Take This Macho Song By Zein Shaker

Becasue he did a song about a transgender whom he married, we know about Lebanese singer and musicians Zein Shaker. He is smart to do that song and now his name is out there, the free publicity works. Now comes his most mainstream followup song.

A song about a macho man who would do anything for the approval of the lady he loves. A typical Lebanese passionate song with a dance beat. I will walk like Bou Ali does--Bou Ali is the caricature for the manly man in Arabic culture. I would tear down this world for you, and give you my man word sings Zein. 

The song is fun to dance too, but guys may like the lyrics  but I find it hard to imagine women like such song.

ZEIN SHAKER NEW SONG - MACHYIT BOU ALI

Her Name And Her Look Might Not Be, But She Is An Arab

There is a raising star in the skies of Lebanon's pop scene and she goes by the name Stephanie Fakih. You are allowed to wipe out that dumb look on your face as you try to figure out if her look is natural  She is. There's a saying where anyone who speaks Arabic is an Arab--even those with blues eyes. Fakih is a new pop personality and her young age--she is 21 shows a lot of promise and area for growth.

But this pop songstress is really one, she is Lebanese. Just look her her thick eyebrows, that's a giveaway for more Arab girls. Here's the kicker, she is the daughter of Lebanese expat who lived in Africa--where Stephanie was born. She just had a sold out concert in Morocco, filming a new music video in Tunisia, and has recorded a song for the King of Saudi Arabia. To top that she has already sang alongside the Lebanes super star Raghib Alama who seems to be a fan.

Stephanie Fakih - Ghayarli Omry / ستيفاني فقيه - غيرلي عمري

WATCH: Arwa - Marhaba (NEW 2012) / اروى - مرحبا

Arwa have had a slow 2012, most stars have but the Yemeni starlet took time off to have a baby girl--Nora. The star of the Gulf--Khalij is ready to reclaim her spot on top of the charts. I feel we kinda of missed her sweet pop songs with a catch dance beat.

Below, you will fine her latest single, she released it prior to her taking time off before her pregnancy started to show. "Hello" is the name of that single. Well, Hello back Arwa.

Arwa - Marhaba (NEW 2012) / اروى - مرحبا

Maya Diab Releases Some Racy Pictures With A Black Model And The World Freezes

The TV hostess, songstress and pop star Maya Diab is second to none in this crazed world of celebrity. Haifa Wehbe has been hogging the news with the release of her stellar music video. Maya Diab did not want the week to end without getting her name out there, so she took to Facebook and shared some pictures that came with no explanation. Creating confusion, and a lot of pissed off middle aged guys. I am the only one who remembers that sex tape by Kim and Rapper Ray J?  

Mind you Maya is married, were those pictures part of a new music video? mind you some comments have been racist about the model who has a darker skin--keep on mind Maya is not the fairest pop diva of them all. Maya does not mind showing some legs, and short shorts. She knows what works for her, and she does what;s right for her. If you do not like her work--turn off the TV or whatever medium she is coming through to grab your innocent soul. 

 As now we know, the photos were taken during the making of Maya Diab's Video Clip "Shaklak Ma Btaaref Ana Min" photographer Charbel Bou Mansour. snagged them. Too bad, the release of the music video was so botched that not even half a million YouTube viewers saw the clip. The delay and the bizarre press ate the buzz the music video had. Plus no one has 8 minutes to watch a movie disguised as a music video for a mediocre pop song. 

The issue with the negative comments stem from the man's inability to understand a woman except in terms of the only two roles he knows how to assign her: virgin or whore. But this song tells us that there is no room inside the mind of the this in this photo shoot for the notion that a woman might be a friend, a lover, or a partner. So Maya doing sexy might be too confusing for some people. I think people need to understand it all those antics in terms of money--the more pissed off people are, the richer she gets. 

Maya Diab - Shaklak Ma Btaaref / مايا دياب - شكلك ما بتعرف

Bertha Abi Rashed Making Pop Songs For The Fun Of It

The hungry good looking people of Lebanon need to make a living and their favorite route out of poverty and average life is becoming famous. Middle class life is fine for those who like normalcy  but when you are an attractive young women in Lebanon, you are inclined to dabble into pop music, modeling or hosting your very own show on some channel paid for by the rich dirty old men of the Gulf.

As I am writing this, I am thinking one of those voices that meets this category is Bertha Abi Rashed! Young and attractive, voice wise she can carry a pop note. The sound engineers have had fewer more complicated challenges than Bertha. Bertha opened up her song in the very Lebanese tradition of doing a Mawal strong singing without music.

