By Arab Hip-Hop Star Freek to Drop New Album in January
The most promising name in Arabic hip-hop, Freek drops his new album in the next few weeks. Freek’s 150 is due for release on 9th January. Hip-hop heads in the UAE and wider GCC region are excited about its release.
Freek, aka Mustafa Ismail, is arguably the region’s favourite Arab hip-hop artist. Of Somalian descent, he was born and raised in Abu Dhabi. Also a self-taught videographer, Freek has carved out his own career path. He has performed prestigious gigs in the region at Sole DXB and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Freek has ignored advice to rap in English and has gained fans from the UAE to London.
“Freek is one of my favourite artists in the world, period,” said Big Hass, host of Saudi’s first and only FM hip-hop radio show and founder of the Re:Volver blog and magazine. “I’ve seen this guy on stage and he goes here and he goes there. It’s like, ‘I know you want me to rap in English but I’m gonna rap in Arabic. You don’t know Arabic? Learn it. Boom!”
Determination
Freek and his manager Elia Mssawir recently discussed the artist/manager relationship during an Emirates Music Summit panel. The panel was part of the hugely successful Break Out DXB event at Dubai’s Rove Downtown Hotel. Mssawir said it was Freek’s determination to rap in Arabic that made him stand out.
Read: Emirates Music Summit Sparks Up Insightful Conversations
“I saw something in Freek that a lot of artists in the UAE didn’t have,” said Mssawir “He sticks up for what he believes in. And one of those things is rapping in Arabic. A lot of people told him he should rap in English so he can branch out into the international scene. But this guy just kept going in the same direction. Which is amazing – and inspired me to do the same in my field.”
Reppin’ the Region
“A lot of people told me it’d be easier if I went to the States or Canada. Or to the place where the industry is,” said Freek. “I don’t blame them ’cos that’s the way it is. If you want to make it, go to LA. But for me, I want to do it from and for this region because I know there’s a lot of people who enjoy Arabic rap.”
The release of 150 is the next step in Freek’s career trajectory. If there’s any justice in the world, it should catapult him to even wider acclaim and greater success. In the meantime, check out the video to his last track, Khali Wali, below:
Main Photo: Khalifa Alsaeedi
