Bahraini rapper Flipperachi on working with Shaquille O’Neal and the rise of Khaleeji hip-hop

The artist and former basketball player collaborated on an official theme song for Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island

Bahraini rapper Flipperachi says Khaleeji hip-hop thrives on local dialects and cultural references. Photo: Outlaw Productions

Hip-hop is an art form rooted in collaboration, so for rapper Flipperachi, the unexpected chance to record a track with American basketball great Shaquille O'Neal was simply too good to pass up.

The veteran Bahraini rapper joined forces with O'Neal, who performs under the name Shaq Diesel, to create the soundtrack for a new campaign by Yas Island. The song, Shaq's On Yas, is out now, along with a vibrant music video featuring O'Neal exploring the sights of the Abu Dhabi leisure destination.

Riding on classic 1990s hip-hop beats, the track highlights Yas Island's family-friendly landmarks – from the rides at Warner Bros Abu Dhabi and SeaWorld Yas Island to “the green to play” at Yas Links Golf Club and Yas Bay promenade, which is tailored to the “foodies and OGs who love cuisine".

The collaboration is a dream come true for Flipperachi, real name Hussam Aseem, who remembers watching O’Neal's majestic rebounds and thunderous dunks during his NBA heyday in the mid 1990s.

“The whole thing still feels crazy to me because Shaq was someone I followed as a big basketball fan, and some people forget that he also rapped and released records," Flipperachi tells The National. Working on the song was a novel process, with both O'Neal and Flipperachi writing their verses and recording remotely. O'Neal was the only one featured in the accompanying music video, which was shot around Yas Island last year.

"It was a back-and-forth process with him being in the US, while I was in Bahrain. I would lay down the lyrics, send them over, and we would refine everything remotely," Flipperachi explains. "Ultimately, it was a great experience because, at the end of the day, I knew Shaq approved of it all."

Not that Shaq had anything to worry about when it comes to Flipperachi's pedigree. With a near 20-year career, he is viewed as one of the leading purveyors of Khaleeji hip-hop, a sound defined by its use of colourful dialects from the GCC and native percussion elements.

The approach led to several vibrant home-grown hits for Flipperachi, including Nayda, a collaboration with Kuwaiti singer Alaa Alhendi that amassed more than 10 million views on YouTube. Another standout is the 2016 hit Ee Laa with Kuwaiti rapper Daffy, which garnered more than 40 million streams on the platform.

Flipperachi’s latest single, Toota, is another playful example of the genre. While the classic Arabic translation refers to "blueberry", the vibrant rhymes highlight how toota is also used as a regional term of endearment for family members and loved ones.

“Whether it’s for your daughter, your wife, or anyone you care deeply about, you can always call them toota,” he says. “When I wrote it, there weren’t any subliminal messages or hidden connections. It was just about expressing love.”

Other songs, such as Fasla, which explores various traditional Gulf dances, and the bilingual Hayalla Min Yana, which delves into the close-knit daily life in Bahrain, highlight the rich cultural well Gulf rappers can lyrically draw from.

“A lot of it really comes down to how social we are as a culture. Hospitality in the Gulf region is top-notch – we love welcoming people into our homes and treating them wholeheartedly as one of our own,” he states. “From this warmth emerges a rich tapestry of catchy and playful Arabic words or terms of affection that are perfect to work with. These expressions often become brilliant punchlines in our songs, resonating deeply with people from the region.”

Flipperachi is doubling down on that approach with his coming album, due to be released later this year. He emphasises that it is through its diversity that greater Arabic hip-hop will continue to thrive and evolve.

“Arabic hip-hop needs a lot of variety. I can’t be tasting apples all the time – I need bananas, grapes or a whole basket of fruit, you know what I mean?” he says.

“I love seeing others come up with new ideas while staying true to themselves. There are a lot of Levant rappers who stick to their roots and rap about their struggles and experiences and that is great because every region is different. The Gulf is distinct from the broader Arab world and we have our own style of language, culture, and way of life. That difference is important because it fosters appreciation for all other artists and what they bring to the table.”