The Israeli Singer And Lebanese Dancer

Israelis and Lebanese do not dance together, there is bad blood between both sides, but the Lebanese have seen the worse of the Israelis. That's why when you get to see footage some some random Israeli singer and some Lebanon flag carrying belly dancer you have to wonder out loud: What the hell?

To start, many white girls and non Arab girls take up belly dancing, so that does not make the girl Arab--she might be though. Two anyone can purchase a Lebanese flag and sport it. There are so many Lebanese leveling all over the world, so this global community might have attracted this dark hared belly dancer.

Also not sure about the singer and his politics, he might be a lefty or a hipster who is all about locking hands and getting along with everyone. But I do also know that leftists realize that the flag of Israel represents oppression for many. So this makes one bizarre story to tell. We do not even know much about the venue of this concert. I do get the feeling it's in some Western country.

Update: thanks to a reader of the blog. The dancer's name is Johanna Fakhry, the talented and courageous Lebanese dancer who joined Orphaned Land on stage, has penned a response to her inspiring and controversial artistic collaboration with the Israeli band.

one question does Ms. Fakhry know anything about Qana Massacre? But to her credit, she is just a belly dancer, she is not going to be the sharpest tool in the box. She makes her money dancing. The only voice defending her is none other than the man who shared the stage with her Kobi Farhi, the songwriter. I am sure both entertainers thought they are making history. Ms. Fakhry's dance with the flag of her country is not to be compared with the popular movie "Dances With Wolves".

راقصة لبنانية ومطرب إسرائيلي يثيران زوبعة "سياسية" .

Why Are Saudi Liberals So Obsessed With Sex?

Liberal Saudi publication Elaph does great reporting. When they are not doing that, they are obsessed with sex and ladies. This seems to be a themes of Saudi Liberals, a way of telling the extremists in their country who tend to fear women that we will be doing the opposite. I do not know how things are in Saudi Arabia, but I feel censorship does wonders on most sites.

I am a fan of Elaph, their timely coverage of politics, and music is second to none. But to a certain degree they go over the top with sex stories and ladies. Take fro example their latest story on the women groups that are enlisted to rally for Putin. Really? That's the one video you managed to upload to your YouTube channel? On the same day Somalia was declared in famine?

I mean all healthy males like women, but here from what I see, women follow women who are trend setters in fashion, style and entertainment. Men on the other hand, follow the same women if they were in GQ, Details, or Esquire! Those are the very fine men. But if you sink to the level of Playboy and Hustler, then there is a problem.

Beautiful women have every right to do whatever pictures they like to publish, I also have the right to reject them if they go over the top on this mainstream publication that is meant to be real by everyone and all ages.


جيش بوتين جهة غامضة أخرى تسعى إلى تعبئة النساء Women for Putin

Egyptian Expatriates Should Visit Egypt

See some images and helicopter shots of Egypt you've never seen before from the streets of Cairo. Those images show the beautiful side of that magical urban center. It's like an awesome virtual tour of all those world class Egypt attractions the world if fond of.

And to add a voice to this gorgeous landscape, you get a song that I know will most anyone who has seen those places yet alone has grew up in those part of the world. While I only visited Egypt twice, those places register with me. Quite the trip here.

I think there is a lot we Arabs and Egyptians can do to help lift Egypt of its transitional period, go visit the place and capture the moments, see history being made.

تحذير لكل مصري خارج مصر - لا تسمع و لا تشاهد هذه الأغنية

Abu El Leef Egypt's Oddest Singer

Egypt's closets thing to modern day cave man is the odd character singer Abu El Leef who makes popular songs that tend to make no sense to no one by the fans. Abu El Leef made is huge last summer and was the best selling artist in Egypt and many corners of the Arab world.

He was called the savior of Arabic CD sales, and then the revolution happened and he was dismissed as his songs have no soul. They are just pure fun in an odd way songs. But Abu El Leef sells big, so he won't be easy to write off. Fresh of his new single song about a bullet that is still in his pocket.

The song sort of strange a bit as it talks about the revolution a bit and the abuses of the past, but it makes no endorsement. He keeps making light pop songs about topics the youth relate too, and he does so in the style of the Canadian odd singer Weird Al Yankovic. Abu El Leef enjoys a great deal of fame and fortune now.
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‫اغنية ابو الليف - الرصاصة لا تزال فى جيبى

Arab Music Video For Dogs

This is not a new music video, it came out last year and it was like who the heck is this new singer and what does those words mean? With a title like Al3awo...Al'aoo, an Arabic word for the bogie man and sometimes dogs. It's driven from the noise some animals make.

But for Egyptian singer Diab who is backed be Nasr Mahrous, Egypt's hardest working music producer, we cannot help but wonder how these guys made this funny music video with not actual beasts in it. They only had lots of ladies, dancers, and dudes jumping in the air.