As for the name is interesting --Bertha is an old school name--American and British grannies perhaps. The second part of the name Abi Rashed is kind of cool in Arabic and shows some authenticity. It seems that Bertha got the pop persona out of her system as she has not given many interviews nor has she done any other songs.

Bertha Abi Rashed - Ma Beykfiny Atlak / بيرثا أبي راشد - ما بيكفيني قتلك

Haifa Wore The Same Dress Worn By Britney Spears

It's a slow music news day, but those with too much time on their hands, have pointed out that the Lebanese supernova Haifa Wehbe wore a dress that was seen before on Britney Spears. How do they dig this kind of stuff? Seriously, who has the time?

Nevertheless this is a cool music video, the MJK music video which shot in New York and Haifa sports a number of stylish and froward looking outfits. The two Djs she has used for this song did wonders...Lenz Garcia and Noor Q took the original song and turned it into something any given nightclub would love to play on their busiest night.

Anyhow, Brittney is a global celebrity and Haifa is making her way toward a bigger and global audience.

will.i.am - Scream & Shout ft. Britney Spears


Haifa Wehbe - MJK (Heartbeats Remix) By Lenz Garcia & Noor Q هيفاء وهبي - ملكة جمال الكون

Despite Clashes, Cairo International Film Festival Presses On

Violence no violence, the celebrities of the world ain't going to stop a party even if Cairo is on fire. The organizers wanted to party so they argued if we do not hold the Cairo Film Festival this year, we risk the event being taken out of the international film festivals agenda. They had to cancel it last year due to the brewing political and social climate.

So the 35th film festival saw the light despite the many hiccups it had--like the minister of culture forgetting his speech and a number of clashes few blocks away. More than fifty films were screened, certainly half of them did not have audience.  Few international filmmakers were present and you will see some of them speaking to the camera. North African cinema was alive and well in the film festival.

Joe Bou Eid won the best director category about his movie filmed in Beirut about his parents love story. and A French film won the best film.

cairo film closing 20121213

The Cute Song By The Sandy About Her Boy Toy

Sandy knows why she is popular, the way she dresses and the way she sells her ditsy image. From the get go, Sandy went for the people who like sexy, she gave them that. Her songs are fun pop songs no classics. She does have a natural limit and she seems to stick to it.

But when it comes to dressing and being bold Sandy has always pushed the envelop. But she is also smart, she toned it down the moment the Arab Spring arrived. She still shows some skin, but no playboy fantasies. She has never shied away form the competition, she took on the older pop divas and challenged them. Sandy has also entered the Lebanese pop domain where the image is as important as the performance.

Her album was released in the summer, and it has few good songs--simple songs with a catchy tune. but one of the underrated songs on the album is the one below. Sand has now been doing pop albums since late 2007 and she has consistently gotten better. She has transformed herself from a one note-one style wonder into more serious songs.

In the song below Sandy shared her trouble with the boy she is sing, she cannot seem to keep up his word

Sandy - Malosh Kilma / ساندي - مالوش كلمة

Why Arab Idol Needs Mohammed Assaf (محمد عساف) To Win

There's a skinny Palestinian guy from Gaza on Arab Idol, and he is making all the news. The judges love this very talented guy. He is a super star and no one can take this from him. His voice is so strong yet so tender. The question is, will he take the title back to Palestine?

He seems to be the best voices on the program, and I have heard and seen a lot of other talents who are very talented, but none of them has the back-story like Assaf does. He is not supposed to be on the show, but he made it and did he dazzle the fans?

Tell you what while he was on the show, he gave many people around the Arab World a reason to smile at those dark times. While far too many Arab states are seeing murder and fear upon them, None has seen it for as long as Gaza has. All suffering is painful, that does not make it easier. But Assaf is a rare talent, he is from a different bread. You give him a song and this guy brings it back to live and puts so much effort to entertain and stay loyal.

He clearly has blown away many Egyptian when he first performed that Abdel Halim song, he was the bomb. He got four yeses from the critical judges. Then he moved on to Lebanon where he did some of their better known songs....and you can see the Lebanese judges were speechless and handed him all the yeses they have.

I will watch him and will speak-up if he had a bad day, but so far out of the three songs he has covered, he won fair and square. There are 27 other talent on the show, I can see him being a finalist and a contender for the title. See him take on the stage and do his bit--it was the toughest part of the song and he did the high and low notes so well--it was a riot.

