DUBAI: Saudi rapper Dehmez fell for hip-hop as a listener first, tuning in to the Kingdom’s early rappers in the mid-2000s before he ever made music of his own. “I was into it from day one — listening to the Saudi rappers, living in that world,” he tells Arab News. “By 2010 I found myself making it too. I went from being a listener to a (performer).”
Umm Kulthum. (AFP)
However, at that time, rap was, he says, just a hobby. “In 2021, I got serious, wrote a song and put it out online.”
Here, Dehmez talks us through some of the songs that have shaped him as a person and as an artist.
A song that takes me back to my childhood
The one I remember most is the theme song from “Baba Farhan” — a Saudi TV series. It’s the opening titles that stuck with me — people my age still remember them. It was a show for kids — not a cartoon, just a normal series. If I dig a little deeper there are other memories, like a song from Kuwaiti singer Nawal, but nothing’s lodged in my head like “Baba Farhan.”
A song that reminds me of a friend
“Majnoon” by Fahad Al-Qubaisi. It reminds me of a close friend. I used to listen to it with him, and he’d ask me to sing it for him. So that song always brings him to mind.
Fahad Al-Qubaisi. (Getty Images)
A song that’s guaranteed to fill the dance floor
Honestly? “Wadi Wadi,” by the great artist Dehmez. I’m being honest with you. It’s one on the songs on my playlist that I most like.
A song that makes me want to cry
“Hal Di Kat Hayatak?” (“Was This Your Life?”) by the Egyptian rapper Abyusif. He’s talking about his own life, but it’s as if he’s talking about mine. That one really gets to me.
A song that makes me happy
When I heard the question, nothing came to mind at first — then I landed on our yanbawi folk music. It’s a local folklore we have here. Those folk songs make me happy whenever I hear them. Sometimes before a show I’ll put them on — not to hype myself up, exactly, just to get in a good mood.
A song I wish I’d written
“Madnak” by Mohammed Abdel Wahab. The words are just beautiful — the imagery is so eloquent I could feel the poet Ahmed Shawqi in it. It’d be wrong of me to envy Ahmed Shawqi, but I would’ve loved to write such a song. The lyrics are crafted so beautifully.
Rabeh Saqer. (AFP)
A song with great lyrics
A few songs actually came to mind, but “Rah Wo Ma Regaea” by Rabeh Saqer — and “Madnak” — are my favorites in terms of lyrics. The writing is wonderful.
A great song for a road trip
On a road trip I go for the long ones, so Umm Kulthum, honestly. She has so many. “Al-Atlal,” “Alf Leila wa Leila”… but my favorite of all is “Darat Al-Ayam.”
A song that’s a guilty pleasure
“Leh Beydari Keda” by Ruby. It’s a beautifully composed song — never mind that when it came out, the video caused a stir. It was a trend before “trends” were even a thing. It’s stuck with me and I love it, but I listen to it on my own — it’s a bit embarrassing to get caught with it, especially by the guys.
