ABU DHABI // From Timbaland to Snoop Dogg, Abu Dhabi has attracted a host of hip-hop stars in recent years.
But a local collective now aims to nurture the city's own home-grown rap scene with the launch of the Music for Youth programme which begins next Tuesday.
The Emirati hip-hop star Khalifa al Romaithi, the UAE-based rap collective The Recipe, and the funk and hip-hop MC, Rone Jaxx will host workshop sessions geared to honing the lyrical skills of Dubai's budding talent.
"Our objective is to change the preconceptions about hip-hop culture by showcasing the positive aspects of hip-hop and how it can empower the local youth community," said Shatha al Romaithi, of Flash Entertainment.
"This is an opportunity to give some of our local talent an opportunity to gain certain skills and build their network, as well as understand how the industry functions on a commercial and creative level."
The first session, dealing with the art of DJing, and will be followed by a further three workshops, on Wednesday, and then on May 3 and May 4, focusing on producing, radio presenting and artists.
To participate, aspiring rap stars should upload a video themselves performing to Flash's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thinkflash.
zalhassanni@thenational.ae
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Castle in the Sky (1986)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Pom Poki (1994)
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
