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Ali Yasser Salah El Deen AKA "Bboy Thug" is a Saudi Arabian Break Dancer and Hip Hop Connoisseur born in Jeddah and Living In Riyadh. He is a member of the (CID) (International Dance Council) and a member of the dance crew "One Heart". He started dancing in 2003, his nickname in the break dancing scene is "Thug" . He traveled to many different places to preform and spread the word about the movement of break dance and hip hop that is taking place in Saudi Arabia. He was also rapping from 2006 to 2010, even though he stopped, him and his crew that was founded 2005 continue to compete on the nation and world wide stage. What Made Get Into Break Dancing? The many movies I watched as a kid and underground gatherings happening in the neighborhoods, attracted me to it and made me want to be a part of it. How Did Saudi Society React To You, Did They Support Or Hinder You? In the beginning, unfortunately, society wasn't supportive, and criticized us a lot. Support was there but it was very little. After 2010 however, as break dance culture got more popular in the country, more and more support started coming and the light on the culture became less negative and more positive. However, we do not receive the kind of support that we want and need, all dancers are supporting themselves financially and setting up events and competitions themselves. But we are thankful, because it is going in the direction that we want. Demand is going up and our hopes are high, Hip Hop will be the number 1 art form in Saudi Arabia! Tell Us About Break Dance In Saudi Arabia Break Dance entered Saudi Arabia during the 90's, it was the first element of Hip Hop to reach Saudi. It started in the neighborhoods of Jeddah, then it spread to Makkah, Medina, Riyadh and Dammam. Gatherings and competitions started taking place every weekend in these cities, after 2010, the gatherings became much less and many dancers stopped dancing,however the culture is becoming strong again as it is starting to get more popular and more commercial. Give Us Detail About Those First Gatherings And Events That Took Place Before 2006, there were many events, however the culture wasn't very strong and dancers weren't very aware of the culture. Meaning, many dancer were just dancing without knowing the steps, basis and names of the dances which is normal because at that time, we did not have social media to be able to learn from professional dancers overseas. There were many names in the scene, some left and some are still here, however they all left a stamp in the scene (Wont mention the names in order to make sure i don't leave anybody out). The first official Break Dance championship happened in 2007 in partnership with Red Bull. 5 years later with the support of Red Bull, Saudi Arabia participated in The Middle East Break Dance Championship, "Bboy Lazy' represented us and won the championship. Where Do You See Yourself In 5-10 Years? I see myself participating and winning international competitions. Have a lot of media coverage, and have my name marked in Break Dance and Hip Hop history. I also see myself doing many workshops on break dancing and spread and strengthen the culture. I already started doing such things. I did a booth in collaboration with The Saudi Arabian Sports Authority, to raise awareness about Hip Hop and Break Dancing, to make sure people really understand what the culture is about and leave the stereotypes they have. Many people attended and supported, Graffiti artists, famous rappers, singers and government officials as well. I plan to make a lot more event like this in the future, that is how we will push our culture forward. In Your Opinion, What Are The Required Steps That Need To Be Taken In Order To Push Hip Hop forward in Saudi Arabia? Hip Hop or any other "alternative culture" for that matter, wont move forward and evolve in the country until us, members of the culture and movement evolve and push our selves forward. We must work to spread awareness about our movement with all of it's elements (Graffiti,DJ,MC,Rapping,etc...). We must correct our mistakes and eliminate the negative stereotypes that the masses associate with hip hop because of mainstream media. There are many ways to do that, me and my crew started doing that by organizing live shows all across the country. The booth that I mentioned earlier had good results and we need more of it. There also has to be a lot of collaborations, all dancers,rappers,Dj's and Graffiti artists must come together and create content that will go viral and spread the culture. Being The People That Are Pushing Hip Hop Culture In Saudi Arabia, Are You Mixing Elements From Saudi Culture With Hip Hop? Hip Hop is definitely a culture that you can mix and mash up with other cultures and we have done so. We would dance to Arabic an Saudi songs, as well as incorporate Arabic instruments such as Oud and Arabic Drums to the hip hop songs we normally dance to. We have many more ideas coming to incorporate Saudi culture with break dance and hip hop Who Are 5 Artists/Dancers You Would like to work with? -Bboy Storm from Germany -Saudi Rapper Qusai -Boogaloo Storm -Mr Wiggles -Popinpete Bboy's Advice For You: If you want to make your dreams come true, you must challenge yourself first, lock your ears away from negative talk and feedback, no matter how many times you fall, you will find a path to get back up. Do not rely on luck or other people and depend on yourself.

