Hip Deep is Afropop's media project dedicated to the idea that music is a key to understanding everything. Get hip deep into programs on how the music formed and informed cultures in Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas, plus companion interviews, features, discographies and more.
"...three of four years ago, they would write lyrics that were obliquely political, that were clearly political if you knew what to look for. But they weren’t publicly political. They weren’t specifically saying Mubarak by name. Now there is much more freedom to be explicitly political. That I think is going to bring a huge change in the music. "
"...when I could imagine a stage, with curtains of lights, I said I have to do something. I can't leave this space like this. So I talked to the governor of Cairo. Every one of my friends who I spoke to about this project told me, "Don't be crazy. Don't try. They will never give you permission. Better to just forget it." But I never listened to them. I said what can I lose? I will make the request and see what will happen. To my surprise, the governor of Cairo at that time said only these two words: "go ahead." Go ahead."
For me, successful music in a place is reflecting the culture. If it’s high culture, low culture, advanced, ignorant, any kind of culture. If the music is reflecting this culture in an honest way, it is success. We don’t all have to be well educated and smart. This is not my case. My case is my culture and how I can interact with it – how can I reach it and how can I express it. That’s success for me. We don’t have to make something musically sophisticated [...] If you can reach this crowd, this culture – that is success for me.."
VIDEO
Wust El-Balad: One of Egypt's Most Popular Rock Bands
" There is much to say about Egypt's heavy metal scene, which was pioneered by brave young musicians determined to buck the trends of predictable local pop. Concerts were closed down by police, people were arrested, even jailed, and accused of promoting satanism. But the musicians persisted, and since the revolution, they have been breathing a little easier. The 800 or so kids that showed up for this Tuesday-night lineup of four bands were exuberant and fun-loving. There was no hint of fear in the air."
"Under the previous governments in Egypt and Tunisia, music was harshly censored; any criticism or deviation from the norms of high art Arabic music or glitzy pop would be silenced or even punished. But the recent courageous actions of the protesters have released musicians from the metaphors they were using to disguise the truth. Music has become critical, direct, and explosive."
