The birth of BLTNM, back in 2016, was the result of friends thrust together by a shared passion in their small West Bank city of Ramallah, just north of Jerusalem. “Shabjdeed and Al Nather began making at least three demos a month,” explains Shabmouri. “That energy drove us forward. That idea of collaboration, with the need to work and express ourselves during a time where everything felt in flux”.
Shabmouri chimes in on Saleb Wahed, remembering how their weird and multi-layered beats were different to anything else coming out of their high school at the time. “We listened to Madlib, J Dilla, Busta Rhymes, Wu-Tang, Kool Keith and everything on LA’s Stones Throw Records,” he says. “Ras G and Flying Lotus from Brainfeeder too.” Al Nather discovered trap via Shabjdeed, and together they listened and learned from Metro Boomin, Future and Young Thug.
It is these obsessive, eclectic listening habits that shape the label’s ever-evolving approach to beat-making and lyrics -- notably always in Arabic and often in their local dialect. “All of us feel boxed in by borders and die to meet each other,” says Al Nather, “But through music, Arabs across the region can share an identity. One of the biggest reasons things have changed collectively, is that now we can make music together without even meeting.
By laying hip-hop and trap foundations, BLTNM are ushering in a second wave -- one that is characterised by its diverse soundscape and its ability to traverse borders -- and not just through the Internet. While Arab rap has always been localised, this new generation has been hell-bent on breaking down physical borders too, primarily through collaboration and live performances. “The new scene is growing organically,” says Shabjdeed.
By actively showing that the best work emerges through collaboration with the existing local and growing regional communities, BLTNM are drawing creatives in the region closer together. As a result, they’re ensuring that people in Palestine and beyond are not only exposed to, but are growing accustomed to, high-quality locally-made music. “Our Palestinian identity is ours to preserve and understand,” Shabmouri says.
Entertainment Entertainment Latest News, Entertainment Entertainment Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: USATODAY - 🏆 100. / 63 Read more »