The Arab Nephew Freestylers

It's not just the Arab uncles taking the mic anymore, the kids are on it too. A whole culture of badawi shaabi freestyles has taken over TikTok and YouTube, where videos filmed in living rooms, gardens, weddings and parties are amassing millions of views online.

The likes of Mahmod Kaiiyal, Waseem Haddad and Anas Bosnineh have become the faces of a new generation of shami shaabi folk music. In this hyperlocal music scene, set against an ever-turbulent political backdrop, there is something about this raw, anti-industry and deeply communal form of performance that is resonating across social media and wider culture.

Words by @smizzowrites