I met him prior to the collaboration. I knew about his work through the Narcicyst and being in the same circle I got to meet the amazing Omar Offendum. I am really blessed to know truly gifted people like that. I am fan of his music and respect his influence in the Arabic Hiphop world, I was thrilled to be asked to collaborate on ‘Street Straight’.

Your recent collaboration with Iraqi-Canadian artist The Narcicyst in “Average Type” video is off the hook! How was that experience? And how is the ‘music chem-istry’ between you and The Narcicyst?The Narcicyst is really my brother, one of my best friends and I truly cherish our collaborations. “Average type” was one of those random moments when I pass by his house to hang out and he drops beats and calls a writing session on the spot. The beat dropped and my jaw with it. I got super inspired and wrote the verse on the spot, recorded it in his home studio right away. It’s one of my favorite tracks with him and I was very happy to know he was going to release it and do a video. The Narcicyst is, in my eye, a golden mine of creativity, not only in music but in video too. He came up with the concept for the video and it was perfect. Everything was short and sweet, very efficient. I had a lot of fun shooting the video and collecting the props and acting a fool. In regards to the ‘music chemistry’ with Narcy, it is one of the rarely supernatural connexions out there, it’s effortless.

Originally from Algeria, can you recall the songs/singers you grew up on? Which one was your favorite - yes, that one you used to lip-sync or imitate as a little girl? Absolutely. I was the queen of doing shows alone in my mother’s room. Opening the window and making sure the neighbours heard me! I was a fanatic of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. I grew up in the heart of 90s R&B and Dance music, so back then that’s all I cared about.

>> RETROSPECTIVEF E A T U R E

Taking the best of both worlds, your multicutural background gives you a certain charisma. As a woman, do you think your image plays a role in reflecting your identity and music? Also, does it help you in boosting your confidence on and off stage?As a woman, I went through enough self hatred and dis-comfort with my body and appearance. The more I grow the more I realize that it’s self-sabotage and I now choose to cherish and appreciate my temple. I believe in being healthy and fit. I believe in feeling good in my own skin. The reality is that your image does play a role in your identity which ultimately affects your music. If anything, it’s not the image itself but the confidence in your image that makes the difference. You can feel like a million bucks while being dressed in less than 50$. You can feel pretty even if the outside world’s standards of beauty don’t match your appearance. So I would say it’s not what I look like that boosts my confidence it’s how I feel about myself that does.

Your fashion style is a contemporary blend of Occident meets African flair. What kind of fashion and beauty events do you sponsor or support? Lately I have been supporting and rocking local artists and business women in the community I am part of in Montreal. I love creative fashion with a touch of cultural flavours. I love original hand made pieces and natural products. I definitely love what Inhairitance is doing for the natural hair in Montreal, they also support local artists by selling original earrings, rings, bracelets, scarfs, bags, etc. I also rock Black Mission whenever I can; Nadia Bunyan is a unique fashion mind that’s always ahead of the herd. Years later, I am still amazed by her new pieces.

How does your status as a singer/MC help generate support for causes?I have participated in multiple benefit shows. I know music plays a pivotal role in gathering masses and entertaining for an event. I do believe an influential artist is more likely to pass on a message and collect support better than any politician. I see how in the future my status could help support causes, however at my current level, I don’t have so much relevance.

Sadly, in the music industry, we lack real female role models. The liberal image of women conveyed in the media has passed the limits of the reasonable and acceptable. Would you consider yourself - especially in the Hip-Hop scene - a good example of a female MC? How can we educate future female MCs to reach the road to success without ‘laying it all out there’?This is hard to answer. I don’t consider myself an example to be followed. I just want to be able to share my passion with the world and be the best version of myself in the process. It’s a journey not just a state of being. Mistakes could be made along the way but I just put faith in my principals and make sure I always own up to what I do and keep my integrity. We are living in an overly sexualized era, with an industry that blatantly emphasizes on the ‘laying it all out there’ state of mind. I just think, It’s important to know why you are doing what you are doing. I feel like dressing the way I feel at the moment: it could be sexy at times and sometime it won’t. I don’t find it rewarding to undress for fame. I want my art, not my body to be famous. I’ll be who I am regardless, but if I wear a mini skirt you best believe it’s cause I think it’s cute, not for ratings!I don’t think we can ‘educate’ future female emcees, girls that decide to take time to write raps can think for

