Hamzaoui Med Amine & KAFON : Tuned in to the street

Hamzaoui Med Amine & KAFON : Tuned in to the street



WHAT is it about the song "Houmani" that has made it so popular on the streets of Tunis this autumn? As Tunisia's politicians fiddle endlessly over the choice of a new prime minister and the security services struggle to keep a lid on extremist violence, this very Tunisian blend of rap with reggae and dubstep is heard everywhere, from car radios to street markets and internet cafés. Videos of the song posted on YouTube have attracted more than 5m views. Not bad for a song that cost Muhammad Amine Hamzaoui, who wrote the lyrics, and Kafon, who composed the music, just 250 dinars ($150) to produce.




Mr Hamzaoui coined the word "houmani" to refer to the spirit and culture of the country's working-class neighbourhoods (from "houma" which means "neighbourhood" in the local Arabic dialect). The song's dirge-like opening urges more "muhaba", fraternal affection, seen as one of the best qualities of poor urban areas. It then moves onto darker themes: unemployment, poverty, rubbish-strewn streets, drug abuse, violence, and Tunisians' feeling of impotence. Two years after the 2011 revolution that ousted President Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali, the country's youth still finds itself blocked at every turn, struggling with poverty and a lack of opportunities.
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