Real music doesn’t get across and promoted a lot nowadays for whatever reason. The music industry wants to control what we hear.

I caught up with The Narcicyst for a quick chat.

Can’t complain. I am alive and functioning. Life is good, Al Hamdullilah (Praise be to God).

I don’t think I really have a message in particular, but I do speak of my personal experiences as an Arab man in the West and the things that I been through and hope that people would relate to it even if they are not Arabs. I, along with people who have been through the immigrant experience and those who are looking to understand what life is all about came up with the name because it’s the ultimate human condition. It is something we all go through at least once at one point in our life, if not all our whole life, especially growing up in a Western society.

Let’s just say, there are three copies of my fingerprints somewhere in the nether world of racial profiling and border searches. I have been questioned CSIS-style for several hours on end, while I have been denied entry into the US a couple of times. And, somehow, I’m always the “random search” at the airport. In a government office, however, near you, someone is either listening to my music or me. But, so be it as there is nothing negative to our music. We do this for love and understanding in the long run.

Obviously the system works in a certain way where they want a certain kind of song to circulate on the radio. But, I think if you’re genuine in your music and pay attention to the lyrics as much as you pay attention to the radio issue one day, it will break through. I don’t think you have to sacrifice everything in the sense of radio. Nowadays, the Internet is bigger than radio. Radio is the old means of working although that’s where artists get paid the most and you know I used to be one of those “Underground” dudes that are radio this and radio that. But, you know what? I enjoy certain music on the radio. It’s about balancing yourself and making sure you represent yourself as you are.

Arabic hip-hop is on its way, although we do lack a certain umbrella of representation in the industry. I believe this is crucial for the movement to blossom into a full self-reliant machine. As an infant, it is still a bit naive, we as the first generation of Western Arab enthusiasts, specifically MCs, have a role that is extremely potent and meaningful. It is the crossroads that we have built toward in our immigration, identity and social space.

Every stage is important to me, whether its 100 people or if I am playing in MSG (Madison Square Garden), but I really would like to perform in my home city, Basra, one day in front of my people.

I just put up my first solo album in May 2010 so I have been touring around Eastern Europe, Canada and the US. I am also working on the next record to be put out in September 2010, trying to shoot some videos, trying to get into acting and writing a novel. Check out the first Dubai Feature Film “City Of Life” directed by Ali Mostafa at .
 
P.H.A.T.W.A. on Youtube

You can buy and support The Narcicyst songs on iTunes