How ‘Arab Spring’ Music Was Co-opted and Corrupted by the West & Gulf Monarchs, w/ Mohamad-Ali Nayel

The misnamed “Arab Spring” unleashed restrained aspirations of the region and like all uprisings saw an eruption of expression in songs, music, lyrics, spreading, much like these intifadas, through social media, massive crowds, and sharing ideas and trends across borders.

But just as the initial optimism of the protests was crushed by the harsh reality of reactionary governments, western interventions, oligarchs and capitalism, so too was the new music of Arab youth co-opted, suppressed, corrupted and infiltrated by the West and the Gulf monarchies.

Lebanese writer Mohamad-Ali Nayel has recently written a two part series that is the definitive examination of post Arab Spring hip-hop and popular music. He joined Rania Khalek to talk about this and much more.

Moe’s articles discussed in the episode:

Listen to every episode of Rania Khalek Dispatches anywhere you get podcasts.

TIME CODES
0:00 Intro
1:17 Moe’s entrance into the Arab alternative music scene
5:43 Is it hip hop? Rap? Electronic music?
7:04 Music & politics during the Arab uprisings
12:50 Neoliberal orientalism’s view of the Arab rapper
17:33 Pan-Arabism through music
27:38 Breaking down the class divide
31:53 Impacts of failures , civil war, NGO-ization
37:54 Lebanon’s trash protests
43:51 Capitalism’s co-optation of subversive aesthetics
45:36 Exposing media lies about Syria
53:35 Arab militant music
55:41 Palestinian rap
59:44 Israel & Saudi Arabia pushing normalization through music?
1:07:10 Deterioration of the UK

[TerranMetal]

Such a wonderful topic and interview! Amazing!

[NotAPacifist]

How he says "oh snap" is adorable. 😊

[ahsimiksnabac]

Rania, what an excellent show, i say this as a musician/filmMaker. ur chat wit mohamad-Ali was brilliant. i was very much touched by the concept of arab volunteering,
its the very essence of communism! however, i would really hope "world muzique" would start to steer away from rap/hipHop, its quite cliche yankee based stuff (its been around for some 40 years), something new has got to break, im sure it will! keep up the good werk, keep the red flag flying!!

[samali]

"The main thesis of your pieces"

M.C. RUN-Y'ALL dropping the flow right in the middle of the interview.

[picandvideo]

Been colonized too long. Hopefully waking up from that nightmare.

[nerdlarge]

Colonizer rap is basically what MAGA rap is in the US and it is as awful as you would think.

[friskedmooo]

19:50 what's the name of the song he mentioned ?

[MichaelLowry]

What's the use of being Irish if the world doesn't break your heart ?

[matthewwilliams]

Their trying to do the same shit they did to Public Enemy to Arab rappers smh

[sparklemotion]

How about Saudi orchestra playing Oum Khaltoum for Israeli
'Music brings people together'

[fun_ghoul]

33:20 [unfurls "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" banner]

[tymanung]

Everyone in popular movements, as usual, needs to be maintain independence vs. foreign empire con
trolled colored or flowered client or puppet factions--- non (national)
government organizations BUT really
are FOREIGN EMPIRE governments
products.