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Sanuj is a pop-Art artist based out of India. He is a self taught artist, and has been doing art and selling it professionally since 8 years. He's been painting from an early age. He did his major in arts in school, after school he went for business studies in masters as, he belonged to a business family. But after few years in business, he realized he needed a stress buster and, started painting. Now it's become full fledged work for him. What Is It About Painting And Art That Made It Your Passion? Being able to express my thoughts and creativity on canvas, and share it with the world is what fuels my passion for art. What Is Your Most Meaningful Price Yet And Why ? As an artist, I consider all of my artwork to be as good as they can get. However, some pieces are more special than others ,one such piece is a artwork collection of 3 pieces actually. In which I recreated some masterpieces, and tore them apart with money in the background. Dollar Bills, was my way of literary showing the world the value of art. As I do come across a lot of people who always ask artists why is a particular painting so expensive. We usually have no answer. So that's my answer. Artwork now is investment. How Did You Go From Using Painting As A Mechanism For Therapy To Making Money From It? It was a sudden thing for me. I started posting my work and within weeks people started messaging me asking about the price. The initials buyers were my friends who encouraged me and I never looked back after that. What Is The Most Important Lessons You Learned From That Journey? A very important lesson , always do what you love doing the most, and try turning your passion into your profession and you will never regret it. Who are 5 artists you dream to collaborate with? Never thought of it before, but if I get a chance I would love to collaborate with: Jeff Koons. Kaws. Orlinski. Brian Wash. Alec monopoly. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In most of the known galleries in USA, Europe and Asia. How was it growing up as an artist in India? Life growing up has been easy as I belong to a business family, and I have been socially well connected since childhood, so I didn't had to actually struggle a lot when it came to art. I just got lucky that my initial buyers were my closest friends, and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, have played a major helping me grow and sell my work. What is the inspiration for your style? The pop culture and street style fashion. How do people react your art pieces? It brings a smile to there faces. People who like pop art love my work. But people who like contemporary art think I make cartoons XD. The “collecting kills” piece caught my interest, caught you talk more about it? The "Collecting Kills" is a custom 3D artwork made specially for the famous "Watchanish"(Famous Watch Collector). The idea is to show a cigarette box, instead of the side effects of cigarettes, it shows side effect of collecting watches. Sanuj's Advice For Artists: If we think as artists, then we just make what we like. But if we want to make money from it, then we need to think like businessmen and make what people like and focus on what's in demand. Then it will be easy to sell. Check Out Sanuj's Work At: https://sanujbirlaart.com

With 70% of Saudi Arabia's population being under 30, and a new Crown Prince taking the role of leadership and introducing a new exiting vision to transform the country culturally and economically, it is safe to say that hope and ambition is in the air. New innovative ideas and startups are popping up everyday in Saudi Arabia. Here are 5 Saudi startups you should know about in 2020: 1-Ejaro: Ejaro is a peer-to-peer vehicle rental platform founded by Saudi entrepreneur, Mohammed Khashogji . One can call it an "Air BNB for cars". Such platforms already exist in Europe and the US, like "Turo" and "Get Around". However, Ejaro is the first platform of it's kind in the MENA region. Ejaro connects vehicle owners and users who seek to book and use vehicles for a certain period of time, through their website and/or app. With Saudi Arabia's automotive industry being the largest in the Middle East and having a high number of vehicles per capita, Ejaro, provides a very useful service for vehicle owners to make extra income and users to rent cars faster. https://www.ejaro.com/ 2- Beach Bisht: A new innovative concept and twist on one of the most traditional Arab garments, The (Bisht). Created by jewelry designer Nasser Farsi, The Beach Bisht is a combination of the Bisht and a robe, to be used for the beach. It will be available in both solo and dual sizes. Beach Bisht will also offer other innovative clothing products with high quality materials such as pants, towels and more. Beach Bisht's mission is to give people the ability to express their culture and uniqueness through clothing, The clothing company launched in Boho Beach in Jeddah on December 13th. https://www.beachbisht.com/application/index.php 3- Thamanya: Based out of Riyadh city, Thamanyah is a media company that is dedicated to telling interesting and unique stories out of the Arab world through documentaries, podcasts and articles. From the recent protests in Lebanon to Saudi models in Japan, Thamanyah has been able to cover the most important and interesting stories from the Arab region and presenting it to the world in an appealing way. The space that Thamanyah exists in, is one that is constantly growing with other players such as "Telfaz11"and "Uturn" becoming