Read what Ramy Essam told Afropop the last time he was in town.
Egyptian rocker Ramy Essam returns to the US this month with two special events. On 4/28 at Black Cat in Washington D.C, with special guest DJ Basbousa (Tickets Here), and at Mercury Lounge, NY on 4/30, with support from DIN NYC (Tickets and More Info Available Here).
Rock artist and human rights defender Ramy Essam is considered to be one of the loudest voices from the Egyptian revolution. His resilient journey from the hub of the Egyptian revolution to the international stages has included viral hits and awards as well as moments of struggle. With his background in being the voice of the streets of his country, Ramy today stands for social justice and human rights worldwide.
Featured in Rolling Stone, the New York Times, NPR, and in the documentary film The Square, Ramy Essam exploded into international fame as one of the loudest voices of the Egyptian revolution in 2011, when his songs spread like wildfire among the demonstrators. His music -- rock with Egyptian flavor and hiphop influences, inspired by hard rock and grunge, sung in both Egyptian Arabic and English, connected directly with Egyptians young and old. Performing his powerful protest songs for millions in Tahrir Square during the Revolution, Ramy was arrested, tortured and forced to flee Egypt. His songs were banned and he was forbidden to perform publicly.
His song Irhal demanding resignation of then-ruler Hosni Mubarak is referred to as the real anthem of the revolution. Irhal was listed as #3 Song That Changed History by Time Out Magazine. His music became the soundtrack of a whole generation of his countrymen and women struggling for a better life and a more just society. His resilient journey from the hub of the revolution to the international stages has included viral hits and awards as well as moments of struggle. With his background being a voice of the streets for his country, Ramy today stands for social justice and human rights worldwide.
However, fame came with a heavy price when Ramy experienced brutal torture and attempts of arrests meant to silence his voice. He resolved to, and has, come out even stronger against oppression, with a powerful message that he carries today.
Ramy has continued to perform and record in exile, including 2016's hit Segn Bel Alwan (featuring Lebanese rapper Malikah) with over 8 million views, a 2017 collaboration with PJ Harvey on The Camp – a single benefitting displaced children in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley fleeing the Syrian Civil War, and his viral hit with 31 million views, Lessa Bahinlha. In 2017 Ramy released his album Resala Ela Magles El Amn ("A Letter To The UN Security Council") on Universal Music MENA; following that album up with the February 2018 release of the single and video for Balaha, which went viral in Egypt and reached millions of views in few days.
Ramy's latest release, Metgharabiin (Outsiders) was released in 2023. The project is an electronic rock audio/visual album, and a new collaboration created by Ramy Essam with Swedish producer and musician Johan Carlberg, that Al Jazeera described as "prominent poets and soulful tracks", and Songlines magazine said "resounds with meaning". Ramy worked with poets in collaboration with their words to compose music and collaborated on the artwork with exiled Egyptian visual artist Ganzeer (now based in US). Currently living in exile in Finland, Ramy's voice still rings out as he continues to make a global message heard around censorship, gender equality, and a world without borders.
