Latest news with #MarwanMoussa
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marwan Moussa: The Egyptian Rapper Who Lost His Heart and Found His Voice
In a studio hangar just outside Cairo, weeks before the release of his new album The Man Who Lost His Heart, Marwan Moussa sits with a resolve that only grief teaches. The kind shaped by someone who's been to the depths of loss and carried back not just a song, but 23. The album wasn't built overnight, Marwan Moussa explains to Billboard Arabia in his exclusive May cover interview. It was carved out of grief and shaped with intention. Each track, he says, was sculpted from the turbulent, shifting emotions he experienced during the long and winding journey of healing after the heartbreak of losing his mother two years ago. The album, he says, was 'a kind of therapy.' Like writing a journal, sleeping on it, then reading it with fresh eyes to look at his life from a different perspective. More from Billboard Jessie J Reveals 'Early Breast Cancer' Diagnosis: 'Cancer Sucks in Any Form' Big Thief Announce New Album, 'Double Infinity' Neil Young Invites Donald Trump to Summer Tour 'If There Is Not Martial Law by Then' The Man Who Lost His Heart doesn't open with a bang; it opens like a dream taking shape. 'Try to remember' is the first line we hear, fighting its way through an ethereal sound design. Structured in five parts, the album mirrors the five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – but more than that, it charts the long, slow work of survival. Moussa doesn't just document his pain; he invites you into it, offering a guide and companionship with each track. 'It isn't a linear journey, of course,' he explains. 'You could be angry, then suddenly find yourself depressed, and then all the way back in the denial stage.' But the album isn't merely a chronicle of grief. It's a sonic deconstruction of Moussa's process. Blending trap-shaabi (a genre he helped popularize that combines trap beats with various textures found within Egypt's popular folk music), heavy synths, tender melodies and deeply personal sound bites – including audio lifted from childhood VHS tapes of him and his family – he crafts a layered, emotional landscape. The Man Who Lost His Heart isn't just a collection of songs. It's a reckoning. Take his track 'BOSAKBER,' which spirals through memory and misfire. His flow isn't clean; it's distorted and fractured like a freshly broken heart. In the accompanying video, directed by Youssef Haridy, Moussa appears alone beneath a wide, empty sky. He fights his own reflection. The imagery is both surreal and stark, but not hopeless. It's not the portrait of someone broken – it's the portrait of an artist in the whirlwind of putting themselves back together, even if the pieces no longer fit the way they once did. 'We wanted to create a surreal imagery that feels deeply rooted in oriental aesthetics; something distinct,' Moussa says. Moussa is not new to transformation. Over the last several years, he's become one of the most influential voices in Arabic hip-hop – not only as a rapper, but as the producer behind dozens of hits, including 'Brazil,' and more recently 'Kebda' for longtime collaborator Afroto. He's also been a constant on Billboard Arabia's Artist 100 chart for over 55 consecutive weeks. Moussa first set foot on Egypt's hip-hop scene in 2016, releasing his early tracks on SoundCloud. The following year, his collaborations with Abyusif on 'La2 Mafeesh' (No, There Isn't) and 'Zaghzaghto' (Tickling) brought him into the spotlight, and his skills as both rapper and producer began to further solidify. In 2018, he released his first music video for 'Kiki,' which marked his production breakthrough. Then came 'Fr3on' (Pharaoh) in 2019, with its unpredictable rhymes and sharp wordplay over a solid beat and advanced production techniques. After experimenting with several genres, Moussa's 2019 track 'El Bosla Da3et' (The Compass Is Lost) marked a turning point not only for his career, but for Egyptian trap as a whole. It was one of the first tracks to experiment with fusing shaabi and trap, paving the way for the rise of trap-shaabi, as it became known subsequently. His 2021 album Florida cemented his reputation as an innovator, blending regional rhythms with experimental production in a way few dared to. From songs like 'Tesla' and 'Sheraton' to shaping his own catalog to producing for Egypt and North Africa's most respected MCs, Moussa has always known how to bend sound to feeling. But The Man Who Lost His Heart, released in full on May 5, is different. If Florida was Moussa pushing his craft's limits, this album is what remains when all else falls away – just music, message and the strength found in the breaking. That strength is amplified by a slate of carefully chosen collaborators. The album features standout moments with producer El Waili on 'Yamma' and Afroto, as well as verses from Lege-Cy on 'Klameny Belel.' But it's Donia Wael's contribution that Moussa calls essential to the record's emotional core. 'I want Donia Wael's voice on the album to be interpreted by each listener in his or her own way—as a girlfriend, friend or therapist,' he says. 'The reason the album came out this way,' says Moussa, 'is that I thought if I give through the five stages of grief, maybe it helps you get through what you're dealing with or get past a tough time in your life or your current period of depression.' In that way, The Man Who Lost His Heart is more than an act of expression. It's an offering. A hand on your shoulder there to remind you that no stage of sadness lasts forever, even when it feels like it might. For Moussa, producing an album this emotional, meant risking everything: the cool detachment of a hardened rapper. What he's delivered instead is something harder, and far more lasting. A document of heartbreak. And perhaps, in doing so, he has found his heart again, and his voice. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
CairoScene
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Makadi Heights Festival Returns With Cairokee, Marwan Moussa & Afroto
Makadi Heights Festival is back for a weekend of live music, headlined by Cairokee, Marwan Moussa, and Afroto at The Haus. May 12, 2025 Makadi Heights Summer Music Festival is back with its second edition, headlined by Cairokee, Marwan Moussa, and Afroto. This year, the festival finds its home at The Haus, a newly launched entertainment venue in Makadi Heights that's already making noise across the scene. The festival is bringing a fresh wave of music, energy, and high-profile performances to Egypt's Red Sea coast. Day 1 sees iconic Egyptian rock band Cairokee take the stage. Day 2 shifts into high gear with Marwan Moussa and Afroto, two of the most influential voices in Egypt's booming hip-hop scene. Makadi Heights Festival merges beachside escapism with live performances that spotlight the diversity of the region's sound. Tickets available at TicketsMarche.