household names in Saudi Arabia and all over the Arab world. Thamanya's ability to find and appealingly present the most unique stories from the region makes it a candidate to be the next big media company. https://thmanyah.com/ 4- Dokkan Afkkar: Dokkan Affkar is an online shopping site that sells an array of the latest products. However the products all have a creative edge to them, and are not things that you'll find at your typical local store. Dokkan Affkar's cool, unusual products range from Backpacks with a USB and AUX port to iPhone covers attached with a small Nintendo console. Today, Saudis are making more orders and purchases on the internet than ever before, with companies such as Jollychick and Noon.com becoming a big success. The growing E-commerce industry in Saudi Arabia in combination with the unique products that Dokkan Affkar offers makes it a likely candidate to be a big player in the E-commerce industry. It's recent $2 million dollar investment by Mobily Ventures proves just that. https://www.dokkanafkar.com/ 5- SihaTech: SihaTech is a platform that connects patients with doctors through a website and an app. Patients are empowered by being able find the best doctor according to their needs and location. Sihatech also allows users to browse through a database of doctors, clinics and hospitals as well as choose the doctor that is closest to them or a doctor that is a specific gender or speaks a similar language. You can also learn more about the experience and medical degrees of the doctor before booking a direct appointment, as well as see if that particular doctor, clinic or hospital accepts your insurance. SihaTech offers a great solution to patients by making the booking process easier and clarifying all requirements before attending the appointment, as booking doctor appointments in Saudi Arabia is known to be a hassle sometimes. http://sihatech.com/en Share This Article With Your Fellow Visionaries!

Jacob Scott Jones, better known asiakopo (pronunciation: yah-koh-po), is an international recording artist. Until 2010, he performed as "Keys of Creation" before starting his career as a solo artist and officially recording and performing music under his name "Iakopo". His unusual upbringing is the reason for his music being such a fusion. Born in California, as the son of musical teacher, he's had a rough upbringing and had to move around a lot. First to the Samoa islands then Japan. Music has always been a part of his life, he would preforme in High School for free and was amazed by the audience's feedback. He would frequently travel and preform songs that he wrote. His musical career took off as he shuttled around the world. He had No. 1 hits in Hawaii, and got an offer from Universal Music Japan in 2009 and was brought to Japan. For five-years he was writing, recording, performing and releasing albums in Japan and beyond. He moved to Jamaica in February 2015 when his contract with Universal Music Japan expired, where he has been making hit songs with some of the most legendary Reggae artists. He is now working on his upcoming project which will be his biggest release yet. How Much Culture Shock Did You Get From Moving To Samoa? It was a big shock for me. Coming from The US and moving to the Samoan Islands, I came into a way of life that is completely different. People lived off of the land, everybody knew everybody's business, they slept on the floor, no TV's, no Microwaves and just surviving off nature. It was a very community based society, unlike where I came from. Was It Difficult To Break Into The Reggae Market At First Or Were You Always Pat Of It? I grew up preforming Raggae, so it was natural and easy for me. But you know, I don't look at music as markets, I just make music from the heart, and who ever likes it, likes it. A lot of my fans are Raggae listeners, however I have fans that are into other genres such as, Dancehall, HipHop and so on. Since You Are On The Road A lot, What Is Your Wildest Tour Story? There were many wild experiences, I'd say the wildest one was when I was touring around America in a tour bus that was running of Vegetable oil. We had to pull up to a McDonalds to fill it up with French Fries Grease. At first, the McDonalds employees weren't willing to give us the vegetable oil, but eventually, we got them to give us the oil buy buying 50 packs of French fries and preforming in the McDonalds. Many of the waitresses and employees ended up joining us on the bus and we got back on the road. A few hours later, we broke down in the middle of the desert. What Is Your Favorite Musical Project So Far And Why? My favorite would be the one that I am currently working on called "Burnings And Blessings". That is because I've been in a space where I am able to articulate my expressions into music in a way that I never had before, my artistic approach is more broader now, and my fanbase and demographic is wider. So I am able to cross over into different genres that I couldn't before. I am really exited about this project. What Are The Three Most Valuable Lessons You Learned From Your Journey So Far? -You should follow your instinct. -Believe in yourself. -Never give up and keep positive. 