The young Egyptian artist Daren ignited enthusiasm among the audience at the American University stage in downtown Cairo during a concert where she performed rap songs to a fast-paced musical beat, marking one of the female attempts to achieve success in a musical field still dominated by men. The 21-year-old rapper successfully captured the attention of the audience, who swayed along while standing to the rhythm of songs inspired by her childhood in Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast. Alexandria has been a hub of rap talent in Egypt, giving rise to bands that gained fame away from the official art scene, known as "underground" bands nearly two decades ago, with some male-dominated members rising to stardom, attracting hundreds of thousands of followers to their concerts.
Among these young star performers is the most popular rapper in Egypt and the Arab world, Ahmed Ali, known as "Wegz," who had a notable appearance at the closing ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022. Daren, stylish with curly hair and leather gloves that highlight her pink nails, told Agence France-Presse: "In Alexandria, we create art, while in Cairo, there is a ready-made industry." She sees the acceptance of girls entering this field as "difficult for both our families and society," even within the rap community in Egypt itself.
Rap is a branch of hip-hop, where artists generally touch on topics related to their lives, childhood, and family, often using words and rhymes without adhering to a specific melody. Daren states, "We (female rappers) are not taken seriously; there is no belief that we, as girls, face issues," despite the challenges that Egyptian women encounter in their daily lives, particularly harassment.
Music researcher Amr Abdel Rahim explains that "almost all female rappers belong to the upper-middle class," while "there is greater social diversity among male rappers" in a country with a population of 106 million, a third of whom are poor, according to official data. In the United States, for example, female rap stars focus on their alluring appearance and stunning outfits during performances, which is a key factor in their fame. However, according to Abdel Rahim, "it is not possible to rely on a provocative feminine appearance in Egypt," as this would expose the artists to harsh judgments from society and families.
In 2022, Wegz was the most listened-to Arab artist in the Middle East and North Africa on the global music platform Spotify. Marc Abou Jaoudeh, Spotify's director in the Middle East and North Africa, told AFP: "The impact of rap music can be seen in our rankings and listening statistics." According to platform data, "60% of the most listened-to Arab artists" in the region were from the hip-hop genre in 2023. Abou Jaoudeh adds, "We are also witnessing an increase in the number of Arab rappers touring Europe and the United States, highlighting the worldwide admiration for this music genre, especially in expatriate Arab communities."
However, Abdel Rahim believes that despite these foreign tours, Egyptian rap has remained "unknown" for a while, with its presence limited to a small audience. The change in the scene for this music genre seems to be due to "the professionalism artists have brought to their craft, impacting the music they produce and the lyrics they write," as well as "their dreams," as they are the first generation to see older artists achieving economic success through rap, according to Abdel Rahim.
Abdel Rahim notes that the popularity of rap music, which emerged half a century ago in the popular circles of African Americans, does not expand quickly in Egypt "due to the affiliation of artists with the middle and upper classes," compared to festival music, which is more prevalent. He adds, "It's enough to walk the streets of Cairo: in tuk-tuks or shops... to hear it," indicating that this music blends eastern melodies with lyrics boasting about "masculinity, strength, and wealth."
Conversely, female rappers take a different approach in their lyrics. In her latest album titled "Nightmares," Daren, as she said, talks about depression and mood swings experienced by girls "after breakups." Her song "Leila" has garnered nearly 180,000 views on YouTube. After completing her performance, Daren exited the stage to loud applause, expressing her desire to address "everything" in her songs, without any pretense, even if that means recounting the most challenging episodes of her life.
