The Rise Of Egyptian Nationalism Though Music

Mohamed Mounir, the legendary singer who has been dubbed the voice of Egypt told a crowd of thousands of cheering fans at one of his concerts in Marina "I work as an Egyptian, it;s my full time job--join me" something to which the fans want wild. Dozens of songs have been made to promote brand Egypt and what it feels to be Egyptian.

Most songs in the wake of the revolution have been celebrating the army and the people of Egypt. But ever since the attacks in Rafah and the military operation in the Sinai dessert, more and more Egyptian entertainers are adopting the nationalistic tone---we are first. This is something good of course, but it should not be accompanied by xenophobia.

On that note, here's a new song a duet made by two dudes. One liberal guitar activist and one pop star who has done a song to promote the Muslim brotherhood brand during the election. Together they sing "I am Egyptian" They feature an athlete (Omar Al Ghazaly) competing on behalf of Egypt in the Olympics. I do not get the shoving of the white dude to protect a white girl. You do not really get to see the singers, only hear them.

Mohamed Kelany - Ana Masry / محمد كيلاني و رامى عصام - أنا مصرى

Good Arabic Sport Songs Vs. Really Terrible Ones

I like spot songs, they are supposed to cheer you up, super charge you and make you want to punch the guy so bad--do not do that. Hamada Hilal had a good sport song few years ago. There are not too many of the sport songs in Arabic pop. Good ones anyway.

Here's an example of a really bad sport song, that puts you to sleep, not wake you up. The song was made for a sport movie about a local soccer talent from Egypt who makes it big in the major league in Europe. The song that I do not like--noe even one bit is by the funky singer Abdel Fatah Girni, it's a terrible song for the movie--a good song for high schol graduation maybe, but not for sports.

The same movie had a hit song that pumps the hell out of you up, the singer who voiced the song is Loai, the song about the homeland--a touching song that does what a good sport song supposed to do--excite you.

The movie was a really good sport film, it does make you hope, believe, cry and cheer too. It was well filmed and that means they had to spend real money on it. It's romance, drama and sport all packed in one flick. The actors also took the film seriously, they were not trying to be cool, instead they just let the movie make them cool.

 طول الشمس بإيدك - عبد الفتاح جريني -


Loai - Baladna / لؤى - بلدنا

Watch People Walk Away From Haifa Wahbe's Concert

In a recent concert appearance in a Beirut Sport Club, Haifa had to deal with some unhappy concert attendees. The story goes she the Lebanese diva was more than one hour late for her concert at the Club. It goes that some people are busier than others. And as she walked unto the stage, some people started leaving the hall. Supposedly from the video, she started kicking her leg and asking them to go.

Then she greeted everyone who chose to stay and promised them to party with them till the morning. She also said that who have left her show are missing out the good times. I would question the story, had the video below did not reveal that there were many empty seats in this private function.

This must be a humbling experience for the unstoppable diva with with global fandome.  

هيفاء وهبي مستاءة من مغادرة الجمهور حفلها

Video: Snoop The Soccer Player Takes Penalty Kicks

Snoop Dogg is an icon of American music, a world celerity and a notorious bad boy. What he is not is a soccer player. He was given too shots at scoring, and he never made it. He did talk about his style and his Salsa dance moves. Snoop Dogg, also known as Snoop Lion, joins SportsCenter and takes his shot at penalty kicks. ESPN was there to document the moment.

If soccer ever becomes an American sport, it's not because of Snoop. Despite shooting from only 10 yards, Snoop hit the goal twice, but he has given as high entertainment. And had he scored, we might not be talking about him. As you might be aware, this is only the latest example of Snoop-soccer synergy. Snoop is a FIFA 13 enthusiast, and he's been spotted promoting the new video game in New York.
  
Snoop Takes Penalty Kicks

BREAKING: Egyptian Soccer Ultras Attacks Al-Ahly Club

Ultras or the fan squad of Al Ahly soccer club are angry, they broke into the club, and reached few players whom they beat up really bad. The Ultras is trying to stop the games until they bring justice to the murdered fans of last year.

