A Khaleeji rap track is topping Spotify’s Viral chart after appearing in a popular yet contentious Bollywood film.
The song Fa9la, by Bahraini rapper Flipperachi and originally released last year, features in Hindi espionage film Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh. The exposure helped to push the track to the number one spot in the chart.
Dhurandhar itself remains unavailable in Gulf cinemas. Industry insiders told The National the film has not been cleared for regional release due to its politically sensitive subject matter.
Despite that absence on the big screen, Fa9la marks another milestone in Flipperachi’s efforts to take Khaleeji hip-hop beyond the Gulf.
Here is what you need to know about the artist.
Champion of Khaleeji hip-hop
Flipperachi, real name Hussam Aseem, has been active on the Gulf’s hip-hop scene for nearly two decades, building a rap style rooted in local dialects, bilingual delivery and culturally specific lyricism.
“The Gulf is distinct from the broader Arab world. We have our own style of language, culture and way of life,” he told The National in a previous interview. “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. 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 punchlines in our songs and resonate deeply with people from the region.”
Growing local before going global
That fine-tuned approach resulted in a catalogue of tracks designed for wider audiences and different occasions. 2016’s Ee Laa, a celebratory Khaleeji rap collaboration with Kuwaiti rapper Daffy, surpassed 40 million streams on YouTube.
Hayalla Min Yana uses bilingual lyrics to reflect daily life in Bahrain, while Fasla draws on traditional Gulf dance forms.
In 2023, he released Nayda, a collaboration with Kuwaiti singer Alaa Alhendi that went on to cross the 10 million view mark on YouTube. More recently, Toota centred on a regional term of endearment commonly used within families.
“When I wrote it, there weren’t any subliminal messages or hidden connections,” Flipperachi said of Toota. “It was just about expressing love.”
Teaming up on major campaigns
Alongside recorded releases, his music has been repeatedly used in major regional campaigns. In 2025, he collaborated with former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal on Shaq’s On Yas, the official theme for a Yas Island campaign, recorded remotely between Bahrain and the US.
“It was a back-and-forth process with him being in the US while I was in Bahrain,” Flipperachi said. “I would lay down the lyrics, send them over, and we would refine everything remotely.”
In 2019, he teamed up with Daffy to record the anthem for Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, tied to the UFC event in the capital.
Proof that Khaleeji hip-hop travels
Fa9la’s success reflects Flipperachi’s view about the potential of Khaleeji hip-hop and how it can resonate beyond borders without diluting its cultural essence.
“Arabic hip-hop needs a lot of variety,” he said. “Every region is different. That difference is important because it fosters appreciation for all other artists and what they bring to the table.”
