Egypt 5: Revolution Songs

Afropop's 5-part, Hip Deep series on Egypt concludes with a look back at the songs that fueled the Tahrir Square uprising in 2011, and ahead at where music is headed in post-revolutionary Egypt. We meet Dylanesque Tahrir Square troubadour Ramy Essam, silenced political singer Azza Balba who rediscovered her art in the midst of revolution, and Karim Rush of Egypt's leading hip hop group Arabian Knightz. We hear new work from emerging artists: Eskenderella, Dina el Wadidi, the Choir Project, and rapper Ashraf el Samman. Egyptian ethnomusicologist Mina Girgis provides up-to-date commmentary from Cairo, and predicts that--whatever happens in the political sphere--newly empowered rappers and inspirational sha'bi DJs will join forces to create the new pop music of Egypt. - [Originally aired 04-27-2012. Produced Banning Eyre]