In time for Eid Al Fitr, Egyptian superstar Mohamed Ramadan has released a new song and music video that has racked up nearly two million views on YouTube in one day.
The tune, called Versace Baby, was released on Wednesday with a video shot entirely in Dubai.
While the project may seem like a major plug for the Italian luxury fashion brand, all proceeds from the video are being donated to the Palestine Red Crescent Society amid rising tensions in Gaza and Israel, according to a message at the beginning of the clip.
The video is shot primarily at the Palazzo Versace Dubai hotel. Ramadan appears in the opening scene lying on a bed, with wads of money strewn around him. At other points, he's accompanied by exotic animals such as a tiger and a snake.
"Spend money ... Make it rain," he raps. "Work out until we feel the pain. Then we party. We don't care. Every day, re-do the same."
Ramadan is also seen cruising down Dubai roads with a motorcade of supercars, with landmarks such as Burj Khalifa and the Museum of the Future in the background.
Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela is the main model in the video, which has been directed by filmmaker Len Prasad, who lives in Dubai.
Rautela has said in media interviews that proceeds from the video will also be donated to India's fight against Covid-19.
Ramadan seems to favour the Versace-owned hotel at Jaddaf Waterfront, as it's not the first time it's played a role in the star's music videos.
His song Ya Habibi, which has garnered nearly a billion views on YouTube after it came out in September 2020, shows him with Congolese singer Gims going on night cruises on superyachts in the marina, rapping on helipads with the panoramic backdrop of the city's skyline and hanging out in the lush opulence of the Palazzo Versace.
Ramadan, a frequent visitor to the UAE and a golden visa holder, told The National that the country was an obvious choice of location of the video for Ya Habibi. "With the whole situation with the coronavirus, we wanted to go to a place where we could shoot a video safely and with professionalism, and really the UAE is the best place for that," he said.
“From the permits by the Dubai Film and TV Commission to the international crew, it was a great and professional experience. It’s a testament to a country that is smart and is always looking ahead. I want to do more work here.”
Ramadan has also been making headlines as the inspiration for the first playable Arab character in Garena's mobile game Free Fire. A picture of Maro, as the character is known, was projected on to the Burj Khalifa to mark the launch.
Two specially created light shows, which included a one-minute announcement, screened on the world's tallest building in Downtown Dubai on April 14.
