In Alexandria "we make art, but in Cairo, it's a whole industry", Dareen, 21, told AFP, her bright pink nails protruding from fingerless leather gloves.Egyptian rapper Dareen is a whirlwind of sharp verses and curly hair on stage, bringing the Cairo crowd to its feet and a fresh perspective to Egypt’s male-dominated rap scene.
“The impact of rap can be seen in our charts, our wrapped data and in all key cultural events,” said Mark Abou Jaoude, Spotify’s Head of Music for the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.‘I am deeply honoured,’ – Stogie T on being announced as part of Caine Prize judging panel “The professionalisation of their craft has impacted how they make music and the verses they write, but also their dreams,” said Abdelrahim.And the genre’s women performers – out of the spotlight for years – are vying for a piece of that success.
An easy creative choice for rap’s rising women is to try to imitate that same machismo, but their lyrics seem to cast a wider net. “We’re not taken seriously, they think we don’t have problems when it’s the exact opposite, especially here in Egypt where we’re forced to deal with harassment and constant obstacles.”