3 Non Reggae Artists You Would Like To Collaborate With? "How We Do It", Feat Future Fambo, I was out in Jamaica working on a video with Sean Paul, ended up in the studio with a producer named Shanizzle, and we decided on the song we wanted to make. We vibed out, freestyled the song, named it How we do it and people were going crazy when we were shooting the video, kids came out from the neighborhoods and started singing the song. How Did The World React To Your Style Of Music Since It Is Such A Fusion? I've been getting a lot of love from all over the world. Africa, Japan, New Zeland, South Pacific and many more places. I've been getting great responses. Since This Is A Middle East Based Publication, Are You Familiar With Any Music Coming From This Region? I am not familiar with any Middle East Based Artist, however it would be cool to make some kind of crazy collaboration there. (we'll make it happen ;) Where Do You See Yourself In The Next 10 Years? I see myself with 10 mansions, 10 farms with different animals and plants. Growing Hemp, still making music and building an empire. Tell Us About Your New Single. "How We Do It", Feat Future Fambo, I was out in Jamaica working on a video with Sean Paul, ended up in the studio with a producer named Shanizzle, and we decided on the song we wanted to make. We vibed out,freestyled the song, named it How we do it and people were going crazy when we were shooting the video, kids came out from the neighborhoods and started singing the song. Check Out Iapoko's Music At: https://www.iakopoworld.com/media

Paid In Full is a 2002 American crime drama film, directed by Charles stones and Dame Dash. It takes place in Harlem, New York in the 1980's. The title of the film is taken from the 1987 album and song by Eric B & Rakim. "Paid in Full" is based on three friends: Azie "AZ" Faison , Rich Porter , Alpo Martinez and their professional criminal exploits. The characters Ace (Wood Harris), Mitch (Mekhi Phiferr), and Rico (Cam'ron ), respectively, are based on these three drug dealers. Paid In Full, is one of the most Iconic movies in Hip Hop culture and bares many lessons. Here are 9 things you can learn from Paid In Full: 1-Make Sure Everybody Eats. Ace was able to maintain his crew's dominance, by making sure that all of his associates, friends, family and his entire Burau (Harlem) had their pockets and belly's full. That way, Ace was able to minimize jealousy, disarm potential enemies and, got everybody in Harlem to be loyal to him and even help him get richer . One of the fastest ways to reach success in any field is by helping other people. When you help and take care of others with your best intentions in mind, you shall receive a lot more than you gave. 2-Keep A Low Profile. Ace always made sure to be lowkey, he wasn't too flashy and discussed business only with a select few. He showed himself, just enough for people to know him, then went under the radar again. He let his success make all the noise. When you show off too much, brag about the things you are doing and the success you are having, you give your haters and enemies the keys to destroy you. They will use all of the opulence you show, against you. Also, on the road to success, you will encounter hate and criticism. You must keep working hard in silence when in these situations, instead of shouting and taking out your anger, let your success do all the revenge. Because as they say : “Empty vessels make the most sound”. 3-Keep The Aggression Minimal, And Only Use It When You Need To . Unlike the calm and collected leader Ace, Rico was reckless, loud and very aggressive. When the business required violence, he was the one to call. Rico's mindset was to respond to every single situation with violence, that is when Ace would come in, to stop him when it is unnecessary. It is safe to say that when Ace lost control over Rico's violence, the crew started to fall apart. Aggression in business serves many purposes, such as: expressing anger, Intimidation and assorting dominance. However, you cannot respond to every situation with aggression. It is a tool, only use it when you need to, respond to situations accordingly. 4-You Must Feed Your Wolves. Mitch's uncle turned on him and kidnapped his little brother, his crew member and friend Rico killed him. Calvin who was a friend of Ace's, ended up turning against him and shooting him. All of which, are betrayals that were not expected, coming from people that were considered friends and family. All of which happened because these individuals felt that they weren't being taken care of, even though they were in good positions. Greed is a trait that exists in all humans. No matter how much we have, we always want more, and sometimes we are ready to step over loved ones to get it. As a leader, you must understand that trait in people and feed those around you, even if you don't like them, in order to maintain stability. 5-Have Integrity And Always Tell The Truth. When Ace was working with a laundry shop and found a small bag of drugs in Lulu's clothes, he brought it back to him, which lead Lulu to trust him and start working with him. Later on, Ace found Lulu dead in his apartment, he took all the money and jewelry in the house and handed all of it to Lulu's associates. That got Lulu's associates to trust Ace and start doing business with him. Integrity and Honesty are the basis of leadership, they will take you a long way. It will give you a stronger reputation, satisfy your employees and associates, as well as increase the quality of your product, since acting with Integrity often means creating better products or services for your customers. Lying and deceiving will take up a lot of time and energy, because you will be presenting different faces to different people, and it will be very hard to be consistent with them. Being honest and acting with integrity on the other hand, will free up all your energy and allow you to focus on what's important. 