The club was training its players in Nasir, away from the city and the field closer to the action. But the fans have reached them and more than 500 fans surrounded the training camp. Sever;la people manged to break into the stadium. The security was reported to have fled the scene as they were under staffed. Ayman Sideed ann Ayman Mi'awad were severely beaten. Spouses of those players are others are facing nervous break downs.

The minister of sports and the club administrators urged the police to intervene and protect the club. Those clashed have been dubbed as the "Sun Shine Battle". Some maintain that no violence has took place and only a verbal exchange took place between some players and the fans.

Al Ahly football has been a champion for a long time, but their ultras and fans do not seem them championing the cause of the tens of the murdered fans during the game against Port Said. Only one player has backed the Ultras up and went against the wishes of his mangers. The legendary Mohamed Abu Trika is being punishing for speaking out and refusing to play a game before they avenge the murdered fans.

Abu Trika has won the love, appreciation of the fans and the anger of his club. They slapped him with a big fee and he will have to pay. He was kind and tried not to make a big deal out of it.  This is only bad for Egypt soccer team. The best players will abandon their club and head somewhere else safer. 

The London Olympics And Those Funny Egyptians

Egypt has won itself a silver medal so far, and their soccer team is qualifying for the next round. But it's also the holy month of Ramadan, and there are too many shows on TV. Thus very few people are actually watching the events. Which means the Egyptians in the Olympics have few fans at home.

I must admit I heart Egypt's soccer team, they really make me and the rest of the Arab world and Africa happy.

Qabila TV came up with a cool idea to out the attention back at the Olympics, they took on a busy Egyptian Square of Roxy and re-enacted some of the key sports played in the tournament. While the majority of onlookers seemed confused, this was a fun idea that has some funny moments.

While the Egyptians might not be on the lead, when it comes to creativity, and humor they will always lead.

@QabilaTv l اولمبياد لندن في ميدان روكسي

Iraq's National Anthem And Their Soccer Team

Iraq is having a rough road ahead as politicians are not murdering their people and turning in one another. They are also failing to deliver security to their people and have not manged to find a workable solution for their personal differences. Each group seems to seek help from a foreign government. There are those who get a boost from Iran, others get in from the United States, and some look toward Turkey and Saudi Arabia. In the meantime people are dying for no reason, bombs go off and people go to waste.

But there's still some hope at least for those who like soccer and good music. The national anthem--written by a Palestinian who loves all his follow Arabs. See Shatha Hassoun joins the Iraqi soccer team in performing the Iraqi National Anthem in a giant stadium. I adore the little Iraqi girl who makes me hopeful for a better future.  

موطني - النشيد الوطني العراقي مع المنتخب

Wael Kfoury Plays Tennis And Lunches His Tournament

Singers like sports, but very few of them excel at it. While most go to the gym and workout, one guy loves a sport so much that he launched his own tournament. Of course, I am speaking about Wael Kfoury and his love of Tennis.

Many in Lebanon know that the singer is a big fan of this game where he has practiced the game for years now. But most recently, he has kicked of the first tennis tournament that he has sponsored in Lebanon. The tournament included a number of categories including one for males, females and older than 40.

 The winner was awarded 3000 dollars. The total amounts that were awarded added up to 12 thousand US dollars. Again, this is an elitist game for the people with a lot of money, but to his credit Wael is doing his country a favor for a guy who shuns the spotlight, this is a major event.

وائل كفوري وهو يلعب التنس

Ahly Zamalek And The Cairo Derby ليلة القمة الإفريقية

As two of the biggest soccer teams in the planet meet in a derby, the eyes are on the match. To help drum up word on the games, singers are happy to provide pep songs for their team of choice.

Nancy Ajram plays it safe and sings for both teams, Al Ahly and Zamalik are arch rivals, but the Lebanese pop star won't get into the fight, for all we knows she does not watch soccer. This is the smart way to do it, and unite a people who seems to hate one another during the games. By singing for both teams Nancy Ajram makes sure that her marketing gigs are safe.

