AMMAN — The music scene in Jordan has been witnessing a
surge in the number of musicians and singers; some disappeared before anyone
heard of them, others were able to capture the hearts of listeners.
اضافة اعلان
Jordan News talked to
Othman, a local rapper who became
popular in Jordan and neighboring Arab countries. He talked about his experience,
his EP, his first live concert, and his opinion about the rap community.
Othman started singing less than two years ago. What
distinguishes him is the message of his songs, which resonates with many and may
seem easy to write but is not. Neither is it easy to imitate his singing.
"I write about my personal experience, which is often that
of many other people, so (my listeners) feel my music, and like to listen to
it."
Othman started rapping during the
COVID-19 pandemic but shared
that the pandemic only helped him be more productive.
"Since I own a home recording studio, I was able to
really use that time to record more songs. So I cannot describe that period as
completely bad."
Othman’s first live concert took place not too long ago
alongside rapper Arsee.
"We had taken a very bold step, as we did not think
about the matter for long, but decided to hold the concert suddenly; we were not
even able to estimate the number of attendees, as my audience, in particular,
is not from Jordan alone, but from outside it as well."
The concert meant a lot to him. "The number of
attendees may have seemed small, but everyone who came was only there to hear
Othman sing," he said.
Othman recently worked on an EP under the name "Mashi."
Still, circumstances forced him to release it as a single, initially supposed
to have six tracks, eventually consisting of only four.
"In the first track, I talk about myself and tell
people to be themselves without resorting to pretenses just to be loved by
others. The second track I consider a bit comical. I depict two characters in
it, one very realistic and another very comical. The general idea was to talk
about what is going on in the music scene now. It has been the most popular
track for me so far,” he said.
“The third track, which I issued recently, talks about me
and the last period in which I lived, and how I have completely changed to
prefer myself over others,” he added.
Othman is working on the fourth track alongside Syrian artist
Nowa Lightman. At the beginning of next year, he plans to release a music video;
he keeps the details as a surprise for later. What he wants to be known is that
the track will “conclude” his previous work and that after it, he will start
with a new style of writing and singing.
When it comes to cooperation with other rappers and the
impact on the extent of demand for joint works, he believes that “what really
matters to me is that the track we are working on is really strong, and that
the rapper with whom I collaborate is reputable."
The rap community in Jordan — and in the Arab world in
general — is small, and everyone knows everyone else, so “working with someone
with a good reputation has a great impact.” Still, he claims that he does not
care much about a rapper's popularity and the number of fans or followers they have
on social media.
Rap, as a genre, is still new in Jordan, and the hip-hop
culture is still growing, unlike in countries like Egypt, for example.
"In Jordan people have recently started to learn about
rap, and the demand for it has increased, so I think that the Jordanian rap
community will soon enjoy a better future."
Still, "unfortunately, some people still do not taste
rap music. That has an impact on the demand from our sponsors. Rap is a fine
art, and rappers are talented people who undoubtedly deserve support," he
said.
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