Laughter in the Dark: Egypt to the Tune of Change

by Yasmine El Rashidi

What can hip-hop tell us about Egypt today?



A decade ago, millions of Egyptians took to the streets in a people-led revolution that captivated the world’s attention and sent ripples across the Middle East. But the so-called “Arab Spring” quickly faded, and a return to the status quo—of authoritarian rule—was cemented. What happened to the energy and desire for change?



In Egypt, the answer lies in its youth, who comprise the bulk of the country’s fast-growing 106 million citizens. Sixty percent of the population is under the age of twenty-five, and their world views are very much influenced by social media: TikTok is their primary language and medium of choice. Music is their means of expression—in particular, a thriving hip-hop scene known as mahraganat . This music has given voice to deep dissatisfaction with the Egyptian state and the overall conditions of Egyptian society and culture. Could this be the start of a force for change? Laughter in the Dark is a riveting portrait of a country that is being transformed, for good or bad, by the rise of a fresh youth culture.

Genres: Nonfiction, Middle East, Politics, Music, History

111 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2023

About the author

Yasmine El Rashidi is a Cairo-based writer. She is a 2015-2016 Cullman Center Fellow at The New York Public Library. She is a frequent contributor to The New York Review of Books as well as a contributing editor to the Middle East arts and culture quarterly Bidoun. She lives in Cairo and New York City.

Reviews

[Kuang Ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Columbia Global Report. It is one of my favorite book series. It focuses on important topics which are under-reported. It is an imprint of Columbia University and sometimes with the endowment of charity foundation it is able to commission original and on-site journalism. The project was launched in 2014. It has since published about 5-7 books per year. It has over 40 great journalistic titles so far. I’ve read 10 and all of them are fantastic. The greatest feature is the length which is about 100-150 pages. Nowadays everyone is busy and flooded with information. Readers have become an endangered species as people turn their attention to mobile devices. Those who are still reading crave for great content in digestible volume.

Columbia Global Report is the perfect choice for reader like me. I am always a devoted non-fiction reader. I especially love journalistic works (my dream job in the childhood). Therefore, I am happy to say this is the go-to place for reading pleasure and inspiration. English is my second language and I can finish a volume in a day easily. The point is the reportage really opens my mind. The authors are world-class and top of their fields. For example, some authors have written for the best media outlets such as The New York Times. In addition, their works also have literary merits. The authors also write for some of the most respected literary journals such as The New York Review of Books. Deep reportage combines with beautiful proses. These books are real joy to read.

The author of this book “Laughter in the Dark: Egypt to the Tune of Change” is an excellent writer who has written for the aforementioned media. Yasmine El Rashidi is a native Egyptian journalist based in Cairo. She is also a cultural critic and columnist. Her writing is elegant, precise, and concise. It makes the book quite readable. The book is informative. It introduces a music genre vividly. It also weaves the recent Egyptian history perfectly. This book is a real gem for those who want to get an intimate glimpse of Egypt society after the 2011 revolution. It reminds us a time when social media seemed to upend autocracy and promote democracy. Instead, social media has become the necessary evil in everyday lives. Autocratic governments use it to monitor and intimidate dissidents. Many people once hoped for individual freedom, but the revolution only ushered in another dictatorship.

The book opens with the status quo of Egypt. Egypt is now in an unstable situation. Everything hangs in a dangerous balance. Rashidi has been a journalist reporting about Egypt, and more broadly about Middle East, since 18. She grew up during the rule of former president Mubarak, who was known for quashing dissident voices. Even prior to Mubarak, Egypt had been a country full of taboos, especially political ones. There were many things that were prohibited to talk about. Adults would scold children if they were probing certain things, such as rumors of the president. Everyone knew the government was corrupted, but there was a silent mutual agreement among people. They wouldn’t talk about the political problems, because they might get into trouble. There was rampant intelligence apparatus that was controlled by the leader. The government used it to cast fear onto the mass. The government also controlled the media and instilled certain ideology both by broadcasting and education. In sum, the government had controlled the mass well and tight. That said, the government at least appealed to the people, in particular poor ones. The government tried their best to convince people of its legitimacy.