Arab Idol - مرحلة بيروت - انا يللي عليكي مشتاق


الفنان محمد عساف اليوم مقطع من الاغنية المشتركة انا يلي عليكي مشتاق arab idol


الفنان محمد عساف اليوم arab idol مقاطع أغنية على بابي واقف قمرين

Listen: Ray J, Releases "I Hit Is First" Track On Kim Kardashia

Ray J, the R&B singer who co-starred in the sex tape with Kim Kardashian that launched her career, has released a  new song called “I Hit It First” about their love affair. He is no different than those jaded boyfriends whose girl goes on to do better things with her life, and then they feel the urge to make comfort themselves by singing how they were the first.


Certainly Kanye West is going to appreciate this.

This is an off the wall and perhaps tasteless, Ray J, the one-time paramour of reality TV sensation Kim Kardashian—who co-starred in the infamous Kardashian sex tape that helped launch the bodacious starlet’s career—has released a diss track called “I Hit It First.”

“If you would’ve come back to me, girl, I know just how you’d do me / And if you would’ve come back to me, girl I know just why you choose me,” he sings. “And if you would’ve come back to me, girl I’ll give you a Jacuzzi / And if you wanna come back to me, girl, we’ll make another movie.”

Kardashian, 32, briefly dated Ray J after her four-year marriage to music producer Damon Thomas ended in 2004. Years later, in Feb. 2007, a sex tape she’d made with Ray J in 2003 was leaked to the Internet. "I Hit It First" will hit iTunes April 9. Kim, for her part, doesn't seem concerned by Ray J's new song. Today (April 6), for instance, she showed off her growing baby bump on her

WATCH: Egypt Operetta With Wael, Amal, Hakim, Hany, Latifah Fouad, And Mehat أوبريت مصراوي حبيبي يا وطن 2013

This is the kind of song where you have good intentions but the organizing makes the artists feel weird about this song, but they press on anyway because there is too much at stake and they cannot pull out. The song or operetta is for Egypt and I love the title.

Amal Maher coming together with Hany Shaker and Mohammad Foaud is a huge deal for me. And Hakim has his fans out there, he will connect with them and bring them in. And there's Medhat Saleh with his octave voice and his heart beating Egyptian all the time. Those are all big ticket names who love the land and its people.

Hany Shaker comes back to singing again, and you know I am glad he is back. We miss his gentle soul and sweet emotions. He is the statesman of this song, the guy who the stars can rally around and look up to. The music has been composed by Waleed Saad and the storyteller is non other than Egyptian actor Ahmed Bidir.

Seven big names have come together for this song, and two of whom are not Egyptian but they are part of Egypt's music scene. Latifa of Tunis, and Wael Jassar of Lebanon. The song is recorded on a live stage with in studio audience. I do not get the dancers in the back, they need to be all over the place. Granted the official music video for this song is about to land any minute.

This clip is by the way of Hany Shaker official YouTube channel. This is a long song and cannot wait to see the properly edited and assembled song with a better sound quality.

أوبريت مصراوي 2013

The Hallani Family Business Is My Business

For a guy whose wife and his daughter have no Arabic names, it's pretty gutsy for him to claim he is some Arab knight. And his own daughter sings in English and talks about her Canadian citizenship. Might as well be a non Arab people. But wait, I doubt she speaks a sentence without dropping a French or English words in the midst.

And I am sure she did not go to an Arabic school. But enough about Assi Hallani and his family. I like real people who tell it as it is. It might speak more about Lebanon and its Beirut district. I get this Assi has a strong career, but why does his daughter have to be an accomplished songstress? Are the parents pushing her?

I think she can have fun doing those acts in here and there, but does the family need any more money? Or any more fame? I do not hate or envy success  I just do not take kindly on those who claim to be one thing and live and act in a different manner at home.

WHAT'S UP لقاء مع كوليت الحلاني و أبنتها ماريتا عن عيد الأم

WATCH: Sijal Hachem SExed Up - Khalas / سجال هاشم - خلص

50 Shades of Grey might be the talk of town in America  but Sijal and his sexy lady copes are the talk of those fitly boys. Women in short uniforms with authority turn some people on and he did all that in Lebanon in a music video about the battle of the sexes.

Got no idea what's the message of this random music video, but the dudes are taking it seriously as those oversexified police women take a stand. Models dancing on cars is nothing new...but I do like the line about her grandfather traveling via jackasses not fancy rides.