6-The Spotlight That Comes With Success, Can Either Make You Or Break You, Use It To Your Advantage. The crew frequently hit the club, had fun, showed off and enjoyed all the attention they were getting. Ace used that attention to get more business and clientele, where as Mitch and Rico were using it to satisfy their material lust. Both Rico and Mitch ended up dead or in jail, Ace on the other hand walked away clean handed. Having big success puts you in the spotlight and brings a lot of attention , getting lost in the lime light can cause you to lose that success. You must use it to enhance your business, establish your self as a brand , build a reputation and not get distracted. 7-The Goal Is Not To Be Rich, It Is To Be Wealthy. With the amount of money that the crew threw away at nightclubs, bought cars ,jewelry, bikes and designer clothes with . They could have used it to buy appreciating assets and legal businesses to leave the drug game. Lulu for example bought properties, diamonds and gold, which allowed him to build up long term wealth. Spending money on depreciating assets and not having savings or investments will cause your downfall. People get rich and go back to being broke everyday, those who make long term investments with their money and time such as Real Estate, Businesses and learning new skills, are the ones who are rich forever. 8-Be A Sharp Dresser. Even though the crew splurging on clothes can be looked at as a bad thing, it does have a benefit. The Gucci tracksuits, Louis Vuitton Jackets, big fur coats and Rolexes that the crew wore, were like the stripes on a Tigers skin. It let others know that they mean business, are good at it and are not to be messed with or compete against. The way you present yourself is everything, the way you dress is associated with your level of confidence, intelligence and sophistication. The sharper you dress, the better people treat you and the more opportunities present themselves. 9-You Must Love The Game. After Ace got shot. He layed in bed, tired and barley able to talk, he decided he wants to quit the game, the negative consequences of the lifestyle were too much for him. When he asked Mitch how come he doesn't feel the same way, Mitch's response was simple " I Love The Game". His love of the game allowed him to push through all hardships. No matter what industry or line of work you are in, you will fail, face hardships, and go through trials and tribulations. The one thing that can help you push you through it, is your love and passion for it, if you wouldn't do it for free, don't do it at all. Make sure to share this article if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more!

Sudanese rapper, Taher Elias, AKA T.A ,is a rising star in the Sudanese Hip Hop scene. He was born in the Al Ain hospital in the UAE in 1996. He started listening to rap music in 2005, and made his first song in 2010. He started out rapping in English in Abu Dhabi, he then switched to Arabic recently, which brought him a new fanbase. He learned how to mix and master his own music as he progressed. Today he produces and writes all of his songs. His unique style which encompasses trap beats with Arabic raps, Sudanese slang and visuals inspired by Sudanese culture, places TA at the forefront of the Hip Hop scene in Sudan. His latest song "Khalata", became a hit, amassing over 150 thousand views. What Made You Want To Start Making Music? I felt that I can add something to the music industry. I always wanted to be somebody, so I mixed that ambition with my passion for music, and decided to rap. What Would You Say Makes You Stand Out From Other Up And Coming Artists? I feel like I made my own wave and my own sound. All what fans need, is some music that they can relate to. That’s what I aim to provide. Which Artists Inspired You? Lil Wayne Travis Scott J Cole Migos. What Was Your Favorite Piece Of Work So Far And Why? Khalata, I love the vibe it gives off, and the fact that it’s fully in house. The beat, lyrics, vocals, mastering, everything is in house. It also has a spacey vibe that hits real hard. How was it growing up in the UAE? It was pretty tough for me, so I lived in my own zone, as I was anti social. You made songs with Abu Dhabi based rappers, could you talk to us about the Hip Hop scene in the UAE and what you think about it? Yeah, they are heading to the top, shout out Freek, he’s putting AD on the international scene. I rock with them heavy, not just musically, but generally, as they are amazing people to be around. How about the scene in Sudan, tell us about that. Well, the scene in Sudan Just appeared a couple years ago. But, each and every artist managed to build their own fans and platform, so I see a bright future. Where Do You See Yourself In The Coming Years? A big international artist, and a business man. That’s what I'm giving my all to (inshallah). Who Would You Say Are Your Favorite Artists In The Sudan Scene? Flippter Rotation Who Are Some Artists You Wish To Collaborate With? Young Thug Migos Travis Scott Have You Thought About Creating A New Sound By Mixing Elements Of Trap And Music From Sudan? Well yeah, but not now, I'll keep it for later, as I'm fully focused on trap now. The Inspiration Behind Khalata? I wrote it 12 months ago, it felt right mixing that new trap sound with Sudanese slang and culture. Tell us about the live performance you had in Khartoum recently? The last performance was nice, but wasn’t my best. We shall work harder to achieve bigger. What would you change/improve in the scene in Sudan if you could? They don’t push us as Sudanese artists in the local or international media. I hope national TV gives us more coverage. Make sure to share this article if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more! Check Out T.A's Music at: https://soundcloud.com/taher-elias

