Electro chaabi - The soundtrack of a revolution
Along with the revolution in Egypt, a new music genre arose in the streets. The documentary Electro Chaabi is a journey into Arabic rhythms, rap and political lyrics in modern Cairo. Electro chaabi is about stagediving in the slum’s alleys and playing keyboards on the rooftops of the Egyptian capital.
MC Sadat, Islam Chipsy, Amr Haha, DJ Figo and Oka&Ortega. This is the poor people’s beat. In the slums’ narrow alleys, a long way from the great boulevards of Cairo, a new kind of music is playing. It has its roots in rap, electronica and traditional Arabic music, and its political lyrics have found its way into the Egyptian public. "In whose favour is this revolution? They tricked us and changed the regime. They told us life would be good. It all turned out to be an illusion" are the words of a well-known chaabi song.
When French-Tunisian director Hind Meddeb came to Cairo in 2011, she was on the search for political music. At first she found nothing. But gradually a new genre appeared from the back alleys of Al Salaam City. In Electro Chabi, Meddeb documents the uprising of this underground music scene.
The music genre mahragan, or electro chaabi, has been popular in street weddings in the poor neighbourhoods of Cairo. But these new DJs and rappers are You Tube-winners as well as local wedding singers. They have been called the sound of the Egyptian revolution!
If you regard Egypt as exclusively conservative and religious, you have to think again. When the wedding night rises, narrow streets turn into discos, and the district’s young men dance all night long. In a Cairo where young people are sick of corruption, violence and the lack of social freedom, they take complete control of these weddings and make them into something that most of all looks like a mix of rave parties and scenes from a Bollywood movie.
The lyrics of electro chaabi are about girls, corruption and politics. Cops, drugs and unhappy love. Everything that is on the mind of Egypt’s youth. And from the slums and backstreets, this music is now spreading to the entire world, to Europe and the Middle East. Please welcome the stars from Cairo!
During Arabian Film Days, Electro Chaabi will be screened:
Friday 4th of April, 18:30
Saturday 5th of April, 12:45
Sunday 6th of April, 17:30