Egypt Independent
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Egypt Independent
All you need to know about the first joint concert between Rappers Marwan Moussa and Pablo
Rappers Marwan Moussa and Marwan Pablo are preparing to perform their first concert together, titled 'Project Meem,' on May 23 at a major mall. Tazkarti revealed the ticket prices for the concert, which include five categories starting from LE550 to LE1,000. The first category, priced at LE550 has sold out. The second category is priced at LE650. The third category is priced at LE800 and has sold out. The fourth range is priced at LE900 and has also sold out. The fifth range is priced at LE1,000. The organizing body also issued a number of instructions to ensure the concert's discipline, most notably the non-refund or exchange of tickets after purchase, and the prohibition of entry for children under 12 years old. Moussa recently released his new album, 'The Man Who Lost His Heart,' with SALXCO UAM and Virgin Records, on various digital music platforms. The album includes 23 songs, in which Moussa takes his listeners on an trip through his deepest emotions. It consists of five parts, each embodying the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
CairoScene
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
April 24
This playlist features new releases from Nxdia, INJI, Donia Wael, TÄRA, and more. May 07, 2025 We're back with another installment of our flagship cocktail playlist,'Shuffle', this time bringing you a hefty selection of new regional releases across every kind of genre and style. The playlist features Egyptian-Sudanese alt-pop shapeshifter Nxdia with 'More!', a provocative, hard-hitting tune that explores themes of desire and the intensity of new love through the compelling electric and punk feel that Nxdia is known for. Then, we have the trailblazing Italian-Palestinian artist TÄRA with 'Ya Helwe Ciao', a powerful rendition of the famous Italian resistance song, 'Bella Ciao'. Next up on the list is the Egyptian singer Donia Wael with 'Shams W Amar', a sweet and melancholic tune co-produced by Hatembas and rap superstar Marwan Moussa. We also have Turkish-born artist INJI turning messy situationships into a fearless dance-pop banger, 'U WON'T'. The track is accompanied by a music video, shot on a shoestring budget, that oozes with DIY grit and raw emotional power. The playlist also features rising Kuwait-based Lebanese-Syrian artist Rita Malek with an afro-inflected pop, 'Ya Dunyay', from her upcoming debut EP, along with fresh tunes from Hawas, Vinyl Mode, Sami Galbi and more. TRACKLIST: TÄRA - Ya Helwe Ciao Mazyn - 7ala Ayami R3hab - Right Here, Right Now Husa & Zeyada - Wla Wla (Vinyl Mode remix) Nxdia - More! Shah, Kassar - Ghazala Bayda Roufaida - Silver Linings Rita Malek - Ya Dunyay Soraya - Sugar Origami Elmiene, Timbaland, Rance 1500 - Someday INJI - U WON'T Shkoon - Mili Sharake - Ya Habibi Donia Wael - Shams W Amar Anna Zaatar - Come By Hawas - Bashawer Naham Saleh - دنيا دايرة Nada Nader - Msh Ananeya Cleo - 3asal Marwan Moussa x Donia Wael - SAM3AAK Lina Makoul - Radiya Dal!a - Ndoor Amira Jazeera - Deadline Sami Galbi - L'MJMR Banna - It Goes Like This Claudia Khachan & Ziad Moukarzel - Gone Beginnings Almas x Gelba - ELHAZ
CairoScene
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Marwan Moussa Drops 23-Track Album ‘The Man that Lost His Heart'
The Egyptian rapper's most personal project yet unpacks grief, love and healing through five conceptual sessions. May 06, 2025 Egyptian rapper Marwan Moussa has released his most expansive and personal work to date, 'The Man That Lost His Heart'. The 23-track album is shaped by profound loss, tracing Moussa's journey through grief following the death of his mother. Written and recorded across several countries, the album offers a deeply reflective narrative that balances raw vulnerability with sharp lyricism and layered production. Divided into five conceptual sessions, the album moves through different emotional states, offering listeners an intimate look at how pain, acceptance, and growth unfold in the wake of tragedy. Moussa's approach here feels both deliberate and fluid—his bars cutting deep without sacrificing melodic finesse. The album features a strong lineup of collaborators, including Afroto, Donia Wael, El Waili, Karim Osama, and Lege-Cy. Together, they expand the sonic palette, weaving in elements of drill, trap, ambient textures and stripped-down melodies that reflect the album's evolving moods. Lead single 'Bos Ya Kebeer', released ahead of the album, introduced the project's introspective tone with cinematic visuals and a stark meditation on heartbreak. The momentum continued with Moussa becoming the first Arabic-language rapper to perform on global rap platform From The Block, marking another milestone in his career. With 'The Man That Lost His Heart', Moussa moves beyond personal catharsis to offer a work that resonates on a collective level—grounded in loss, yet focused on transformation and legacy.