This is a funky dance song with one of the better beats I have heard last year, so this is a great song to play at parties. Nasr is one dynamic producer, and director, he loves the details and knows how to make a great song better. He also knows about image and character development.
Making of El 3aw video by Nasr Mahrous- كواليس العو للمخرج نصر محروس

Alaa Wardi: A Guinness Who Makes No Sense

He looks like a homeless person or a hobo at best, but he knows better than anyone else in the Arab world how to make a video intro a viral hit. He has done it multiple times with his creative ideas. First he whined about being bored and how he needs a visa, and then he started covering Arabic songs by making everything in them with noises he creates--the music and the everything he made all those sounds.

That was a hit video that took everyone by surprise. And now he is back with a new hit video with a song that he says makes nonsense and thus he asks viewers not to work hard to try to understand it.

So here we go, the same format of his last video, same look, but a different song that only Alaa Wardi's mind can come up with.



Alaa Wardi - Shalamonti Fel7al

The Girlfriend Music Video by Fatima Zahra

Fatima Zahara, the pop girl of the United Arab Emitares is busy in private parties in that wealthy Arab country. But her most famous song "Cannot Buy Me", a delightful song about a woman that has the pride and the brains to tell those wealth thinking they can sway her heart with their bank accounts to hit the road.

Now she is back with another beautiful music video where the magical lyrics and dazzling music meet. There are some great cinematography there too. We can also thank Fayez Al Said, the acclaimed singer and composer for giving this singer a hand in her career lately as she records in his studio.

The amazing thing about Fatima she has been in the business for 16 years but her fame was limited to her country and some neighboring countries. She still looks good and her work is still relevant. As someone who appreciate more self-respecting women form the Gulf region getting into music,I am happy to have come across Fatima--my mothers name as well

فاطمه زهرة العين لاتلمح

Yousseif, The Greek Egyptian Singer Mini Album

Yousseif, the Greek Egyptian singer who came to the spotlight in a single song he released about how cool post Mubarak Egypt without being political. So what do you do next? Release a mini album with 4 songs and test the water--a full album would cost a fortune.

OK, I listen to the promo and I am not sure I like the quality of the vocals of Yousseif, I remember telling myself that his single about Egypt showed a good side to his voice, but now I am unable to find that voice I once liked.

So will Yousseif make a good run for a career in Arabic music, hard to tell, but the exotic Greek factor might help him. The good news is this Yousseif is doing all the work on the music side, it's all his work. The lyrics come from a number of Egyptian lyricists.

New Mini Album Yousseif

Arab Celebrities News Roundup

1. Iraqi Singer Kathem Al Saher turned down the offer to sing in the much anticipated concert for Egypt, according to one newspaper Kathem thinks the planners are not serious about this big event. Mohammad Foad, Wadie Al Safie, Haitham Nabil, George Wassouf, and Hisham Abbas are set to perform.
2. Egypotain pop star Ramy Sabry tied the knot to Sherry, the young woman whom he has been seeing for about 4 years. Stars that were in attendance are Diab, Kareem Mohsen, Ahmad Fahmy, Shazaa, Hossam Habib, Mostafa Mahmouz, Hamada Hilal, Ahmad Flox, Asalah Nasry and husband, and soccer player Shikabala.
3. Syrian diva Mayada "Miada" Henaway cleares Algerian diva from accusations that she has something to do with banning Mayada from singing in Egypt for the past 10 years. Mayada has not spoken in details about her past ban on her appearance in Egypt. Glad to see those two finest living legends make up.
4. Ramy Gamal, Mohammad Nour, Soma, and Essaf were the life of the party in Egyptian city Tanta where those four young and popular singers appeared in concert and sang their latest songs where the first two on this list have two newly released solid albums. The concert took place at the Tanta Medical Conference Center.
5. Egyptian actress Mena Shalby was at the Tahrir Square protest this past Friday for a film project, and according to sources one of the protesters sort of shouted at her for her raunchy role in "Al Saher" movie. Mena shouted back that she has the honor to be in that movie like she has the honor to be here. But it was understood that she said, the people of Tahrir have the honor to her being there, so things got heated. Mena has not taken part of the Tahrir protests and was missing in action during the 18 days.

حرص ولا تخون - رامى صبرى - 2011

Top Arab Singers Release Album For Kids

Hala Turk made a good name for herself as the child star on Arab Got Talent show with her cute songs. So Platinum Record designed an album around her by enlisting pretty much everyone under their label to do a children song.

Those names do not necessarily go along with children or have children of their own, they are just doing music, some might have had to revisit their own childhood to connect with the little ones. Some of those songs are catchy, some are like whatever...but the lyrics are about summer break, having fun, listening to mom and dad.

