The Arab pop music scene has a lot to worry about. For a few years now, pop's supremacy in the Middle East has been challenged by another type of music that is on the rise: rap.
At the beginning of the 2000s, this style was still very underground. But in just two decades, rap has built a distinctly Arab identity and won over a large audience, particularly through its hard-hitting lyrics.
"Go down to the street and look around you. People are treated like animals ... I know that there are words in the heart of the people that oppression forbids them to express, so I throw them in your face," rapped Tunisian artist Hamada Ben Amor, better known as El General, in 2011, during the Arab Spring. The lyrics resonated particularly among young protesters, who adopted them as an anthem of sorts.
Since then, Arab rap has continued on its way and diversified. From politics to love, family and community problems, artists tackle all the themes of society with catchy beats. The music is seducing more and more listeners. Some people, however, oppose the genre's frankness and its rhythms, accusing it of being too far removed from traditional music, and thus from Arab culture.
How did this musical style conquer the public in the region? And can it continue its rise, while some would like to ban it? We take stock of the situation, in this new five-minute episode of our "Explainer" series.