[FOLLOW MERYEM SACI] Twitter @MeryemSaci

www.facebook.com/meryemsacimusic

F E A T U R E

themselves. Now, it’s all about the examples they focus on: I do think that having an alternative perspective of what sexy means could help. The choice is ultimately theirs. We all battle with identity, social pressure and the constant need for recognition. The real education is to know yourself and be in control of the choices you make. Self-love might sound corny but it is the foundation that determines how strong or weak someone will be in life. At the end of the day, like Michael (RIP) said it’s that ‘man in the mirror’ (or woman) you have to be able to face at the end of the day.

Your new single ‘Float’ is so jazzy! We love it. The emotions you give out through Soul, R&B and Blues are sublime. Would you say you have two music identities? The rawness of Hip Hop vs the smoothness of Blues. Where do you think these two worlds meet?I am absolutely torn between a few identities when it comes to music. I have been breaking my head to fit into one specific box, but it’s impossible. When it comes to Blues, it’s like the predecessor to rap. It’s emotional story telling at its best. It’s also social commentaries and witty punchlines. In the blues, you feel like you’re in a conversation with the singer, just like rap music. They really complement each other.

There is no doubt of your talent and aptitudes in swaying and in rapping. Do you have a preference?I just love music, I love writing it, performing it. If I had to choose I would say singing, I sing in my sleep, I’ve been singing for much longer than I have been rapping. It definitely is more natural for me to sing.

Do you have a personal ritual before going on stage to perform? Yes. More often it’s breathing deep a few times and doing my own little prayer. Try to centralize my energy and feed off the nerves!

Where was your favorite performance ever? I have a few. One in Cuba in 2006, outdoor show, there was magical energy that night and it marked my memory. I also loved the last Jazz festival I did with my band Nomadic Massive in summer 2013. There is something about playing outdoor and just seeing a pool of people gathering just off the sound they hear. It was epic.

Where would your most aspired performance be located at? I honestly don’t know. I want to do a show on a beach once in my life! Other than that, I would love to tour the world, really. Then maybe I’ll have a better idea of where my ideal spot would be. In general, if there is good sound and an awesome crowd that’s where I aspire to be. Now that I think about it a little more, I would definitely love to perform back home in Algeria.

When can we expect the release of your upcoming album? Will it one genre or a mix of both? I am currently working on an EP of about 6 songs. I am aiming for early summer (June 2014). For this particular project, I tried to narrow it down to a more urban sound. It’s a mix of R&B & Hip Hop with a little afro spice. The project that will follow this one will have more afro flavours and desert blues influences. Interview by Hanane FATHALLAH [email protected]

F E A T U R E

REORIENT Middle Eastern arts & culture magazine www.reorientmag.com Contemporary art from the Middle East www.artclvb.com

s p o t f . y . i . [FOLLOW MALIKAH]www.facebook.com/MALIKAH961MUSIC

www.facebook.com/MALIKAH961www.twitter.com/MALIKAH961

www.myspace.com/MALIKAH961

Photography by Ahmad Abo Obaid

Arabic Hip Hop Artist Malikah

Stay tuned for October IssueFor an exclusive interview with Malikah

s p o t f . y . i . [FOLLOW SARA JIBREAL] Instagram @sarajibreal

Digital Art Sara JIBREAL

CULTURES OF RESISTANCE NETWORK connects and supports activists, agitators,educators, and artists to build a more just and peaceful world through creative resistance and nonviolent action!

www.CulturesOfResistance.orgwww.facebook.com/CulturesOfResistancewww.facebook.com/iara.lee.filmmaker.activistwww.huffingtonpost.com/iara-lee

ON THE GO | CULTURE OF RESISTANCE

RECOMMENDED ALBUM | Omar Offendum SyrianamericanA

Listen here

i.zonewww.izone-stores.com

www.izone-stores.com

TM and © 2013 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

Visit our store to learn more about our Apple products and AccessoriesOr visit our website for more.