The marketing for this album is geared toward the Arab Gulf, the title comes from that dialect "My Dad Got Paid", so we can all have fun now!


01.Abdel.Fatah.Gereny.Esma3.Kalam.Baba.We.Mama
02.Rakan.Ft.Nabil.Rogeh.ELSanah.12.Shahr
03.Rashed.Maged.ELShater
04.7la.Turk.Baba.Nezel.Ma3ashah
05.7la.Turk.Ft.Mesha3el.Benety.El7aboba
06.Wanes.Beeb.Beeb
07.Mona.Amarsha.5lasna.Elderasa
08.Pol.Mark.Ft.Farah.Sho.Heya.Elhedia
09.Wanes.Kazab
10.Atfal.Lebnan.Ma.Bedy.Eyaha
11.Wanes.Nam.Ya.Shater
12.7la.Turk.Ft.Asel.3omran.Namy
13.Maged.Mohandes.Haza.Abona


عبدالفتاح الجريني - في البوم بابا نزل معاشه - قريبا

Two Syrian Artists, Two Songs, Two Syrias

If you say no in Syria, no one will harm you, but if you keep saying no, they will send you behind the moon and make you and your family regret the day you were born. Take no prisoners is the Syrian approach.

That's why most Syria songs commenting on the standoff between the government and the people tend to be too vague, and not straight out calling the abuses. And if you happen to like Assad, but cannot explain your support you make a song that can be understood in any way you want. Want Assad, sure this song is for you? Hate Assad? Sure my song also works. That's how the song of Rowida Attieh sounds like.

Asalah on the other hand does not care that much and took a stand against Assad, released a song about the plight of the people in Syria. And for that she is paying now, they are attacking her and making her look like an evil person while they are killing and murdering people in prions and in the streets.

I say, there will always be one Syria, but stop killing your people, listen to them and show them that you mean what you say and practice what you preach. Here are the two songs, I am making reference too.

اصاله نصري من اين2011 جديد وحصري-



رويداعطيه الله على كل ظالم2011جديد وحصري-

Whatever Happend to Mayez El Bayaa?

If you look up a one hit wonder in any Arabic dictionary, you might read the name Mayez El Bayaa "مايز البياع", he is Lebanses and he was cool for about a year, then he just vanished. Did he stop singing or was he not able to stage a comeback? This Tom Cruise look a like broke some hearts

His hit song Kol EL Kalam, was on everyone's playlist in the late 90s. It was a cool song that was performed so well and the music video was hip, all youthful, fun and summer. I know Mayez had other songs under his name, but few of them register the way his hit single did. Looking back he had some songs going back to 1989.

He has at least three albums (click here for some details)


مايز البياع - كل الكلام

Syrian Regime Kills Anti-Regime Hama Singer

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. That's the story of the Syrian regime. They have been gunning their own people for months now, imprisoning and torturing thousands. But that's not enough to quell the revolution and the people who want to overthrow this rotten regime.

Ibrahim Kashkosh is a Hama based artist who sang against the regime and took part of the revolution in his city. Thinking he was safe from those thugs, but he was wrong. A report on Aljazeera shows graphic images of this young man as those thugs have Butchered him and cut his throat too. Ibrahim has lead the protest in a chant that Said, Yalla Ir7al Ir7al Ya Bashar "Leave, Leave Yo Bashar!" Did they think that this will scare anyone?

I simply think not, because Syria is not over with, the people have gotten to the point of no return. May his soul rests in peace and may those who did him harm see justice sooner or later they would have to.

تقرير عن قتل ابراهيم قاشوش ومايجري في حماة 06-07

Nader El Rayes: Corn-y Music Video

I have to give props to Nader El Rayes for using a girl playing violin in his music video, and that's the only nice thing I have to say about him. He is Egyptian singer with not much of a name recognition. But that's about to change when he released Leila Habibi a music video shot on a low budget.

There's nothing wrong with not having money, there's a lot of wrong with doing a music video that looks cheap. Everything about the music video looks fake, and computer generated. There's a nice shot of the moon too, but the director could be trying to moon the viewers.

I think Nader has a likable character and a nice youthful energy, but he can do better, he must do better if he is serious about his career. While he took part of the Star Maker music competition and launched his career there, he has a long way to go and I think he has something to work with.

Nader El Rayes - Leila Habiby / نادر الريس - ليلة حبيبي

Odd Arabic Music Videos Summer 2011

The first music video about a bored girl who does nothing but Facebook and update her status, talking to strangers. Then she makes us a fashion show while she is talking about this virtual world. This song would have been a lot cooler had the singer been 15 years of age. Way to make us all hate Facebook woman

The second is about a father with a cute little girl telling her stories. There are some animations too, but the focus seems on the father, not the little girl. I call those music videos odd because they sort of do not fit with the stations where they are been shown in the case of the second one. the first one is just silly and offers nothing.