Galaxy Juice is a Indie/Psychedelia band based in the Gulf Nation of Kuwait. Galaxy Juice is made up of 5 members: Salem Al-Salem, the vocalist/guitarist, Bader Al-Salem, the synthzier/drummer/vocalist, Fahad Al-Qubaa Synthesizer/Vocalist, Abdullah Asem, bass, Mohammed Al-Owaisi, drummer/percussions. Galaxy Juice is a one of a kind band in the region as, they are mixing Psychedelia and Khaliji musical elements to create a new sound. How is it being an Indie/psychedelia band in Kuwait? Well, it was hard being an Indie band in Kuwait at first. But, we were incredibly lucky to get a loyal fan base that supported and encouraged us to keep doing what we love to do. -Can You Tell Us about The "Alternative Music" Scene In Kuwait? The scene here is still growing slowly but surely, we feel like our mission is to keep pushing until we get global recognition. We have many talented people here in all fields of art and music. How did the band come together? We were High School buddies actually, we were in two separate bands that eventually joined together, and we decided to record our first album "Crystal Dunes", and it all started from there. -How did people initially react your music and sound? Surprisingly, very well. We were overwhelmed by people's reaction, because we weren't really trying to please anyone. We were just playing the music that we loved, and it really touched a lot of people, so it was really amazing. Your latest single Dancing Night was infused with some Khaliji elements, do you see a future where Arabia will have it's own sound when it comes to Indie bands? Yes, for sure. We are releasing an album this year called Galaxy Juice and the forty thieves. It will be based around this whole idea of Khaliji identity infused with guitars and synthesizers, so, yeah we are looking forward to that new sound. -Would you ever consider collaborating with artists from different genres such as Arabic music or Hip Hop? Actually, we already did collab with a Hip Hop/Rap artist called "2rabu". He's based in Japan and Kuwait, he's an amazing Artist that you should check out. We did a song together called "Carry on", which you can find on our SoundCloud. What are 5 dream collabs of yours? That's a hard one, but let's say: Snoop Dog, Mndsgn Daftpunk Kali Uchis Kevin Parker. -Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Still doing what we are doing now, and touring the world . Any plans to come to Saudi soon? We were very happy to play in the MDL Beast festival in Riyadh last December, and sharing stage with many great international artists, so yes we will be back very soon ;) Check Out Galaxy Juice's Music at: https://soundcloud.com/galaxy-juice-band Make sure to share this article if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more!

JC The Don (Born James Carter) is an American Rapper/Song Writer, from Huntsville, AL. JC started out his music career in 2017, with his first EP “4 The Beginning” and hasn’t turned back since. His unique style, made up of singing melody and fast spitting lyrics, landed him a deal with United Masters, an American music distribution company founded by legendary Business Man and Hip Hop Author Steve Stoute. This makes JC a candidate to be an artist that will reach mainstream success in the coming years. His latest two singles "HitStick" and "Lakeshow" are currently buzzing in his city. What Got You Into Music ? I was just trying to find a stress reliever as I was going through a lot in life, so I decided to try it out. This was about 2 years, I've been going strong ever since. What is the Inspiration For Your Sound? Inspiration behind my sound, has to come from the pain that I have experienced from life situations. I really put my heart in my music. How Did You're Lattet Single "Lakeshow" Come Together? Lake show came together with me being a Lakers fan, and also being a Lebron James fan. I have hopes of getting Lake Show on 2k as well, that is where the benefit of signing with United Masters comes in. Through United Masters , I’m able to request for my song to be looked at by their team, to be featured in NBA Arenas and all matters dealing with the NBA. Where Do You See Yourself In The 10 Years? In 10 years, I see myself having my own label, with multiple other businesses and having one of the hottest artist signed to my label. Since We Live In An Era Where Many People Are Attempting To Be Rappers, How Do You Plan To Differentiate Yourself From Your Peers? I just separate myself from other folk's sound by being myself. I found it works out in your favor being a genuine down to earth person, and that is my personality. I also feel like, people can recognize how real I am as a person, and that is what ultimately make me stand out from my peers. Who Are 3 People You Dream Of Collaborate With? Yo Gotti Drake Kevin Gate Can You Talk To Us About “Hit Stick”? Hit Stick was made off the strength of me wanting to get a song on Madden. Also, I used to play football, as you can see, that’s me on the cover from my semi pro days. I used to always come down the field hitting hard, so that’s why I called it HitStick ! Check Out JC's Music At: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-yf0Q4wnHRWe_2ygvUu9Cw Make sure to share this article if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more!

