Despite Clashes, Cairo International Film Festival Presses On

Violence no violence, the celebrities of the world ain't going to stop a party even if Cairo is on fire. The organizers wanted to party so they argued if we do not hold the Cairo Film Festival this year, we risk the event being taken out of the international film festivals agenda. They had to cancel it last year due to the brewing political and social climate.

So the 35th film festival saw the light despite the many hiccups it had--like the minister of culture forgetting his speech and a number of clashes few blocks away. More than fifty films were screened, certainly half of them did not have audience.  Few international filmmakers were present and you will see some of them speaking to the camera. North African cinema was alive and well in the film festival.

Joe Bou Eid won the best director category about his movie filmed in Beirut about his parents love story. and A French film won the best film.

cairo film closing 20121213

The Arab Justin Timberlake Strikes Again--Wissam Hilal

"Last Goodbye" is the title of a new single from the super-talented pop sensation Wissam Hilal. The song is already getting a music video with director Robert Cremona and the track has been picked by a number of radios nationally and internationally on some of LA radios that BT entertainment taking care of and African and African-American radios.

The music video for his song was filmed in Beirut, his debut hit "Single" was filmed in Dubai where the artists is based yet he is on the move. What I like about Wissam how he sounds jut line one of the Jackson Five without coming across as he is imitating anyone. This explains the interest in his songs in places beyond the Arab World--try Kenya. It's a tough market, but his good work comes through and hits the mark.

Wissam Hilal is a naturally good looking guy who comes across as a charming person, and that is reflected into his songs allowing him to be a lot more personal and communicate different messages to his fans. To be frank, you listen to one of his songs when you are in a certain mood, then when your mood changes you still find something fresh about the second take.

The latest is Last Goodbye is a little darker than the breakout song, this is a plea from a man who lost something but tries to convince himself that by trying a little bit harder he can have this thing back. This mindset makes better songs, gets the most complicated of emotions to the listener's core. The new single is different a lot wiser than the previous track from Wissam.

The bad news is that the music industry needs a shot in the arm, but with little help Wissam was able to release great songs. I cannot wait to see what kind of hits he will be able to share with the world once the music industry figures itself out.

For the time being, non-Arabs in Dubai and the Arabs who like English songs are slowly embracing this very talented Arab Justin Timberlake! Wissam has the moves, the looks and the music savvy to entertain a global audience 

As for the music video it should air internationally around May.

pilipili fm Exclusive Wissam hilal - Last goodbye 31st March 2013 وسام هلال


Wissam Hilal - Single (official music video) وسام هلال

FBI Adds ‘rapping jihadi’ To Terror Wanted Lafrist

America has ran out of terrorists to hunt, so they are zooming in another threat, the 'rapping jihadi" Rappers might not have friends everywhere, but now among their foes is none other than the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Somali rap group is now running for safety as uncle same guns for them.

The FBI said Wednesday it had added to its list of most wanted terrorists the American “rapping jihadi,” an operative for Somalia’s Al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents who uses rap as a propaganda tool.

Omar Shafik Hammami, who was born in Alabama but is now thought to live in Somalia, is believed to be a senior leader of the Shebab rebels, who were placed on the US State Department’s terror blacklist in 2008. The group has “repeatedly threatened terrorist actions against America and American interests,” the Federal Bureau of Investigations said in a statement.

Also known as Abu Mansour al-Amriki, Hammami has been releasing rap songs in English on the Internet since 2009 as a recruitment tool, although music is forbidden in Al-Qaeda’s strict interpretation of Islam. In the songs, Hammami says he hopes to be killed by a drone strike or in a cruise missile attack so he can achieve martyrdom.

I hope he gets his wish met, and I hope his wish of dying will be delivering by a drone dressed like Santa.  He invites young people to join the jihad to and he encourages strikes against the US military in Afghanistan and Somalia. Hammami, who has been indicted in the United States on various terrorism charges, has been the subject of an international arrest warrant since 2007.

I do not get it, if those ultra-Orthodox Muslims outlaw singing, why is he still singing? And if he hates America so much, why does he take a different role than singing? And to the folks in the United States, rapping ain't no crime. Justtmake sure you get him for the other stuff not for making terrible rap songs. 

Myriam Faris And The Algerian Flag Edition

The Lebanese bombshell Myriam Faris likes to hold flags and take pictures by them, this is her effort to get gigs and expand her reach inside Arab countries, she has done it before with the Saudi flag, now she is taking her flag business into Algeria as she wishes that country well on their celebration of the brave Algerian revolution.

One, this is nice of her to think of Algeria at this time. Second, she knows Algeria holds huge music festivals in many cities around that country. If you do not believe me, let's see Myraim holding the Palestinian, Somali Sudanese flag. That ain't gonna happen because those places do not have concerts of music festivals big enough to have a budget that afford the songstress.

