Unedited.

I just got back home to Kuwait after a very intensive month of travel.

I, along with my two teammates Rana Al-Khatib and Ashlene Ramadan, are in the making of our second documentary about Arab hip hop.

About 6 months ago we premiered our first short documentary titled Broken Records. All three of us were very new to the Arab hip hop scene and took a stable at it. It was a 30-minute film that profiled 6 Arab hip hop artists.

Since then the documentary has won second place at the Al-Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival, was honored with the key to Prospect Park, New Jersey, was shown in 5 different states and viewed over 3,000 times on vimeo.

With such a great reaction, we knew we had to follow the story. In February, when we preimered the documentary, Tunisia and Egypt were at the beginning stages of their revolution. It was a changing time in the Arab world. 6 months later Syira, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Morocco have followed in their paths.

Being journalists we followed the stories coming out of all these countries but what really struck us was that there was hip hop coming from each of these countries. The music was voicing the people. It was telling the stories the media wasn’t covering and it was giving us a connection to the youth.

So, there was only one thing we could do, follow the music.

We found someone who believed in our cause and thankfully was willing to sponsor us. With the support and encouragement of our sponsor we took off!

We started off in Beirut, Lebanon. in a city of gilts and glam, Beirut seems like the heart of underground music and art. We were lucky to meet up with some great artists who have been making music for a while. Filmed at Fareeq Al- Atrash’s 7keeleh event and watch DJ Skillz scratch.

From there we traveled all the way to bare fields of Casablanca, Morocco just in time for the Casa Festival. We met up with graffiti artists, MCs, and breakdancers. Visited the capital, Rabat, to interview Moby Dick and back to Casa for Don Bigg’s concert. Struggling with our broken french we moved around the cities and souqs.

From fresh orange scents on the streets of Casa to the busy-loud mouth-hantoor riding-grafiiti marked-fariouz playing streets of Cario, Egypt.

This is were we finally felt we were documenting history. Talking to artists that were out on the streets January 25, 26, 27 and 28. Interviewing activists in the sit-in. Filming break dancers in Tahrir. With poster of Tunisia’s Mohamed Bouaziz plastered on walls, Egyptian were fighting for what they know they deserve.We were in Um el Donia, we were in the nation that overthrew its 30 year regime in a matter of days.

Then we went to Tunisia. In this beautiful country you are jaded by blue and white homes, taken away by acres of olive trees under it’s African sky. This is where it all happen. It is the country that started the Arab Spring. It gave power to the people to fight back. The people that started the fire in the region. We were where it all happen.

We spoke to local artists who struggled to get their revolutionary music heard. We talked to El General one of the artists that was arrested for his music.

After meeting these incredible people, blown away by unbelievable music, and now back home with some more filming to do, I would say it has been a good summer.

This great experience was all thanks to our wonderful sponsor Razan Al Shatti.

After the current revolutions in the Middle East and recent events I’ve witnessed, I, for some reason, was drawn to write something. However, this is not comparable to the poetry and work coming from Arab artists.

Funny how tears and laughter are never far from one another

You pray for joy and cry in praise

We live in a time of destruction, corruption and hate

But are blessed with the youth of a different generation

The youth of our nations

Our youth

of strong voices, powerful rages, spoken word

and praises

I am that youth and we have that voice

Today is that day

and we fight to save it

Love those who stand with you

And pray for those adjacent

Our nations need our voices

No more death and demolition

Jan25, Feb12, Feb14, March 27

Whatever the day

Whatever the time

Let my voice be heard

I am an immigrate on Syrian decent

I am a child of Damascene resent

I cherish my history and tradition

Savor the colors of our predecessors

And lets keep alive

The dreams they never saw flourish