Majid Al-Husseini gets on a call with AbdulMalik, AKA Statues Of Sinking Men (SOSM), an Electronic/Alternative music artist based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss how he got into music and what the future holds for him. Make sure to share this article if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more!

Majid Al-Husseini gets on a call with "SHELOVESHARIS" a melodic rap/R&B artist originally from Chicago, based in Dubai, to discuss his beginnings in music, the music scene in Dubai and more. Check out SHELOVESHARIS's music at: https://soundcloud.com/shelovesharis Make sure to share this article if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more!

Eon Sleth is an artist based out of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He mixes genres and experiments in delivering emotions through music. Resulting in his music becoming a unique fusion. Can you tell us more about your background as well as your beginnings in music? Well I started mostly like everyone starts I guess. I grew up listening to everything and was always fascinated by different genres and how they work. At 16, I started making songs, writing with friends, recording them in a closet and posting them on YouTube. Horrible stuff really, but we thought it was pretty cool back then. We showed the songs to everyone at school, and looking back at it now, everyone made constant fun of us. But, I fell in love with music right then and there, I couldn't stop. Until this day, I'm making music knowing that I might never make it or it might be a joke. But the love never really fades you know. How is it being a musician in Saudi Arabia? Well I guess it would have been easier if I switch to Arabic music. But so far, it's been tough. Lack of interest means lack of opportunity. But I guess now, it's slowly going somewhere better for us as musicians, and as you can see everyone is trying to jump on this new wave. We have been waiting to feel like we have a chance and now we feel like this is it. If you could change 3 things about the music scene in Saudi, what would it be? I would say the language barrier. The commercial aspect is another thing too, I feel like this is why we don't get more creative and diverse in the music that we make. They are looking for the same thing over and over again, which is very limiting. Racial preference is also an issue, some nationalities are accepted and others aren't taken seriously. Even if they have great content and creativity. These three issues would be what I would change to ease everyone's struggle. With your sound being such a fusion, how to your listeners react to your music and do they ever try do put you in a box? Well, I usually try to make them vibe with it even if it could be different. Sometimes I make a song that only a certain group would like. Other times, it could be more towards a general audience. So even the people who liked the more mainstream-ish songs, slowly start getting into the rest of my music. But that's only the Brightside. Truth is, a lot of people never get it, and just look the other way into hip hop for example. whether they put me in a box, of course they do. Always saying "your like this or that artist". Even if I don't sound like that at all, not even the genre Would you ever mix Arabic/Saudi elements with your music? I would mix Arabic elements if I get the right idea , I'm never against it. Depending on how you use it, it might be different then what's expected, but still beautiful. What are 5 dream Collaborations of yours? I would say: 1.Billie Eilish 2.Pierce The Veil 3.Eden 4.Kendrick Lamar 5.Oscar And The Wolf How about the local scene, Any Middle East based artists you wanna work with? I think I'd like to work with Flippter. He is weirdly different for a rapper. I'd like to work with Nadine Elroubi as well. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Most probably doing what I love, on a worldwide scale. On a tour with all the people that helped me, and became close friends with me through this hobby Eon's advice for you: Never give in to your insecurities and don't look to do things perfectly every time. Or else you will not progress or do anything. Check Out Eon's Latest Song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMv_90ooUAc Make sure to share this article if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more!