قم بزيارة احدى فروعنا للتعرف على المزيد عن منتجات آبل و اكسسواراتها

أو زوروا موقعنا االكتروني من اجل المزيد

MUSLIMPOWER30

i.zonewww.izone-stores.com

www.izone-stores.com

TM and © 2013 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

Visit our store to learn more about our Apple products and AccessoriesOr visit our website for more.

قم بزيارة احدى فروعنا للتعرف على المزيد عن منتجات آبل و اكسسواراتها

أو زوروا موقعنا االكتروني من اجل المزيد

2014

MUSLIMPOWER30

meet 30 muslims, from all walks of life,making moves to impact society and serve humanity

MUSLIMPOWER30

What inspired you to launch Muslim Power 30? Would this be the only publication?

I created this list for the sake of Allah, to show the world that we are making superb moves for ourUmmah. There is so much negativity in the worldI wanted to be the one to shed some light on what we do to help individuals kill their “egos” and realize that we all are working towards the same goal this will be a yearly magazine, but i will be traveling and meeting gathering stories on individuals that are doing great work and throughout the year I will trying to meetothers and help them share their stokes,so the magazine will be once a year but the work and the gathering of information will be year long

Hajji Hassan

I have created this compilation of professional, creative, hardworking, and spiritual Muslims in an effort to spread love and positivity. I hope these features inspire everyone to be remarkable everyday. We should always reach for the impossible because the possiblities to help humanity are limitless.

HASSAN “HAZALI” ABDUS-SALAAM

editor’s note

12muhammad satauris doing amazing work across America. He works alongside his father, Imam Zameer, helping thousands of Muslims make Hajj and Umarah every year. I met this brother when I made my Hajj last year, and I must say he is putting in work for the sake of Allah. Website: sarainternationaltravel.com

11ridwan adhamiCEO of RidzDesign is one of the leading photographers and videogra-phers of our time! He is a father and a devoted husband. Ridwan's work is second to none, and is an inspiration for all up and coming photographers across the world! He even provides workshops in the NY and DC area. Website: ridzdesign.com

10ahmad abdus-salaamson to Imam Sayed Abdus-Salaam. He has dedicated his life to spread-ing the word of Islam. He has studied Quran and Arabic in Senegal, West Africa and graduated top of his class. He is on his way to Egypt to further his education is Islamic Law. He is currently in London and was recently featured on UK's Islamchannel talking about Islam in the west.

9mustafah abdulazizhas done amazing photography for the Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, and Disney World to name a few. He is a true trailblazer of our time. He is currently working on a photojournalism project called "Water Scarcity: Ethiopia & Pakistan." Website: mustafahabdulaziz.com

8seff al-afriqiworld renowned poet and motivational speaker. He has been all over the world spreading knowledge and changing lives. He is currently promoting a new book, Mawadah: The Art of Interlocking Souls by Youssef Kromah.

7nzinga knightis making her dent in the fashion world. She has been featured in the The Huffington Post and was featured last year at Harlem's Fashion Row. She's established her own line, and her company is talked about amongst some of NYC's fashion elite. She was recently featured in Azizah Magazine.Website: nzingaknight.com

RUN JUNXION | SHOCK “N” AWE

::About:: Run Junxion - تقاطع متواترGenre HipHop Founded November 2010

Members Uzi | Anas Arabi | Kaffien | Vizion | MindCircus Tim Granite | Majic | Moh Flow | Ata HunchmanBooking Agents:[email protected] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RunJunxionTwitter https://twitter.com/RunJunxion