People were tamed and muted. The society was airtight and suffocating. But owing to the traditional value, including religious factor, people accepted it and lives moved on. It was okay as long as the government provided bread and butter. However, the pressures were accumulating year after year. It reached boiling point and erupted in 2011 after people in Tunisia ousted the longtime president. It spilled over to Egypt and you knew what happened. Mubarak stepped down. Egypt held the first people-elected government. Just when the future seemed bright, the president Morsi was deposed in a coup in 2013. The current president Sisi came to power and resumed the iron-fist ruling.

This book gives a sense of feeling under Sisi’s reign. The freedom and democracy were faltered. Freedom of speech became even worse than decades ago. There were clear red lines back then. Now the government could put you in jail for whatever reason. It’s the revival of Stasi or similar secret police state. You get vanished without any reason. The Arab Spring seems a complete failure, right? But wait a second. Let’s take a closer look. Something is brewing. This is the story of how mahraganat, the Arabic hip-hop, comes to prominence. This new music genre emerges fast and furious after the 2011 revolution. It even successfully seeps into mainstream culture from subculture.

What is mahraganat? It is a particular type of hip-hop music with Arabic (or narrowly Egyptian) elements. This book introduces the readers to this fascinating world. Egypt has a population of 106 million. 60% are young people under 25. I am from Taiwan and this figure is amazing! Taiwan has one of the lowest birth rate worldwide. By 2035, one in four people would be over 65. Aging population is a big problem for developed nations. I envy the energetic vibe in the countries with so many young people. However there could still be problem, due to the lack of job opportunities, young people would turn their rage against something. This is the main reason mahraganat becomes so popular among young Egyptians, especially those in their 20s. At the turn of the 21st century, internet was introduced to Egypt. Internet café sprang up everywhere. Western culture quickly spread among younger generation. American culture had particularly strong impact. The total individualism of the West clashed with traditional collective mindset. Young Egyptians started to question why they were tied to the old belief system. They yearned for personal freedom and tried to break away from the old world.

Music was an important way out. Music provided a medium for young people to channel their complex feelings. The most famous singers usually came from middle to lower class. They grew up in a stressed environment. They knew the hardship faced by the poor people. They didn’t have the luxury to enjoy life or pursue their dreams. Therefore, when they found the magic of music, they devoted their lives to it. Hip-hop’s origin in the US had similar history. Young people felt abandoned by the society, so they used music to rebel against the establishment. American hip-hop had a special feature. Racial issue was a hot topic. In comparison, racism was less an issue than rampant poverty in Egypt. Thus mahraganat dealt with poverty and everyday hardship in particular. The young sang about the lack of prospect in life. They didn’t have the chance to raise family. They couldn’t fall in love because girls would turn away from poor lads. The lyrics and melody reflected the reality and resonated deeply with young people. To make things worse, the autocratic government seemed indifferent and incompetent to solve any problem. The fury among the young “instigates” the mahraganat flame even stronger.

This music genre gradually becomes so popular that it is played in alleys, on buses, and in venues. The concerts by popular singers are sold out instantly. In Egypt, artists require licenses to get permission to perform publicly. Some hip-hop singers get approved by the government and even get compliments. This new genre is like a fresh breeze into the suffocating social atmosphere after the revolution. It offer hopes for the future generation. Rashidi believes it will plant the seeds for future societal reform. Rashidi tells the stories of a few of the pioneers and influencers, such as Wegz and Marwan Pablo. Initially, this genre encourages and empowers listeners. Though the lyrics deals with drugs and sex… these sorts of things, the singers want fans to “fight” for their future in a positive way. However it gradually loses control, some young people become instigated and angry about everything. They will linger on the streets after concerts and vandalize everything in their way. It becomes so common that even locals are afraid to go out at night now.