Marwan Shahin, is a visual artist from Egypt. He's been living and working in Los Angeles for almost a year now. His work started to garner attention when he created a mural of his infamous "The 2Vth (The Anonymous Pharaoh)” piece In Alexandria, Egypt, in 2011 during the Egyptian uprising. His mural was celebrated by the protesters, the press, the street and the art world. It was considered an iconic representation of the Egyptian Revolution, it was chosen to be on the cover of the critically acclaimed “Walls of Freedom” book. He also featured on The New York Times and The Huffington post just to name a few. Which Resulted in his art being shown all over the globe, he would go on to collaborate with great talents and genius producers that would help him conceptualize his vision to come to life. He created album covers for some of the biggest names in the music industry and got the attention of his peers & idols, such as, Shepard Fairey, Takashi Murakami & Cleon Peterson. -How was it growing up as an artist in Egypt? Growing up as an artist in Egypt wasn't ideal honestly, since the very begining, I was always met with resistance from my teachers, family and loved ones. The idea of making money through art was never a realistic concept to Egyptian people, so they've always managed to shoot down that dream whenever it was expressed. Instead, I was always encouraged to get a regular job that would provide a steady paycheck. I took this as personal motivation to actually go for that dream and prove everybody wrong, and it worked. -How did you get into making art and which artists inspired you? I'm a self taught artist, I've always been drawing since a very young age, I think around age 3 or 4. I started out by doodling and sketching which then grew into drawing; I was notorious for doodling in class. I moved my focus to graphic design and digital art by the time I attended art school. So I studied Visual Communication at The Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria University. At some point before I graduated, I was tired of the commercial and consumerism ideologies that came along with studying graphic design, so I wanted to shift my focus, new skills and knowledge back into creating art again, professionally this time. I was always inspired by the art giants like Shepard Fairey, Roy Liechtenstein, Cleon Peterson, Takashi Murakami, Damien Hirst, Banksy, Dali, Daniel Arsham, Sorayama, Ron English and Robt Williams. I've always wanted to create art on that same scale. -Can you tell us the story behind going and painting "2vth" on the wall in the streets of Alexandria? I wanted to create an iconic representation of the youth's revolution in Egypt. The Guy Fawkes mask holds so much power, its the perfect imagery for revolting. I chose to mash that with Tutankhamun, because he was a young pharaoh who died at the age of 19 (as alot of young Egyptian kids sadly lost their lives too early in the events of the uprising in 2011). Later on, I decided to take off his crown as I wanted him to represent the people not the king. I created a mural of "The 2Vth", right after the uprising in Egypt on this big grey wall in Alexandria, around mid-February just before the Mubarak regime was taken down. Both the Egyptian people and the street art world really respond to it, it was really amazing to see how the people started wearing the Guy Fawkes mask during Egypt's protests post 25 January, 2011. - How did you feel when you first saw your 2Vth mural become a representation of the Egyptian revolution? After creating "The 2Vth" during the Egyptian revolution, I had the privilege to witness how people can come together as one to make change and do the impossible. When people get over the minor differences and unite for their rights and the common good, it is the most powerful human experience and definitely the most inspiring. I definitely believe that, if art can deliver a message to the people in a powerful, cool, relatable way, it can generate a conversation that empowers people to feel confident to voice their opinion and demand their rights. So as an Egyptian artist, I felt like it was my duty to contribute to visualizing the youth's drive to seek a better future and create an image that represents every single Egyptian, demanding his/hers rights. Later on, The authors of the critically acclaimed book “Walls of Freedom” Basma Hamdy and Don Karl, reached out to feature "The 2Vth" on the cover of the book, which documented all the street art and graffiti that flooded the streets of Egypt during the revolution. The book itself was banned in Egypt and all the copies coming from Germany got confiscated by customs, because they said that the book was "instigating revolt" as it contained imagery confronting the police and armed forces at that time. I guess that piece started a domino effect; resulting in showing my art all over the globe, collaborating with great talents and genius producers that would help me conceptualize my vision to come to life, creating album covers for some of the biggest names in the music industry and getting the attention of my peers & idols. -How are people reacting to your paintings that discuss the lack of women's rights in the Middle East? The reason I wanted to make the BANNED series, is to play my part as an artist and join forces with all those who fight for women's rights in the Middle East. By using my art as tool to represent and inspire all the Arab women who feel oppressed and have no voice to protest it. Using the Niqab as their superhero costume. It started in 2012 with “Born to Ride”, a piece featuring a girl wearing a full niqab (black burka) breaking the law in her country, risking her freedom and life by taking her gold-studded Harley bike for a revolutionary ride while the police are hot on her tail. Around the same time, Donald Trump was promoting the Muslim Ban, "Born to Ride" birthed my "BANNED" series, discussing women’s lack of equality and rights in the Middle East and confronting islamophobia. Which featured other warrior women in niqab caught in the act of doing things they’re BANNED from doing (pun intended). So, it was really important for me to confront islamophobia and put the spotlight on the lack of equality, insufficient freedoms and oppression that they have to deal with as Arab women. The series has received mixed feedback, it was always either a love or hate reaction, which is what I truly believe what good art should do. The piece got so much love from Middle Eastern activists and art lovers but it also got a lot of angry responses, that reached the point of death threats. -Your journey took you from painting on street walls to working with big names in the music industry , getting international recognition and having your own products for sale, what are 3 most important things you learned from that journey? 