Selma Roth Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – The patience of hip hop fans in the Kingdom and Germany has been tested considerably, but the song “From Berlin to Jeddah,” a cooperation between the famous German hip hop artist Max Herre, the Saudi ambassador of hip-hop Qusai aka Don Legend the Kamelion, and the upcoming local hip hop group Jeddah FAM, was released this Wednesday, September 25 on YouTube. On the occasion, Qusai and local hip hop bands Jeddah FAM and Run Junction came together at the residence of the German Consulate General to give a mind-blowing concert for a crowd of hip hop fans. The song, which combines German, Arabic, and English lyrics in a melody that transcends cultural boundaries, is a result of the “Jeddah Hip Hop Jam,” a three-day workshop for talented Saudi hip-hop musicians held earlier this year at the same premises. The jam and production of the song are a Robert Bosch Cultural Manager Project realized by the German Consulate General here, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, and the Goethe-Institut in collaboration with Universal Legends Entertainment. The project has succeeded to enhance the cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and Germany, a spokesman at the consulate said. Qusai, who has had major successes with songs like “The Wedding” and “The Job” and is also known for presenting the MTV Arabia hip hop talent search contest “Hip Hop Na” as well as MBC4's “Arabs Got Talent,” spoke of the great opportunity to collaborate with Max Herre. “We're doing the same kind of hip hop; he's a conscious MC and I'm a conscious MC (a rapper who sings about social issues) and we're all about awareness and all that stuff,” Qusai said in an interview with Saudi Gazette following the concert. “I'm a fan,” he said about his friend Herre. “The only thing I wish is that I could learn to speak good German. It was an overwhelming experience.” In “From Berlin to Jeddah,” Qusai spoke as an ambassador for the hip hop art in the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia in particular, whereas Herre spoke about his visit to Jeddah and how hospitable people received him here. Asked whether there will be a sequel of the project, Qusai said he would be more than happy to work again with Herre. “I would love to do a song called ‘From Jeddah to Berlin' so I can go over there and do a hip hop workshop just like we did over here. I would love to perform in Germany. Hopefully, there are more opportunities to come.” He said the audience in Germany would be completely different from Saudi Arabia. “Germany has outlets and it has a huge hip hop scene and so many great hip hop artists. Over here, in Saudi Arabia, the hip hop scene is there, but there are no venues or outlets.” He said there are an incredible number of talented artists in the Kingdom who perform both in Arabic and English, but it is hard for hip hop musicians to express what they do in such a conservative society. He said: “Any such opportunities or venues like this for us to express our talent is an overwhelming experience, especially when you see the feedback (of the crowd).” Anas Arabi, a rapper in the local hip hop group Run Junction, said the evening had been a unique opportunity to perform in Saudi Arabia, and he was overwhelmed with the response of the crowd. “It was unexpectedly amazing because this was the first time we tested our new songs that are not out yet, and the people were responding so beautifully to it.” He said he could see people relating to the topics they were speaking about. “And they accepted all the accents,” he said, referring to one of their new songs that includes parts in fusha (classical Arabic), Hijazi (western Saudi) dialect, and the Lebanese dialect among others in a way to eliminate borders in the Middle East. “The topics we speak of can relate to wherever (the audience) is, whether they are Arabs or not.” While Run Junction try to keep their lyrics neutral and accessible to all and although reaching out to people all over the world and bridging cultures is a major message behind their music, most of their songs revolve around social and political issues. “For us, not to speak of politics is like asking us not to be Arabs,” Arabi said, “because the Middle East is all about politics.” This leads to major criticism, something the group takes it for granted. “The truth is the truth, and if we're not allowed to rap about the truth what else is there to rap about?” Tim Toronto, another member of the group, said. He said Run Junction does not try to go deep into major political issues, but they do want to raise awareness about consumerism, materialism, Godlessness, and other things that “take us people further away from what we were created for.” Arabi and Toronto were thrilled to get the chance to work together with a major hip hop artist like Qusai. “Qusai is a pioneer in hip hop, and he came down to us; he gave us a hand and pulled us up,” Arabi, who performed a song with Qusai during the concert, said of the cooperation. The whole project, full of gifted musicians looking for a way to express their talents, aptly reflects the Saudi hip hop scene.