The government finds things are out of control. Officials try to ban the genre once and for all. It revokes the licenses. It also tries to convince people that mahraganat is like a poison. The government says it destroys traditional Egyptian virtues. For example, one of the most influential rapper is Mohamed Ramadan who has 25.5 million followers on Instagram. Ramadan is an actor turned rapper. His posts are all about extravaganza. His life is made of gold, beauties, and luxuries. He is always on private jet to some holiday resorts. He sings in front of crazy fans. The ruling class in the Middle East treats him as VIP. This kind of life philosophy is exemplified by many rappers. Some singers from modest background also start to flaunt their wealth after being famous. This put fans in a strange situation. In real life, they are forever stuck in the poor. But the music teaches them to fight. In the end, the young become more and more angry. By the end of the book, written in the end of 2022, there is an ominous feeling in the air. Similar to the feeling before 2011 revolution, a new eruption awaits in the future.

Rashidi uses mahraganat as lens to see through Egypt after the revolution. She tells the story so well! Readers will go through an immersing tour from Alexandria to Cairo. As a fan of Egyptian culture, this greatly enhances my understanding of this mythic civilization. It is worth full 5 stars! Highly recommend to everyone interested in music, culture, and Egypt. Lastly, don’t forget to listen to the music on Youtube as well. No wonder mahraganat becomes so popular! It is a real art!

[Michael Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

What (I believe) was intended to be a focused look at a subculture the outside world might be wholly unaware of instead came across to me like a warning from the future.

An entire generation - its young men in particular - are growing up in a world they are completely disenchanted with because they have firsthand experience of a failed revolution that didn't achieve what they'd hoped for. Yes, music is an escape from poverty for the lucky few who "make it", even in the face of government censorship, but the vast majority is being left behind and feels bitter about it. Sky-high youth unemployment, a widening class divide, and increased crime seems like a cultural recipe for disaster a decade or two from now. The only laughter in the dark I'd expect to hear is sarcastic and resentful, to the point where I'm left wondering if the average Egyptian would've been better off if the Arab Spring hadn't happened at all.

If nothing else, I got an interesting playlist of artists that I otherwise would've never heard of, so there's that.

[Sarmat Chowdhury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great entry in the Columbia Global Reports (CGR), this one following the rise of Mahraganat Music, an Egyptian musical movement combining Egyptian rap that follows the social and cultural shift in Egyptian society. The music is a combination of "shaabi" music that is played at weddings, EDM and hip-hop beats and heavy autotune use.

While the Egyptian government is heavily against the genre, and regularly seeks to enforce the ban and its dislike, Disney+ original Marvel show, "Moon Knight" heavily used the genre for its show soundtrack, and thus exposed it to a wider audience. Wegz and Mohammed Ramadan, two popular Egyptian artists with stream and radio play time outside of Egypt and on social media, are also making names for themselves with the genre, though they are slightly more adept at both toeing the government line and challenging it.

I appreciated that El Rashidid, as an Egyptian that listens to the genre herself, and was involved in the Arab Spring and political unrest that later engulfed Egypt, was able to draw the connection between the political and social movements in Egypt and how the genre was shaped by the younger generations of Egyptians.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit long for an essay, but short for a book of analysis, Laughter in the Dark documents the growth of mahraganat, from its inception in poor, urban areas in Egypt, through to the explosion of popularity which challenges the Egyptian state's growing social control and conservatism. El Rashidi covers some of the main figures, and the broader context, and offers her view about the impact of the Arab Spring and the growing authoritarianism on a generation not quite adults when it started.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an upcoming book, Egyptian journalist and author Yasmine El Rashidi updates readers on the present state of affairs in Egypt through the lens of mahraganat, the hip hop scene there. In her words, Egypt “is at [in late 2022, when the book was written] its most oppressive point in its modern history”; this in spite of the “inherited silence” of the recent past under Hosni Mubarak, when citizens did not dare comment publicly on politics, fearing being disappeared or worse. The current situation in Egypt, then, would seem to inhibit freedom of expression; but, as the book shows, since the Arab Spring revolution of 2011, younger citizens, who came of age during or since that time, do not have the same sense of fear about speaking out.

