Why Did Egypt Just Ban This Genre of Music?

By: Nathan Matsko

Bellefonte — Egypt has recently begun a crackdown on a widely popular music genre known as Mahraganat, seeking to ban the music from most social spaces. This comes after a controversial moment during a live Valentine’s Day performance by artists Hassan Shakosh and Omar Kamal in Cairo. In the song, Bent Al-Giran, which translates to “the neighbor’s daughter”, a specific line caused outcry,

“If you leave me I’ll hate my life,

I’ll be lost drinking alcohol and smoking hashish.”

Though it was supposed to be censored, the original version of the song was performed, and immediately saw condemnation.

The Egyptian Musicians Syndicate, a union of Egyptian performers with a large amount of influence, called for a ban on performance of Mahraganat music entirely in clubs, cafes and public spaces, as well as tourist centers such as nile river cruises.

Mahraganat, which translates loosely as ‘festival’, is a fusion of electronic dance music (EDM) and rap. It places its roots during the 2011 revolution, where it saw cultivation amongst the poor and working class.

The head of the Egyptian Musician Syndicate, Hany Shaker, a distinguished artist of decades past, cited the ‘immorality’ of the genre, and stated that the lyrics promote things such as alcohol abuse, drug use, and violence.

The violation of this ban can result in stiff penalties and even prosecution. A recent incident in which school children were filmed dancing to the song which started the controversy caused outrage. The heads of the school are facing legal action. A closer look at the response to this incident, however, reveals possible motives behind the ban.

*Flier dispersed by the Egyptian Musician Syndicate announcing the ban.*

According to the article by Egypt Independent, schools are supposed to be “playing the national anthem and and other songs that elevate student tastes”.

Any real concerns the Egyptian government may have regarding morality and the potential societal implications of Mahraganat are overshadowed by the clear attempts at authoritarian control over what kind of content is produced and consumed.

The Musicians Syndicate is ensuring that any mahraganat performers will be prevented from receiving proper permits required to perform at various kinds of venues in the country. Hany Shaker has even reached out to streaming services such as Youtube requesting that the website set conditions for uploaded lyrical content from the country.