Laish Hip-Hop, a pioneering Saudi radio programme, celebrates its 12th anniversary on Saturday … but don’t expect host Big Hass, full name Hassan Dennaoui, to dwell too much on the past.
Ever since the show made its debut on the Saudi-owned Mix FM in 2011, it has consistently unearthed new nuggets from the kingdom’s burgeoning hip-hop scene.
“There are still many great artists out there that need to be heard and supported,” says Hass.
“This is because hip-hop is the music of Saudi youth right now, and it has been powerful way for them to express what is happening in their lives as well as the amazing changes happening across the country.”
For those not in the know when it comes to Saudi hip-hop, Big Hass breaks it down with 12 tracks that you need to hear and why.
1. Ummi by Klash (2009)
“When you talk about Saudi hip-hop, you need to mention someone like Klash because he is one of the most popular names within the genre,” says Hass.
“Klash wrote this song in dedication to his mother.
“A fun fact: before I interviewed Klash for Laish Hip-Hop years ago, I hit the streets of Jeddah to see what people thought of him.
“When a policeman said he was a fan of the song I knew that Saudi hip-hop was really growing within society.”
2. The Job by Qusai (2010)
“This was one of the earliest Saudi records and it came at a time when we were sharing songs on Bluetooth.
“Qusai is an influential artist because he was one of the first to rap in both Arabic and English.
“The Job is an important song. It talks about the experiences of Saudi youth trying to find a job after graduation and some of the challenges they can face along the way.”
3. Mathaher by Lil Eazy (2018)
“Lil Eazy is a Somali artist that's born and raised in Saudi Arabia, and this track is an example of hip-hop's power as an art form.
“Mathaher talks about the way we can unfairly judge each other based on our ethnicity and appearance.
“Not many Arab hip-hop artists at that time were talking about these topics and this is why I find this song really courageous.”
4. Is'af by Blvxb (2019)
“Blvxb is a fascinating artist because he managed to really create a fan base out of nothing.
“This guy sounded like he was from outer space with his straight and melodic raps.
“But what he speaks about in Is’af, issues such as mental health and other emotional subjects that hadn't really been discussed in Saudi rap at the time, made me really respect his journey.”
5. Atel by Randar (2018)
“Randar is part of Saudi hip-hop duo called Al Qiyadat Al Oulia and this solo track is a showcase of his amazing word play, which is at times very direct.
“Atel talks about how it feels when you don't have a job in Saudi Arabia and how that affects his hopes of getting married and starting a family.
“With all the other challenges he talks about, he remains optimistic because he knows that God is looking after him.”
6. Waad by Alyoung (2020)
“Alyoung is the other half of Al Qiyadat Al Oulia and this is an important song for Saudi hip-hop.
“Alyoung really takes a new direction here with more melodic raps than the classic hip-hop sounds the duo were known for.
“The lyrics are also powerful. He talks to his father, who has passed away, and promises he will be OK, take care of his family and make his dad proud.”
7. Yalolo by Slow Moe (2017)
“This track really helped introduce a new story-telling element to Saudi hip-hop.
“Another dope aspect to this is the use of music elements relating to the Hijaz region in Saudi, particularly through the use of [reed wind instrument] the mizmar.”
8. Sweet Dreams by Dr Slim (2020)
“Dr Slim is one of the most creative MCs we have. He started rapping in English before Arabic and he is really such a versatile artist on the scene.
“Part of his appeal, I think, is he only releases about one or two records a year and when they drop they trend online.”
9. From the Sand by Jeed (2019)
“A Saudi artist that raps totally in English.
“This is important to mention because it’s so hard to make a fanbase in Saudi if you aren't performing in Arabic. You just won’t get accepted easily.
“But this song really connected with Saudis because of the local music elements and terminology.
“The song has a lyric that went viral in Saudi when Jeed raps, 'We call it Bebsi not Pepsi,' in reference to how the soft drink is commonly said here.”
10. Al Kawkab Tiss'a by Al9ine (2020)
“Al9ine stands out because he is a rapper, producer and sound engineer. That's a lethal combination and rare in the Saudi hip-hop scene.
“Like Blvxb, he has never gained attention by getting into perceived conflicts with other Saudi rappers, which is sadly still one of the fastest way to get attention.
“One could say he would have been more famous if he went down that route, but he is known for his skill and consistency.
“I salute that and this song is great example of his talent.”
11. 966 by Jara (2021)
“Jara is one of only a handful of female hip-hop artists in Saudi and I really hope that will change.
“When it does, she will be viewed as an inspiration because she is confident and can rap in three languages, Arabic, English and Swedish.
“I think she began as a content creator before discovering hip-hop and using that to express herself.
“966 is song name after Saudi Arabia's international telephone code and she talks about general Saudi life in a really cool way.”
12. Adan by Ntitled (2022)
“A rapper and producer worth listening to as they move away from English to fully embrace the Arabic language.
“There is something really beautiful about seeing artists in Saudi trying new things without fear of failing.
“These qualities give this song a certain power."
