Rap Shar3 is the biggest Arabic language platform highlighting underground rap across the region.
“What makes the rap scene in Egypt so special?” asks Black B, owner and host ofRap Shar3(Arabic for Street Rap), in the platform’s first rap battle between Egypt and Sudan.
Gathered in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian crew mention the large number of different rappers the country has, as well as their unique cultural mix, having distinguished themselves in all fields, “whether it’s music or anything else.”
From a separate location, in an enclosed tunnel, the host then asks a group of Sudanese rappers the same question about their own scene. They tell of the ability to make great art out of nothing, amidst extremely difficult circumstances. They note the country’s sonic diversity of over 100 musical styles and their spiritual influences.
“There’s a discussion in the comments and I keep seeing ‘Sudan killed it,’”Hanno smiles. “People keep siding with Sudan, Sudan, Sudan.”
Photo courtesy of Rap Shar3.
Black B goes on to inquire about Egyptian opinions of the Sudanese scene, an especially important question in the current socio-political context, which is witnessing an immense Sudanese influx into Egypt. This is all against the backdrop of a widespread lack of awareness of Sudanese art and culture among Egyptians.
“The Sudanese scene is developing,” says Egypt’s Raptor. Ali CJ agrees. “I see new, cool people and feel like I know them.” Meanwhile, the Sudanese crew gives their Egyptian counterparts a big shoutout for becoming an industry despite various cultural and economic hurdles. Sudan’s Colo shares that his first time listening to rap was through Egyptians like Marwan Moussa, Marwan Pablo and Abyusif.“[Black B] wanted to showcase the Sudanese presence in Egypt and how their experiences form within the places that they're in,” says Suhaila Hanno, Rap Shar3’s business manager, in an interview with OkayAfrica about this new format for the growing YouTube channel. “Even though the Sudanese artists are speaking about their culture, their country and their struggles, [...] living a different experience to Egyptian artists, we could still see similar struggles and expressions.”
The appreciation that both scenes express for each other bridges the general isolation between the Sudanese and Egyptian music scenes, as well as between the two countries overall. “The interviews personify and create a culture and conversation that goes beyond the episode, and allow the artists to speak on the impact of the other artists, or the culture,” says Hanno. “There's so much respect.”
While the format is framed to be a competition, these reflections represent a vital step towards a more collaborative future, integrating two music scenes that will inevitably coexist in Egypt during the ongoing war in Sudan.
Rap Shar3 has established itself as the region’s leading tastemaker for underground rap, constantly scouting new voices and helping emerging artists break into the mainstream. The interviews at the beginning of “Egypt vs. Sudan Part 1” mark a departure from purely curating music to embracing more interactive content creation.
“[In future episodes,] you'll get to go behind the scenes of who these artists are and what they do,” says Hanno, teasing soon-to-be-released projects that highlight even lesser-known rap scenes in the region. “[You’ll see] how they get into the moment of performing as they get to know each other.” Handpicked by Black B, most artists featured in Rap Shar3 episodes only meet at the location of the shoot.
For the Egyptian scene, the Great Pyramids of Giza were an obvious symbolic choice, despite the time and money that went into acquiring filming permits. “The Sudanese location was so cool — it was scrappy, but it was supposed to be this way,” says Hanno. “The echo, vocals and acoustics in that area were amazing.”
The place especially lent itself to MaMan who emerged as the standout artist on the Sudanese side. “His vocals sounded amazing in the tunnel,” she says. “His performance is soulful, pure voice and storytelling.”
In contrast, Hala, on the Egyptian side, enjoyed a moment of recognition for delivering an outstanding, gritty rap performance. “We strategically placed different artists around other ones,” says Hanno. “We're spreading the more mainstream artists between both episodes. In that way, we can showcase the artists in their own light.” While the countries battle under the banner of rap, the episodes are expansive in style, as Rap Shar3 is dedicated to showcasing a variety of sounds.Part 2 is equally abundant in talent. Rapper Awabtherapper is making a comeback after his celebratedperformance in the Sudan episode. Taffyraps, the only other woman alongside Hala, is expected to resonate with the audience. “A lot of the artists are still unknown and I think that's the cool part,” says Hanno. “The main goal is to level up their artistry and network through our showcase and marketing.”
While the title of rap battle might not accurately describe this friendly showcase, the initial question still begs to be answered: Who’s going to win?
Naturally, there are also those who remain loyal to Egyptian rap. Ultimately, the goal is for everyone to look beyond their own scene. “This is the heat that we [Egyptians] bring here, and the heat that they [Sudanese] bring here, and we get to just compare,” says Hanno.
Part 2 is out now, so you can decide for yourself. Watch it below.