But it gets worse and never gets better. This is a dance song about a guy who goes bankrupt because he gets his woman all she wants. I have never seen cops stripping, in real life.I weep for the sext interrogator portion, it makes it look fun. No woman would find anything of value in this very stereotypical music video where women are the entertainment.

Sijal Hachem - Khalas / سجال هاشم - خلص

Bassem Yousef Shouldn't Go To Jail, But He Should Think Twice

The famed Egyptian host of some TV show with satire news is being sued. For more on his legal woes, visit this Arabic link it details some of the charges. To be clear, Baseem is no hero of mine. You too should be tired of being told who your heroes are. I am sick of lies circulating around the internet that conservative Muslims are the ones who want Bassem Yousef in Jail. I think it's safe to say, a lot of business interest people want to see him in jail. This is not a joke, you see laws of defamation and libel are tricky even in the West. You could be in serious trouble if someone has a serious case against you.

Per US Legal Journal

Most defendants in defamation lawsuits are newspapers or publishers, which are involved in about twice as many lawsuits as are television stations. Most plaintiffs are corporations, businesspeople, entertainers and other public figures, and people involved in criminal cases, usually defendants or convicts but sometimes victims as well. 

Bassem is not doing his show for free, he has a contract worth millions, and with that comes a great deal of prestige and access. I bet he enjoys all that fame and media attention he received from around the world. I love how American media is using this ordeal to further damage Egypt and get back at president Morsi--the guy who won an election.

I have one question, do you think if Bassem Yousef was a support of the president of Egypt, the international media would care what happens to them? No! Not in a million year. It's all about self-interest. CNN and such follow Bassem only because he is casing trouble in Egypt and because he is critical of the democratically elected president.

All he has to know, those media folks who cheer him on, will be with him so long as he stays on the same page with them. The moment he tries to do or say something un-american or hostile to the West, they all will jump ship. So he would lose at home and lose abroad.

Every night of the week, Bassem Yousef finds a way to call the Morsi an idiot, and when he is not on air, he is tweeting about him. As someone who holds freedom of speech to be absolute  I know there is no such thing.

Bassem Yousef is milking his 15 minutes of fame, and his friends are talking about him as if he is some modern-day Martin Luther King. MLK did not have a million dollar contract, MLK did not insult people for money, MLK did not try to embarrass his foes. Let's stop pretending Bassem is fighting the good fight. He is just fighting for a pay check.

Now, I do not want to see him jailed for stuff he said, he should not have to be subjected to a witch haunt. He must now know, that he is playing with the fat cats, and if he tries to rock the boat too much, he would be shown the door.

On another note, is Bassem Yousef being patriotic? I do not think he puts Egypt first! It only takes one deranged person to ruin the reputation of an entire nation, Bassem Yousef has entertained so many people and in the process he has mocked all things that make Egypt the place loved by so many people. Because last thing, Egypt needs is a voice that promotes divisions.

If things get serious  I am certain he would not have a hard time moving somewhere else and doing his who--I think he might actually end up doing that, I see him doing his show in Dubai or even Beirut. It's sad but Egypt right now is in a delicate state.  

Listen: جديد - أمل حجازي - فين الضمير -Amal Hijazi Human Song

Lebanese pop songstress is out with a new song about doing the right thing, about the human conscious! Why do we not care anymore? Where is our heart? Why so much injustice? This is would be an easy song to write if you have been following the fallout of the Arab Spring.

Amal Hijazi is a unique voice, and a gentle soul, she is singing in Egyptian and this seems like a song that she wanted to sing, not your average I am in love and silly tracks. The message is bigger than one person. Unlike her peers, Amal is not great at promoting herself, she is not the biggest self-promoter but she is person with a good moral character. And she found the song that she felt.




امل حجازى - فين الضمير يا بشر - النسخة الاصلية -3 201

Models Washing Dirty Bikes On A Lebanese Beach

If freedom and democracy means getting young women to wash bikes for men as they stand by watching, I want no part of that. In Lebanon over the summer, some modeling agency and a bike shop held an event on the beach--a family friendly beach. Where dozens of bikini wearing skinny foreign girls danced to a loud beat as they pretended to wash already clean bikes.

The stupid marketing people, do not have to think anymore. Sex is their answer to any challenge they have. So when they wanted to amuse their demographic, overweight men with small private parts, they brought them the models to dance wearing next to nothing. Motorcycle agencies are trying to make a run for the Middle East. I hope those women showed up to their work and looked like they were having fun on the beach. I am certain their parents are proud of their child being objectified 

The good news the modeling agency is run by a well-spoken woman who is taking about her girls. The even organizer says, his event is creative. I disagree. Anyhow watch this lame video form Lebanon, a country that learns all the wrong lessons from the Western and Eastern Civilizations.