Again, all my love to Algeria on this very special occasion that all Arabs are proud of. As for the bombastic entertainer, keep up the good work.

funny cartoon about Myriam Faris
  

Video: Sudanese Jazz Live By Black Theama

Not sure if this qualify as African jazz or Egyptian jazz, but I am digging it. Black Theama, the band from southern Egypt has been working their acts for a long time. They have taken off because they are different, they are authentic and they know how to give the fans what they want.

Unlike many other bands, the trio makes local music with a mass appeal, they incorporate musical themes from around the globe, but never lose sight of what matters the most--home. Their songs are often simple with musical words and sounds, their music is often upbeat and their style is always smooth and easy flow.

While this concert was filmed in Cairo, where thousands of Sudanese live, the band performed it as if they were in downtown Khartoum.

بلاك تيما - دوبا دوبا

Stream: Fatima Al Qadiri: The Oasis In Desert Strike

The Sengal native Fatima Al Qadiri is no stranger to war, she is one of a kind musician that always seems to be in a contact search for a better way to express war musically. Gunshots, and the whole nine yards. In a way she is so perfect to make music for our world in the virtual world of games where wars are popular. She is a video gamer herself.


Among the wars that have inspired Fatima to put into music is The First Gulf War "is a subject I've wanted to address for years," Al Qadiri writes over email. "I'm not a writer," she says, and couldn't write a memoir about her "experience as a child during the occupation of Kuwait and First Gulf War." But Desert Strike is a memoir nonetheless — "a sort of abstract audio memoir," she says. The music she creates is driven form her childhood memories yet geared toward those who like intercultural background music that stands form something.

The Desert Strike as her very own way of paying "homage to grime," but it's also a response: a masterful piece of work exploring the links between war and violence and representation and growing up. I know many speak about being citizens of the world, Fatima should be the president of that club. She lives and worked in New York City. Berlin, Dubai, Doha, London, Marrakesh, Kuwait City, Seoul, Milan, and other have seen her exhibitions and performances.

Fatima may rub some people the wrong way, she may even provoke some criticism for her work or the issues she chooses to highlight. I am unable to find much resources on her biography. something tells me that side of her life is off limits. All we have is her music which offers a lot of complexity on its own.      

Laila Ghofran Form Music To A Restaurants!

Moroccans who make a home of Cairo are many, one particular one is singer Laila Ghogran, the blast from the past. While she cannot boast about her music career--trust me no one can at the moment. Laila can talk shop about her new business venture. She started an all Egyptian restaurant at her home in Morocco.

The right move is to hire real Egyptian chefs to create your menu. She seems to have been inspired to add the pharaoh's touch to her new eatery. This theme sells big with tourists and people who have been to Egypt  or have seen a Hollywood movie about it.

The idea is to allow the well to do people of Morocco to get a taste of the various Egyptian meals and treats.  This makes the first business adventure for the pop diva, and I hop it works out well. As at the opening she was posing with her staff and looking good.

Laila Ghofran - Shoflak Tareka

All The Moroccan Songstresses: Baheejah Idrees

Another Moroccan pioneer in local music is a nice lady with the name Baheejah Idris "Bahijah Edrees" She is a songstress from the sixties era. She has done song sin Egyptian dialects too, so she made it a bit farther than her Moroccan peers at that time. She has retired from singing in the 80s and continues to be involved in a number of functions. Like her participation in a solidity with Palestine event

In a 2009 conference in the city of Rabat, Baheejah promised doing a song for Gaza in three languages at the event. When the attendees insisted on her she performed a bit of her song Achanah.
She has a dreamy voice that can sound like Najat Al Sagheera. She likes performing poems, like she did with Nizar Qabany's song "Get Angry" which was re-recorded by Asalah decades later.

بهيجة إدريس - الماء يجري قدامي


بهيجة إدريس - إغضب كما تشاء.

Video: No One Bursts Akon's Bubble In Abu Dhabi

Americans hip hop, pop and R&B artist Akon wanted to give his fans in the Gulf's city Abu Dhabi's more than your average concert, and treat it was. Akon ha performed in other Arabic speaking countries before but no other Arab capital seen this before. The rapper bounced on top of his concert goers inside a gigantic clear bubble.

I gotta say, this must have been the most thrilling performance at that "Ya Salam" music festival in Abu Dhabi, the fans loved it and were on cloud nine as they get to come really close to the artist. His show took place on  November 1 and close to 100 thousand people were in attendance. I would have been worried about getting dizzy or worse throwing up, something Akon seems not to be worried about.

Akon was dancing, singing and living it up all for the enjoyment of those screaming fans who came from all over the world.

Akon entertained the attendant for an hour.  His act was followed by a performance by Tamer Hosny.     


Akon in Abu Dhabi 01 NOVEMBER 2012


P.S. I did not know that Akon is originally from the West African nation Senegal, a place he calls "Hometown". Only to move to New Jersey at age seven.