Over the past half-century or so, the global hip-hop scene has witnessed an explosive rise in creativity and influence from around the world. Although the genre has its roots in the Bronx, New York, hip-hop transcends borders, and lyricists see hip-hop as a form of expressing their innermost feelings.
The MENA region is no exception, at the intersection of tradition and innovation, where artist after artist emerges, fusing the local musical heritage with the universal language of rap to create a captivating sonic tapestry. However, unfortunately, in many cases it has fallen into decline. – Are they valued or ignored by the international community? “The Safe-House Travel Diary” is here to change that.
A self-proclaimed “guerrilla storyteller”, hip-hop enthusiast and mother of three, American-Lebanese Soha Yassin shines a spotlight on the Middle East and explores hip-hop in a misunderstood region. are beginning to explore the rise and impact of
Inspired by Kendrick Lamar’s lyric “to vent in a safe house,” Soha traveled throughout the Middle East, working with artists in each of their “safe homes” (where they live and create). Meet face-to-face and have a candid conversation about your inner life. And understand what their music says about life in their hometown and the experiences that shape their art.
“Why would I insist on talking to a rapper at a rapper’s house? Because I want real conversations, not interviews. People don’t lie in their bedrooms,” Soha wrote on social media. is written in the post. “This has been a very personal experience for me and a long journey home. bottom.”
Each season, Soha travels to different countries and produces episodes that are collages of sounds that recall memorable experiences and conversations during the expedition. In her first season, the journalist decided to go back to her roots and bring it back to her homeland Lebanon.
Entitled “Three Nights in Beirut”, Season 1 saw the protagonists fly around Beirut on motorbikes over three 18-hour days, meet at the rapper’s home, and explore their experiences and life in a country where their art is in trouble. Have a conversation about how it reflects the It has been in a humanitarian crisis since 2019. You can hear the voices of “bedroom rappers” and “soundcloud artists” on a daily basis, as well as famous Lebanese rappers such as Chyno with a Why?, Nuj and Ziggy.
The first episode of Season 1 just aired last Saturday, in which Soha introduced the podcast’s origin story and how her curiosity prompted her to take an impetuous trip to Beirut. , explored its raw hip-hop scene and how it holds a mirror. society.
To learn more about the story behind the series, SceneNoise spoke to the curious podcaster himself.
When asked about the hidden meaning behind the logo, Soha explained that the logo should look like some sort of passport stamp. Safe Her House is essentially a travel show, so she wanted the graphics to resemble vintage travel elements. In the center is a wreath of olive branches representing her birthplace, southern Lebanon, and a microphone in the center serves as her weapon. Around the rim are the moon representing her daughter Amina she calls Moonee, the sun representing her son Kareem, and the stars in the sky lovingly representing her baby girl Medina.
“I think there are a lot of mothers who have big ambitions and juggle things like having kids, but they don’t talk about what’s going on behind the scenes,” she says. When asked about the balance of being a mother, Soha reflected. podcast. “Not only was I busy traveling all over Lebanon, but I was breastfeeding an infant at the time. I had two other children at home, so I was really worried, and a FaceTime call would be quick. I was always reassured that I could go to
When asked what to expect in Season 1 of the podcast, Soha responded: “It’s an honest and vulnerable approach to understanding what life in Lebanon is like right now, while at the same time reconciling survivors’ own feelings of guilt and feeling lost and unsure of where they are. That’s where I belong. “
The host revealed that he has already filmed seasons 2 and 3 but is keeping his destination a secret for now, but said his dream is to travel all over the Middle East. “I want to go to Iraq to investigate the rise of anti-imperialist rap that gained public attention during the 2001 US invasion, and to continue my exploration of the Shia that is part of my identity. Other countries Soha would like to visit include Syria, Indonesia, Sudan, South Africa and, of course, Palestine, the center of Arabic wrap and where it all began.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished with our podcast, a hip-hop story told from the perspective of an immigrant Lebanese-American Muslim woman, but this perspective is really underrated.” voice.
“I am now trying to prove to the decision makers in power that there is an enthusiastic and engaged audience for this kind of content.” Each episode of Travel Diary is accompanied by a curated Spotify playlist of local artists, allowing listeners to audibly portray different socio-economic segments of each region.
“The Safe House Travel Diary” is available for free on all major platforms or official websites. Episodes are only about 8-12 minutes long and are released weekly. In upcoming seasons, Yasin plans to expand exploration to cities in the Middle East, North Africa and other parts of the world.
If you’re interested in music, travel, and learning about the world, The Safe House is a must-listen.