Egypt has been in political and economic turmoil since the revolution, and particularly since the rise of its current leader, the retired military officer Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Under him, the army has encroached into the country’s businesses and political life, with Army-connected companies heavily involved in the controversial reconstruction of old and storied parts of Cairo, and in huge infrastructure projects (see “Egypt’s military dominates 10 years after revolution.” Abubakr Al-Shamahi, 26th January 2021, aljazeera.com¹). Jobs are scarce for young people, and sixty percent of the country’s population is under the age of twenty-nine. In this climate, the rise of mahraganat feels predictable. Young men like Alexandria’s Marwan Pablo rap about their lives and hopes, and, taking inspiration from hip hop scenes elsewhere, drugs, money, alcohol, and women. In a conservative society like Egpyt, this music has been controversial, and its undertones of political criticism have caught the attention of the government through the Egyptian Musicians Syndicate, its censorship arm.

Mahraganat has been under government control in recent years, with artists alternately required to audition for a licence to perform, or banned outright from public performances. More well-known, flashier (and wealthier) artists, like former actor Mohamed Ramadan, have been invited to perform in the US, Qatar, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia, and manage to evade censorship that way. However, others, like 3enaabb (formerly known as 3enba), are not in a position to do so; he in particular has tried to toe the government line. Ramy Essam, known as one of the musical voices of the 2011 revolution, was harassed into exile. Sadat moved to France. Wegz, the only musician who seems to have escaped the crackdown, and whose music is more acceptable to the government and conservative public because it is respectable, is not from the working class, and perhaps that is telling.

Mahraganat is the music of the people, of working class neighbourhoods (known in Arabic as manatiq shaabiya, or areas of the local people). The suppression of the music of the working class has led to the frustration of young men manifesting in hooliganism on Cairo streets at night, from harassing women who are walking alone, to loud music played in residential areas, public consumption of alcohol and occasional drugs, the breaking of bottles, littering, and other nuisances. “I throw bottles because it feels good,” one youth says to El Rashidi. “It’s like a release.”

Egypt’s demographics and extreme wealth inequality would seem to make Egypt once again ripe for change. El Rashidi shows in this book that the mahraganat scene is an indicator of undercurrents that may soon lead to social unrest.

> The story of Egypt, and of its revolutionary fervor, is not yet over.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Columbia Global Reports for the ARC.

¹ Egypt’s military dominates 10 years after revolution | Arab Spring: 10 years on News | Al Jazeera

[A Broken Zebra · Rating 4 out of 5]

- I enjoyed looking up and listening to the referenced musicians. This was a fascinating, informative read that provided a unique look into Egyptian society and culture.
- Author scrupulously gives credit where due from starters of the genre ("[A] thriving hip-hop scene known as 'mahraganat'"), to influence and its reach, etc. Research is quite evident and appreciated.
- For fans of culture exposure, politics, music exposure, social fabric, expansion on the protests at Tahrir Square, even musical rivalries within the Egyptian ranks. This book is novella length, so it's not difficult to read (also written in an engaging, entertaining manner, not dry).
- Highlights what they are/were seeking through the connection of music; "[I]n search of a better life”. Lyrics are known to tackle "taboo" topics such as police brutality, political assassinations, corruption, the chaos of the Muslim Brotherhood’s rule. A dive in 'mahraganat' and how it shaped a generation.
- Includes a 'Further Reading' section.

From the publisher:

"Columbia Global Reports is a publishing imprint from Columbia University that commissions authors to produce works of original thinking and on-site reporting from all over the world, on a wide range of topics . Our books are short—novella length, and readable in a few hours —but ambitious. They offer new ways of looking at and understanding the major issues of our time. Most readers are curious and busy. Our books are for them."

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reluctant to express my disappointment with this book because I'm sure that it took heroic courage to get even this much said from inside a repressive political regime -- but truthfully, the book I was hoping for only began on page 80 of this very thin-seeming survey. While I am enjoying looking up the artists she profiles on youtube, mahraganat is the tail that wags the political dog in this narrative and much of it seems under-analyzed for readers in a Western context.

[Lacey Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

found some inspiration and some levels of grief while reading this one. new and old woven together. fighting the same but different battles. i much enjoyed learning more about the modern egyptian social and political landscape through the lense of music and self expression.