ALBUM RELEASE | SHOCK N AWE

::Biography::Run Junxion - تقاطع متواترis a multi-national hip-hop group/family/organization founded in Jeddah, KSA, at the end of 2010. It consists of six MC’s, three producers, and the bass player : Ataa The Hunchman. The producers are: MindCircus, Uzi, and Anas Arabi. The MC’s are: Anas Arabi, Kaffien, Majic, Moh Flow, Speech, Tim Gran-ite, Vizion. Listen to the album here https://soundcloud.com/runjunxion/sets/shocknawe

ALBUM RELEASE | SHOCK N AWE

s p o t f . y . i .

s p o t f . y . i .

Project Pen | Stories for New Generation

[FOLLOW PROJECT PEN]Instagram @ProjectPen

M I C • C H E C K [FOLLOW QUADIR LATEEF]www.twitter.com/Quadirlateef

Word Warrior Quadir Lateef

M I C • C H E C K

Who inspired you growing up? My Father played a huge role in my life, he taught me everything I know and showed me the definitionof being a Man. You’ve said that “Real Hip Hop is the force in this rap industry” - What is the current state of hip hop in your opinion?I think Underground hip hop is producing great fruits but mainstream is lacking real talent. I believe mainstream hip hop is becoming better in the sense of Lyric and Real Rhymes…so Hip Hop is on the COME UP.

Do you think getting radio play is as important as 5 years ago?Radio Play 5 years ago was more important then but now The internet is slowly taking over i mean people like Immortal Technique and Brother Ali can Pack venues and they NEVER been on the radio. Truthfully, I think the people have lost faith in the radio because it’s a big payola. Give me one word that describes the following personalties:Brother Ali | SincereAmir Sulaiman | PassionateOmar Regan | FunnyThe Narcicyst | Fashionable Omar Offendum | KindRidwan Adhami | TalentedChuck D | MovementLil Wayne | Dajjal Are you currently on any label? Yes my own label called “Deen & Dream”

How does your faith of Islam help you in your art? My faith guides my Intention and Islam gives me the motivation to rap.

Tell Re-Volt Magazine something not a lot ofpeople know about you..I have a Baby on the way

What’s your goal in the music industry?To gain influence and use my influence to Help people and give Dawah.

What can we find in Quadir Lateef’searphones? Fools Gold, Rebel Forces, Half Earth Half Angle and The Block The Devil & The Deen Mixtape

Any last words for re-volt magazine?I’m NOT playing games with these whack MCs; their time is LIMITED! And be on the look out forAlkebulaun CD to drop soon He is a PROBLEM!

Interview by Hass [email protected]

Films & Documentaries | THEEB

‘Theeb’ | ‘ذيب’

Feature Film 2014Arabic with English subtitlesFestivals: Venice, TIFF https://www.facebook.com/TheebFilm STARRING Jacir Eid Hassan Mutlag Hussein Salameh Jack Fox Marji Audeh DIRECTED BY Naji Abu Nowar SCREENPLAY BY Naji Abu Nowar & Bassel Ghandour PRODUCED BY Bassel Ghandour & Rupert Lloyd Executive Produced by Nadine Toukan Co-producer by Nasser Kalaji, Laith Majali

A bedouin story of brotherhood and betrayal, set in Wadi Rum 1916. Theeb [Wolf] lives with his Bedouin tribe in a forgotten corner of the Ottoman Empire. Having recently lost his father, it falls to Theeb’s brother, Hussein, to raise him. Hussein tries to teach Theeb the Bedouin way of life, but the young boy is more interested in mischief than mentorship. Their lives are interrupted with the arrival of a British Army Officer and his Guide ona mysterious mission. Unable to refuse help to his guests for fear of dishonouring his late father’s reputation, Hussein agrees toescort the pair to their destination, a water-well on the oldpilgrimage route to Mecca. Fearful of losing his brother, Theeb chases after Hussein and embarks on a treacherous journey across the Arabian Desert. Since the outbreak of the First World War, this harsh terrain has become the hunting ground ofOttoman mercenaries, Arab revolutionaries and outcast Bedouin raiders. If Theeb is to survive he must quickly learn aboutadulthood, trust and betrayal. He must live up to the name his Father gave him.

