Sara Al Mahdy
Bio
I'm Sara, a girl with a passion for music, art, politics and science. I write a weekly column where I review and promote artists that I think are doing something great.
Stories (9/0)
Drill: The Truth Behind the Mask
After the Columbine tragedy, the media latched onto rock musician Marilyn Manson as the scapegoat for the whole shooting. This is exactly what we are seeing in the demonisation of the entire genre of London Drill rap, after the London metropolitan police commissioner had various music videos, some by the Drill crew 67, taken off YouTube for “inciting violence." The music, saturated with references to giant knives and gang related crime, is the soundtrack to music videos featuring young men brandishing large guns and standing in menacing mobs on their 'ends.' While the media and the Met police have the country believing Drillers are to blame for the rise in violent gang related crime in London, many believe that in reality, this is a classic example of using musicians as scapegoats for larger issues. What the Met police and all the right wing journalists are missing is what the music really means, and why young people in London are making it and turning to it as an escape from their realities. Drill music doesn’t aim to encourage young people to commit acts of violence, but rather is the outlet for young people to express the things they have experienced on the streets creatively. The music doesn’t aim to romanticise gang violence, but rather to show the negative effects that it has on young people in the community. Member of the group 67, Dimzy, has said that before the birth of his daughter, making music was the only thing keeping him alive.
By Sara Al Mahdy5 years ago in Beat
This Is the New Shit
In recent years, music has almost experienced a paradigm shift. From the 50s to 2016, rock was the zeitgeist of music, from the Beatles to rock infused pop music (ie. Elton John and others). It was in 2016 that it was officially announced that tastes have shifted from rock to hip hop, a departure that was, while a necessary one, a surprise all the same. Kurt Cobain himself said in a 90s interview that he believed besides punk rock, the most important genre of music was hip hop and rap. This was the first time in music we had seen a genre born of a racial minority gain a status such as this. Radio waves became saturated with rap music, especially with artists such as Drake infusing pop and rap, exploding to super stardom, idolized in the same way the rockers of the 70s were. This departure is a cultural marvel, as well as a musical one.
By Sara Al Mahdy5 years ago in Beat
Igor Igor Igor
My favorite tracks of the album (right now): "A BOY IS A GUN" and "WHAT'S GOOD." Producing, writing, and performing a whole album is no small feat for one man to undertake. The risk and the hard work, however, have evidently paid off with the stellar release from Tyler: Igor. Producing your own album alone gives you a large amount of room to experiment creatively with your music, without the limits that a record label places on artists. It seems that after the successful release of Flower Boy, which was also solely produced by Tyler, Sony music gave Tyler the trust to produce Igor alone. Tyler has always been known for his experimental sound. Some of his ventures, however, such as Cherry Bomb not always garnering glistening reviews.
By Sara Al Mahdy5 years ago in Beat
The Progression of Childish Gambino
From the moment I began listening to Childish Gambino, I loved him. The first time I heard his music was when me and my best friend were up to something illegal and he played me Redbone. This was when my taste in rap was just beginning to grow, and I didn't know much about the scene. This song took me places I'd never been inside my head. We proceeded to listen to the whole Awaken my Love! album and since then, everything changed.
By Sara Al Mahdy6 years ago in Beat
Your Playlist for Next Week
Today I thought I'd post something a bit different. Over the past couple of weeks I've been discovering and dipping into a lot of new and different music, so I thought I'd make a quick playlist of songs that I've been loving and write a bit about why I love them so much.
By Sara Al Mahdy6 years ago in Beat
The Loss of Young Talent
Mac Miller; rapper, artist, visionary and prodigy, was found dead last week at his LA home due to a drug overdose. Mac Miller was truly an incredible musician. His music was generally very well received by the public and music critics alike, truly pushing the boat out when it came to traditional hip hop conventions. Mac wasn't afraid to discuss tough social issues in his music and share his struggles with mental health and addiction even on his very early releases. His lyrics are always very real, communicating his true personality rather than a character that many rappers do nowadays.
By Sara Al Mahdy6 years ago in Beat
'Home Is Where the Art Is'
Welcome to my new series, reviewing and promoting music. The first artist I saw fit to be reviewing goes by the name "Barney Artist." He's a hip-hop artist who infuses elements of jazz and soul into his music. His collection is very refreshing and, in my eyes, an integral shift that the hip-hop scene desperately needs. To put it in the words of 6lack, Barney "cares a bit more about your ears." With his eclectic and soulful beats and mixes over a solid and chill flow, Barney's music makes for a very easy and enjoyable listening experience. Teaming up with producers such as Tom Misch, Barney really does push the envelope of what it means to be a hip-hop artist today. Being a hip-hop artist from East London ends paints a stereotype in many people's minds. Most hip-hop coming out of Ends is fuelled by beef, and while some of it is technically solid, none of this can be compared to what Barney is doing at the minute. If you're looking for a refreshing and soulful blend with rap, Barney would be a great place to begin. His debut album, Home is Where the Art Is, is coming out on the 21st of September, and I am confident that this release is going to skyrocket Barney's career. The two singles that have been released off the album are "Rose Thorn" and "Apologies." Both songs have blown me away when it comes to Barney's flow, lyrics, and the brilliant production. Barney seems to observe traditional jazz and blues sound, but modernises it and adds a fresh Barney twist. These two tracks are extremely solid, and display great progression as an artist. "Apologies" in particular is extremely well written. The lyrics on this track coupled with Barney's incredible flow and delivery make it one of the nicest tracks I've listened to in this genre for a while. Barney's lyrics are so honest that there is absolutely no ego communicated across the song. The song displays emotion in a way that doesn't exaggerate the truth, but shows us a part of Barney that is raw and unfiltered.
By Sara Al Mahdy6 years ago in Beat