Aziz Al Shafie on the other hand has always sided with Al Zamalek, it's his home as his songs state. The composer really cares about the white knights team, so it's safe to assume that his songs for the team are coming form the heart.

The red team has a big fan in popular street singer Saad Al Soghayer who has nailed one of the most popular songs for the red team. Al Ahly might be the largest team in the Arab world with fans all over the map and loyal fans who would do anything for their team. Saad is a popular singer with the marginalized people and those rich people have also heard of him

Passion is good, violence is not. I do not take sides, but I can tell which team is more popular

نانسى عجرم....لو أقول بحب إتنين


عزيز الشافعى - راية فى البلكونة


الاهلى فى كل حتة

WATCH: Elissa Concert أجواء حفل إليسا بنادي استاد الهوكي Par Ouailitto

So Elissa goes to Egypt, and headlines a massive concert where she brought her best hits to the country of 90 millions.  She appeared in that country's hockey stadium (an attachment to the Cairo staduim), people were dazzled, and the Lebanese diva is marking a great comeback concert that follows her smashing successful concert in her home--Lebanon

Elissa wore a modest yet gorgeous dress, orange dress! The stage seems to have been made just right for this mega concert where the fans finished the songs of Elissa before she started them. The concert was well organized and seems to have been a lot of fun where the songstress gave the concert goers a great time.

This is Elissa's first concert in post Mubarak Egypt, the venue fits 30 thousand people, three police units were in charge of protecting Elissa in addition of her personal guards who had to fight off many fans and admirers. Fun facts, Elissa lost one of her diamond earning as she was performing--she did not realize it till later. Some fan messed around with a laser pointer something that Elissa asked him to stop doing--she cut off the song to do that. Elissa was also caught off guard reading the lyrics to one of her songs on stage.

elissa أجواء حفل إليسا بنادي استاد الهوكي par ouailitto

The Boys From One Direction Perform In The London Olympics Closing Ceremony

One Direction, the hottest boy band on the block has just performed to a global audience at a prime time. At this rate the only direction this band is going is up, way up. As the competition in London just wrap up, the band has joined a number of British musicians as they performed in the closing ceremony. Fans are now focused on not only who will take home medals at the games but also who will take the stage at the splashy closing ceremony on August 12.

The rumors were true, One Direction was not on the official lineup and has not been announced or confirmed for the closing ceremony, the chatter that British chart-toppers One Direction will perform is getting louder and louder. The demographic they appeal to is one of the hardest demographics to secure, their performance has brought in the young from around the world to tune in.

Earlier report in U.K. newspaper The Daily Mirror, the fivesome are most definitely going to take the stage, although a rep for the band refused to comment on the rumors. The group will reportedly be joined by their pal Ed Sheeran. Among the musical surprises is the comeback of Spice Girls whose fans are now full grown men and women.

Pop sugar fun in the form of the young gents from One Direction. The band floated in (really, they were on a float) to croon their way through the hit single "What Makes You Beautiful." It's a big co-sign for the popular band, as it was featured among the likes of Madness, the Pet Shop Boys, West End Girls and Ray Davies of the Kinks. Here they (Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson) are!

Watch London Olympics Egypt Theme Song

The London Olympics are upon us this summer, while the event is mostly for sports and marketing, music has its place--there's always place for music it seems. So for the Egypt  athletes competing for the Gold, Silver and such, they can boast about a new song that speaks to them....about not letting anything stop them from reaching for the gold

Nisma Mahjoub is the voice, naturally one needs an upbeat song for this topic and in that regard, the song delivers the energy. The music video features a number of Egypt's brightest athletes doing their thing. This song serves Nisma well as she gives us a glimpse of a stronger voice of hers that can hold a breath like a seasoned diver tries to.

The song is not exclusive to Egypt, all Arabs can relate to it and use it to pump them up. The song might as well double as a promo song for those beverage companies.

متخليش حاجة توقفك نسمة محجوب