الجزيرة العربية، ١٩١٦، يعيش ذيب مع قبيلته يف زاوية منسية من اإلمرباطورية العثامنية.

بعد وفاة والدهام شيخ القبيلة، تقع مسؤلية تعليم ذيب يف البداوة عىل عاتق أخيه حسني.

لكن ذيب مهتم باملشاكسات الصبيانه أكرث من محاوالت أخيه لرتبيته وإرشاده. حني يقوم

ضابٌط يف الجيش الربيطاين ودليل له بزيارة القبيلة يف مهمة غامضة، تتغري وترية الحياة

يف القبيلة. خوفاً عىل سمعة والده الراحل، يوافق حسني عىل مرافقة الضابط و دليله إىل

وجهتهام: برئ عىل طريق الحّجاج القديم إىل مكة املكرمة. خوفاً من فقدان شقيقه، يلحق

ذيب باملجموعة ليقبل عىل رحلة محفوفة باملخاطر عرب الصحراء العربية القاسية والتي قد

أصبحت منذ اندالع الحرب العاملية األوىل، أرض مواجهات بني املرتزقة العثامنية والثوار العرب

واملغريين من البدو. إذا ُكِتب لذيب البقاء عىل قيد الحياة، فال بّد أن يتعلم عن الرجولة

والثقة والخيانة ليصبح إساًم عىل مسمى

::ABOUT::

LOCAL FLAVA’ | Hazar BOGARY

Hazar Bogary is one of the most influential graphic designers of the Arab region. She is an artist strongly influenced by the surrealists and she is skilled at creating narrative, conceptual and digital images of individuals and their surroundings. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Hazar resides in Vancouver, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commercial Art and Graphic Design from Central Missouri State University, as well as a diploma in Professional Digital Photography from VanArts. Hazar started her career in advertising as a graphic designer, and later began working as a conceptual art director. Her works have earned hernumerous awards, and have been exhibited both in her native Saudi Arabia as well as internationally.

Hazar BOGARY Saudi Conceptual Art Director

LOCAL FLAVA’ | Hazar BOGARY

What art movement help forge your style?As my style developed a lot through time, I feel that I lean more toward the surreal style. where there is a sense of mysteriousness and hidden concept. I like to grab my viewer attention, to not only look but see through my work.

What is your source of inspiration?Everything in my daily life that I encounter could possibly be an inspiration, however I still have a day every week which I spend some time enjoying peace of mind in a cafe, a galley or even a movie waiting for that moment to strike and get me working.

You chose to do your higher design studies abroad. How well has that intermixed with your Saudi ori-gins and do you think you were able to exploit your creativity more out there?I studied my bachelor of commercial art graphic design in central Missouri state university and four years after graduating I went to Canada where I took my masters of administration science. I feel every designer who needs to startfreelancing or even start his/her own business should take a course in marketing or administration.It just expanded my knowledge and taught me unique techniques in exposing my talent andmarketing it. for that, I took the chance to do my maters in administration, I learned a lot.The exposure of the mix of cultures and religion made me know who I am and what I actually want, made me appreciate what I have and weight the value of it; and that influenced my creativity a lot, it made it broader and limitless.

What was your senior project?It was the launch of my freelance businessHazar Bogary Imaging, which was officially launched in August 2013.

You also hold a diploma in Professional DigitalPhotography from VanArts. What ignited your in-terest in pursuing photography?As I worked for four years in advertising before I came to Canada, I felt so much joy with advertising that my lack of understanding photography was in the way of making me feel pleased about my work; especially that photography is a big part ofadvertising. For that, I had to push myself and gaina diploma in it. Now, I feel I covered a big aspect in graphic design, but that does not mean I will stop wanting to learn more and attend workshops.