1. Got to have faith and belief that whatever you're investing in is going to work 2. Talent is not enough, you need to be persistent, driven & a hard worker 3. Patience, Good things takes time -What is your favorite project so far and why? My favorite project I've worked on, is our new art production studio in Egypt. "Shahin Studios". Which is being run by my brother and co-founder, Mohanad Shahin. It was our intention to start the first art production studio that creates high end art prints, aesthetic drops and art installations in Egypt. It started with our first creation "SMOKING KILLS", which is an art piece made entirely out of stolen lighters. We are also currently creating face masks with art printed on them, part of the proceeds from the masks will be donated to COVID-19 efforts. . -We are admirers of two people you've worked with, Saud and MIA. Can you tell how it was linking up and working with these two artists? I'm very blessed to get to create art for musicians I'm genuinely fan of, Like Saud & MIA. I think Saud, is easily one of the best Middle Eastern producers out there right now. We have been working together since 2017, and I think it was bound for me and Saud to work together, since He's connected to many of my friends and frequent collaborators. It was just a matter of time before colliding the art with the music. The cover for MIA was one of the first covers I ever made (I think around 2010-2011), and I know it had to be special, so I had to really bring everything I had at the time when it came through. Her management and DJ September 7th, reached out for me to do the art, It would probably look much different if I made it now. -What made you want to start your brand Ownbred, and what is the goal for it? Ownbred started as a passion project between me and 2 of my closest friends Kikam & Saber ElAssar. We all shared the same knowledge for fashion and clothing and the desire to create a brand that represented youth, who are able to achieve self sufficiency and define their own entity in our current times, like they are their own breed (own-bred). We each had our own thing that we are completely focused on and were dedicated to. But at the same time, we all realized the luxury of passive income and having multiple ventures that increase cash flow so we can still be able to pursue our artistic ambitions. So I would say that was one of the main goals behind starting Ownbred. -Can you tell us about your 'No Sympathy for The Pharaoh' exhibition and what it is about? Ever since I moved to Los Angeles from Egypt in 2017, I was really determined on having my first solo show in the same city that adopted me. So since my arrival, I was relentlessly working on creating art for it ,even though I had no sign of any potential opportunities for my own solo show, I still did the work and created the art for it, so whenever it happens I'd be ready. I was working on a completely new Contemporary Egyptian body of work, I wanted to do basically what ancient Egyptians were doing 7000 years ago, which is to tell and document their history through imagery and art. I've been researching ancient Egyptian murals and paintings and their design system so I can create my own interpretation of them. For "NSFTP", I’ve drawn from ancient references and combined that with modern history, cultural misconceptions and social commentary. The reason why I approached this concept is because as an Egyptian artist, I always felt that Egypt's rich ancient culture in art, design and architecture hasn't been properly referenced or built upon in contemporary Egypt or in the modern world. I wanted to change that through the body of work I did for the exhibition. I really have the intention for the work I’m doing to be looked at in a few hundred years from now the same way we’re looking at Ancient Egyptian Murals & artifacts today. -What advice do you have for artists and creatives who want to monetize their creations and skills the way you have? I'd say that any one could do it, you just have to start somewhere and have the determination, the will & faith that you'll actually make money off your art despite of your current situation or what everyone around you is saying. I'd recommend trying to invest as much time as you could into developing your craft and style, plant your seeds and the fruits will present themselves sooner than later. And even if they don't, you better not give up because it's not working out now, because its only a matter of time. If you want it, it will happen for you. Check Out Marwan's work at: https://www.marwanshahin.com/ Make sure to share the article and subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates, exclusive content and much more.

Majid Al-Husseini gets on call with Philadelphia based Entrepreneur and Fashion Designer, Hamed Sharif to discuss his innovative brand "Aneeq Apparel". Check Out Aneeq Apparal's Website At: http://aneeqapparel.com/ Make sure to share this video if you liked it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive notifications on our latest posts, as well as exclusive content and much more!