Egypt’s mahraganat music (which literally translates to festival music) has been the topic of controversy arguably since the appointment of veteran singer, Hany Shaker, as the President of the Music Syndicate. An evolving genre born from the impact of the 2011 Revolution, mahraganat blends a melodic style of singing with colloquial rap with the bustling beats of simple techno hip-hop filling in the backdrop. With a generation growing out of a revolutionary struggle, mahraganat was edgier, fresher, and brasher than anything in both the mainstream and indie scene at the time. It rapidly took over as Egypt’s dominant form of street music. Despite its popularity, both the Syndicate and mainstream press continuously vilify and mock mahraganat artists. What the Syndicate considers lowbrow music is, nonetheless, a relished genre for others, particularly the Egyptian working class. Listeners now found themselves in the crossfire of a war of culture between the Syndicate and the new wave of mahraganat music, as they try to understand where right and wrong lie. MUSICIANS’ SYNDICATE: PRINCIPLED REGULATORS OR ARCHAIC SILENCERS? Since Shaker’s proclamation against the genre, the Syndicate has undergone a purge of a plethora of…
Egypt’s War on Mahraganat: Controversy, Censorship, and Class-Struggle
June 5, 2022