Can you recall the earliest memory of your passion for art and design?I felt connected to the field of colour and design in an early age. Ever since I was a child, I used to go to every gallery and art show possible with my dad. I remember when we used to go in our little family summer vacation, my dad and I used to pick one day to visit all the galleries in the city, as the rest of the family can not take 9 hours and sometimes 12 of museums and galleries. It was our thing, and still is.

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Winner of a Silver Design Award in the US & a captivating photography exhibition in artclv gallery in Toronto. Headlines highlightinga path of great accomplishments.Can you tell us more about the two events?During my last semester in the bachelor of graphic design, my advertising instructor Lynch proposed the idea of getting into the OMNI contest of design which is held in the U.S.A for all the design schools who wanted to participate. I felt eager to participate and for my drug awareness posterI won a Silver award.

As for my latest accomplishment in entering the fine middle eastern gallery located in Toronto“ArtClvb”, it started when I finally developed my own style in photography where I combined my skills in graphic design and photography to put together a collage art pieces. I started visiting galler-ies, reading more about how to exhibit my fine art pieces then I came across Artclvb who accepted my work right away and selected four of my art work to put up in their gallery. I remember that was one of my best days to carry and drew a smile on my face. It was huge and a big step further to me and still is.

re-volt magazine picked one of yourphotographs as a front cover for February 2014 issue. Is there an anecdote or a thought behind it? Also describe briefly the techniques.You know, I was talking to my Husband the other day who has been a great support to me and has always encouraged me to accomplish more. I was telling him, I have had these pictures for a year now in my computer just for my eyes to enjoy, andprinting them on my wall. Then the idea of sharing my art with the world stroke me, I launched them up on my website and started gallery hunting.The turn out and feedback of my work to thepeople who came across them amazed me, not that I didn’t trust my work or style but it has been sucha great turn out. Most of them just ask me to owna copy of my work and it is such a great joy to have a piece of me sharing many families daily life, and adding accent and joy to their atmosphere.

“Saudi Arabia always at heart”You were also one of the first Saudi artists toparticipate in the Courtyard Gallery in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. How was that experience and what was the local feedback?To be honest I was not able to attend the opening event personally due to my study in Canada, but my dad and brother sent me great short recordings of the event. It was really big, I enjoyed seeing people checking my work, taking a minute or two to ask about the technique and lighting; it was so much fun to watch that. However, I went to check my work and the work of the other artist when I went to Saudi for a vacation; the arrangement and placement of the work were outstanding.

Did you showcase your work in other venues in Jeddah?I have a number of my work at Andalusia Café,I carefully selected four of my artworks to blendwith the theme of the place.

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You are currently residing in Vancouver. Do you have a design studio or freelancing?As I always have the urge to stay productive,when I graduated from the Masters Program I had everything ready to launch my freelance business, which came true on August 2013. I work from home to clients in Saudi Arabia, Canada and UK:the internet made it easy for me to go international. It has been keeping me busy ever since, alhamdolila.

Are there any upcoming events or projects you would like to share with us?To be honest, there is this something inside me which always makes me feel obligated to give back to the community. Of course the freelancebusiness, exhibitions and workshops are taking most of my time, not to mention my little daughter Bana, but I always felt I want to give more.Until one day, I received an email from the Dean’s office of one of the universities in Saudi Arabia to be part of their faculty and teach advertising. I felt so

honoured and I think It will be a great way to give back, to enrich the new generation with the hum-ble knowledge I gained through the years.However, I won’t be starting until my husbandand I decide to finally move to Saudi for good. re-volt magazine is nosy. What is your favorite kind of music?My friends call me a bipolar when it comes to music, they always tell me your music library just doesn’t feel it is owned by one single person. With every mood occur, with every burst of new feelings and with every moment there is a type of music that I prefer to hear. I love all kind of music and it all depends on the scenarios I am living and going through.

Interview by Hanane [email protected]

LOCAL FLAVA’ | Hazar BOGARY

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