Mai Khayat - Shet M Alnom / مى خياط - صحيت م النوم


Moussa - El Bent El Amoura / موسى - البنت الأمورة

Vanessa - Longa Noor Does What Exactly?

If you ask me what are your thoughts about Vanessa - Longa Noor, I would draw a blank and not be able to give you anything. There is some cool music, fusion of oriental music with Western instruments. As for the footage in the music video, they take you on a tour to some historic sites.

Not to forget the dazzling outfit and colorful violins that change as the outfit changes. This is a cool video, with not much subtance to go along, there is the good looking lady that can play some music. I am guessing if belly dancers can make their own music videos, why not Vanessa in Longa Noor.

Vanessa - Longa Noor / فينيسا - لونجا نور

Mohamed Dia'a And Wa3d: Surprise

Put to b and c list Arab singers together who have nothing in common, you are in for a surprise. You will have to expect the unexpected from this duo of Wa'ad and Egyptian composer turned singer Mohammad Dia'a

The song has been in the can for a while, the filmed it a while back and have been waiting for the right moment to release this music video. There's some chemistry between those two voices, they are all acting like teens who have found their first love.

It's a good song, even though the music video is a bit corny, the glass windows separating between them is pretty cool. We have Alam Alphan for putting those two singers together and giving an expecting romantic song.

Mohamed Dia2 W Wa3d Youm W Atnin كليب محمد ضياء ووعد - يوم واتنين

Algerians Want To Boycott Promiscuous Arabs

Not every day that you see new Facebook groups being started to boycott Arab singers who are perceived to be on the raunchy side. Those efforts often tend to target women entertainers, and unfairly pick on them. But this time in Allgeria someone started a Facebook group to boycott all Arab entertainers who have done work with in the administrators of the group find "Promiscuous", "Scandalous"

Who made the list is the surprise, Lebanese singer Elissa, but it seems they are fine with Cheb Khalid who does some less than decent music videos in Europe with half naked ladies. I do understand those youth's concern of their government will to spend tax paying money on those concerts. No one has the right to spend the public's funds to throw a concert not many care to go attend.

On the funny side, those people are promising that they will egg and tomato those singers appearing in Algerian concerts. They have also promised to escalate this and lead protests against such moves. If I am Elissa and other singers I would save face and avoid having such videos if they happen floating on YouTube.


Magida El Roumi et la chanson KEEF montage de qlq concerts

Arab Children Songs Album

You know the music market is in trouble when every and each music label tries to find a new market to fill, a need that they can cash on. For now, it seems that Platinum Record found that opportunity. Making an all children album, who would go against that? I mean look at Nancy Ajram her record sold millions!

The company rounded the likable singers on their label and gave them lyrics to sing and assembled all those songs in one album. Music by committee is what I call that, they need a children album and used all the voices they have to appeal to the Arab child and his parents.

Majid Al Mohandes, Aseel O, Mona Amarcha, Mashael, Rakan, Rashid Al Majid, Abdelfattah Greeny...and more are the list of the A list singers who have a track or two on this album. This is an album not made for all kids, just the children of the Gulf will get this, it's focused on the Gulf Dialect to help market it. The Gulf market is about the only music market that is selling records. Not just that the ringtones are a big revenue maker so there's that revenue stream.

As for the cover is pretty cool, but not sure why put Rashid Al Majid and Majid Al mohandis as the big guys who are bullies? They might be big names, but that doe snot mean make them look big. It's intimidating.
بابا نزل معاشه - قريبا في الأسواق | Baba Nezal M3ashah - Soon


بابا نزل معاشه - قريبا في الأسواق | Baba Nezal M3ashah - Soon

Sofia El Marikh & Jermaine Jackson Arabic Duet

When Sofia El Marikh sings in Arabic, she sounds like those French style singers, so it makes sense why she would want to break out of the Arab world and do a duet with Jermaine Jackson, the brother of Michael Jackson and member of the Jackson's Band. Those two talents met in Morocco studio to work on this track.

I must tell you, when I heard about this song, I did not know where it was coming from, those two singers do not seem to be the kind that crosses paths. The back story of how those tow singers met, might be more interesting than the song itself. The work on the song took some time to make the Western melodies meet with the Arabic one. You can hear some of the conversation in the song and see the cues.

Barry White had to do a lot of work in terms of the lyrics and the composition. Here is the song "My First, My Last, My Everything"

Sofia El Marikh & Jermaine Jackson - My First, My Last, My Everything