Al-Sisi reaffirms Egypt's commitment to African security, development at AU Mid-Year Summit    Dozens of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire near Gaza aid site    Health Ministry denies claims of meningitis-related deaths among siblings    Egypt's Contact insurance arms, Germany's GIZ partner on SMEs, gender equity    Egypt and Italy mark 50 years of science partnership, discuss future cooperation    Egypt establishes Real Estate Market Regulation Unit to oversee sector transparency    Sri Lanka's expat remittances up in June '25    CBE's Abdalla attends Arab central bank governors' meeting ahead of Sept summit    Egypt's gold prices grow on July 13th    Egypt's Health Min. discusses drug localisation with Sandoz    Egypt, Mexico discuss environmental cooperation, combating desertification    Lavrov warns against anti-Russia alliances in Asia during North Korea visit    Needle-spiking attacks in France prompt government warning, public fear    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt's EDA, Haleon discuss local market support    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, France FMs review Gaza ceasefire efforts, reconstruction    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger        Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt's GAH, Spain's Konecta discuss digital health partnership    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Moroccan Houda Abouz break through in rap scene dominated by men
Published in Ahram Online on 27 - 07 - 2020

Houda Abouz, a 24-year-old who majors in film studies at a university in the northern city of Tetouan, has long been fascinated by hip-hop, and, encouraged by friends, she picked up a mic and began to perform.
In January she appeared in "Hors Serie", a song in which she performed alongside three big male rap stars in Morocco, Elgrande Toto, Don Bigg and Draganov.
The video has been viewed around 16 million times on YouTube - a reflection of the popularity the genre enjoys across the north African kingdom - and its success encouraged Abouz to go it alone.
She followed up in February with her debut single "KickOff", in which she rails against a society she says does not offer women equal opportunities.
"I am a self-made artist and I write my own lyrics, speaking my mind," she told Reuters in an interview in the capital Rabat.
"Rap is my passion and my defence mechanism in a patriarchal society," added Abouz, who goes by the name "Khtek", meaning "your sister".
Her lyrics, delivered in Moroccan Arabic dialect with phrases of French or English thrown in, are sometimes explicit.
"Bad ass, I survived war, drugs, craziness and love," she sings in KickOff. "Many things did not work out because we are ladies in the country of the dick."
In recent months, the country's rap scene has became embroiled in politics after a rapper, Gnawi, was sentenced to a year in prison for insulting the police in a video.
Abouz is not alone. another Moroccan female hip-hop star, like Manal, had a hit song "Slay" that was viewed 44 million times on YouTube.
Abouz, who describes herself as a feminist and supporter of LGBT rights, said she was influenced by the pro-democracy protests that shook Morocco in 2011 during the "Arab spring".
However, she said her music did not serve a political agenda but gave "a taste of the street and of the deep Morocco".
Men's prevalence in the world of rap reflected Morocco's conservative society, she said, but her work tries to seize back the narrative for women.
"I write better than you, though you think I'm just a girl," she sings in KickOff.
For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture


Clic here to read the story from its source.