Who are the best up-and-coming Arab artists we don't know about? In this episode of Shik Shak Shook Ones, hosts Danny Hajjar and Deana Soni drop all of the names you should be listening to. We get to know our two hosts a little better as they share their origin stories, their OG favorites (spoiler: a lot of Shakira), all the emerging artists they've got their eyes on, and where to find them.

P.S. Don't hold back! Drop us some comments with your favorite recommendations 👇

Discover 👉 @rap_shar3

Hosted by:

Deana Soni 👉 https://www.instagram.com/deana.soni/

& Danny Hajjar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/dannyghajjar/

Theme Music 👉 Sleiman Damien https://www.instagram.com/sleimandamien/?hl=en

Deana is a dedicated presenter and journalist with a special focus on highlighting the cultural richness of the MENA region and fostering a deeper understanding of the diverse voices within the community. In 2020, she launched the UK's first Arabic and North African radio show, which showcased and platformed talented artists from the regions and diaspora, before creating her new platform, WASTA, in 2024. Additionally, she was the official host for the Assassin's Creed Mirage podcast, which explored medieval Iraq and its rich history. Deana also created the viral show Musconceptions, which debunked myths about Islam through comedy and garnered over 10 million views on social media.

Danny Hajjar is a music journalist based in Washington, DC writing about the emerging Arabic music scene and the new wave of artists from the Middle East, North Africa, and its diaspora communities. He runs the award-winning digital zine Sa’alouni El Nas, highlighting trends in the Arabic scene, profiling artists, and reviewing music.

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl4wJ-aikX6XQ-BNv5ph8bq2

ABOUT AFIKRA

afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

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