By: Fadila
Mid-June, Hamed Sinno wrote a heart wrenching facebook post that I think everyone should read, but one particular sentence has been gnawing at me since: “I was once deluded enough in my optimism that I honestly believed music could change the world.” In a time where everyone is in some sort of space where there is an intersection of violent institutions – be it white supremacy, colonialism, gender-based discrimination/violence, capitalism/classism, fascism, etc – it is very hard for us to remember what easy breaths of air were like before the acrid stench of death and oppression and blatant injustice if not outright war made home in our spaces. Y’all know, we’ve been expanding beyond Egypt because this is a time where we need to be together, not as ‘a nation’ but as a collective people who share the same struggles irrespective of our dialects, and tbh, fuck borders. Resistance, especially through art, is exhausting. Resistance artists do change the world, because they give us the hope we need to tell ourselves: “one more time, I can get up, just one last time”, every. damn. time. So, here’s a playlist of some tracks from all over the Arab region that have truly changed the world, in my humble opinion. My eternal gratitude to every activist and artist who continues to risk their life within or away from their homes, just to give us a sliver of hope in an otherwise bleak world.
1- Meen Bint Sgheere – Rasha Nahas
2- Palestine Unplugged – Rasha Nahas
3- Bikafi 3ad – Maysa Daw
4- Al Kufiyya Arabiya – Shadia Mansour
5- Sindibad – Shabjdeed
6- Zamilou – Bu Kolthoum
7- Lil Watan – Mashrou Leila
8- Matloob Zaeem – Cairokee
9- Kollon 3endon Dababat – DAM ft. Shadia Mansour
10- Allo le Système! – Raja Meziane
11- Milliardat – DAM
12- Maghawir – Mashrou Leila
13- Jouwana – Bu Kolthoum
14- Fil Atmeh – El Far3i
15- Who You Are – DAM
16- We Have to Change – Shadia Mansour ft. Omar Offendum
17- Inta Mnih? – Tin Nen
18- Wahabt Omri Lel Amal – Maryam Saleh
19- Holm – Emel
20- Kelmti Horra – Emel
21- Segn Bel Alwan – Ramy Essam ft. Malikah
22- 3am 7arib – Malikah
23- From Ramallah to Jerusalem and Back – Shabjdeed
24- Survivor – Raja Meziane
25- El 3ors – Dina El Wadidy and Maryam Saleh
26- Jab A’ar – Bu Kolthoum ft. Malikah
27- Dinasour – Cairokee
28- Mantika – Shabjdeed
29- Kalaam – Mashrou Leila
30- Sawt Nssa – Soultana
31- Kick Off – Khtek
32- Emta Njawzak Yamma – DAM
33- Fratello – Tagne ft. Stormy and Khtek
34- Tayf – Mashrou Leila