في لبنان: الدراجة النارية تُغسَل بيدّ أُنثوية

Assala Nasri Brought Down The House On X Factor

She is the elder songstress who looks and feels younger that her peers who are sitting on the panel of judges. None of them can deny how talented she is and how of an important figure she has been. While appearing on the X Factor Assala owned the night and stole the show with her fashionable outfits.

You can tell, her performance of her latest songs were well revived. I have seen her before interview Weal Kfoury on her hit show, but do not know much about the extend of her relation with the other X Factor judges. The lady looks great and her show was a topic during the interview--Assalah gave a shout out to the judges and complimented them. 

This Syrian lady knows how to bring down the house. Assalah risked a lot of coming to Beirut to film the show, but she did anyway. 

اصالة - شخصية عنيدة - العروض المباشرة 1- The X Factor 2013

Arab Idol Second Season Should Have Waited

The team behind Arab Idol second season, should have waited till the X Factor rapped up. Arab Idol now has Nancy Ajram, and it's a big deal. But news about it has been buried as the demographics are too consumed with X Factor now.

Arab Idol is a fine show, do not know what Hassan El Shafi there to do, but the show is a serious one and has done well for those three who have finished on top of its first season. Perhaps the biggest story from the show was when this crazed Haifa Wehbe fan from Iraq took on the show and shocked people of how strange things can get.

Arab Idol - تجارب الاداء - هايدى موسى


Arab Idol - مقابلة رغد الجابر على صباح الخير يا عرب

Do You Miss Elain Khalaf? Here's Her Greatest Hits

Pop singers may fade away, but some of their better known songs outlasts them. Even the most mediocre pop singer has a song or two that people have actually loved. That means, no fans might not come in, but the old ones feel the urge to playing such songs again for good times sake.

One of those pop stars is Elaine Kalaf, a Lebanese hot chick who has never outgrew her image of being a an eye candy. She appeared in the mid and late nineties and she made the leap to the new melinuem, but her fame did not stick around as much as she would have liked. For her time, she was bold. She did music videos in the bedroom, in the bathroom and just about any place you can imagine.

There was only her and three other pop singers from Lebanon, then all of sudden the floodgate has opened and we had a tens of them. That made it harder to a fun personal with an average voice to cement her stardom. Nevertheless, Elaine is still out there, making singles and trying to break into the Gulf music scene. She is battling depression and has seen a doctor. She is also worried about growing old. She has also met a streak of emotional bad luck where her fiance stole money from her.

While Aline or Elaine is working on a comeback with a new ten track album with songs in a number of popular dialects, she has not released new material lately. For good times, sake I have included two awesome and older music videos of hers and two more that came later.

ALINE KHALAF ألين خلف ـ دلع الحبايب


 يا صبابين الشاي - الين خلف-كليبات


Meny Leek - Elain Khalaf منى ليك - إلين خلف


Bardo Sodfa - Elain Khalaf برضه صدفة - إلين خلف


اغنية الين خلف - يا اخى لا | Aline Khalaf - Ya A5y La

Lebanese Pop Breakout Star Natasha Needs To Focus

Yo, Natasha.....you are a rock star. Just find your voice and your proper style and stick to it. I have been a dedicated fan since you released your first album more than four years ago, when you were a little girl that sang like a full-blown diva. Now, you are all over the map, doing Gulf songs for those who pay, and then flaying to Egypt for duets and interviews.

The Khaliji singing never gives artists a legacy, it does offer a big payday, in exchange for selling your soul. Egypt should be the place you launch your career from. Lebanon is too crowded and they might miss a good thing like you--even if it hit them in the face. You have been blessed with an awesome family that understands music, now, it's your turn to sing form the gut.

Your latest single, got picked by those who understand such heavy and senseless lyrics. Go back to catchy melodies , cute girly songs. You are a natural at those. Plus, you have a great voice for longer and more serious songs, you have shown that already. I think doing one good pop song that goes mainstream and hits-it big is much better than doing random songs here and there. you just chase those songs, they won't seek you--the almost never do.  

Do not worry about releasing an album, it's too much work, too much money and so little reward. just find yourself one good hit, live it and then bring it out. If it was genuine people will cheer you on.

 داوني - الفنانه ناتاشا