ياسر علي صلاح المعروف ب "Bboy Thug" من مواليد جده وعايش في الرياض.   عمره 30 ، عضو في المجلس الدولي للرقص وعضو في قروب ون هارت. بديت الرقص في عام 2003، لقبه الحركي في المجال "thug" وناشط حركي في مجال الهيب هوب في السعودية . سافر لكثير من المدن لعروض الرقص ونشر ثقافه الهيب هوب كامل لانه كان يغني راب في 2006 ، ولكن قليل الاغاني الي غناها. وفي 2010 وقف الراب واستمر في الرقص فقط طبعا هو و قروبه قدمو عروض على مستوى المملكه في جميع مناطق المملكه وتأسس القروب في نهايات 2005. ايش كانت بدايتك في مجال الرقص و ايش خلاك تدخل هالممجال؟ من الافلام وكمان الشارع, تجمعات الرقص هي الي حمستني اكثر اني ادخل المجال في ذاك الوقت  حبيت الرقص وحسيتو جدا ممتع لما بديت فيه وفعلن كنت استمتع. كيف تفاعل معاك المجتمع السعودي، يدعموا وله ضد؟ بالنسبه لأول كان كثير للاسف منتقدين وضد والأغلب يدعم وكأنو قليل ، ولكن في الفتره الحاليه من بعد 2010 بدا يكون في دعم من المجتمع وصار في اقبال كبير جدا. ولكن الدعم الي نبغاه ماهو موجود كل الدانسر او كل الهيب هوبرز يدعمون انفسهم بأنفسهم والحمدلله في اقبال من كل الاعمال وصار جدا مرغوب حالياً والهيب هوب قريبا بيكون الفن الاول في السعوديه. كلمنا عن ثقافة البريك دانس في السعودية، وين بدأت و كيف و ايش كانت التحديات ثقافة البريك دانس جدا قويه في السعوديه وهي الثقافه الاوله في الهيب هوب الي دخلت السعوديه ، بدايات ال90 قبل العناصر الأخرى. بدات في جده وانتشرت لمكه والمدينه والرياض والدمام ، هذي المدن الي كانت تحتضن التجمعات والتحديات ، كانت بشكل اسبوعي, كل ويكند. للاسف التجمعات قلت من بعد 2010 وكثير من الدانسر وقفو عن الرقص والتجمعات صارت نادره في الوقت الحالي.  بالنسبه للرقص ، جدا له مكانه كبيره في الهيب هوب وهوا ثاني عنصر والآن الرقص صار افضل من اول وثقافة الرقص صارت واضحه ، اول كانت جدا حماس وقويه ولكن حاليا صار في وعي في الرقص اكثر من اول. ممكن تكلمنا عن بدايات هل ثقافة في السعودية، يعني عن هالتجمعات و ايش كان يسير و مين كان فيها في ما قبل 2006 كانت الثقافه ضعيفه ولكن كانت التجمعات قويه ،  ضعيفه من ناحية الاساسيات وهي اساسيات الرقص لان كل نوع رقص له اساس وخطوات لازم تمشي عليها وفي ذاك الوقت كان في لعب ورقص قوي ولكن الأغلب ما كان يعرف وش يسوي وبعض المسميات غلط وهذا شي طبيعي في ذاك الوقت, لان مافي سوشل ميديا وقتها ويوتيوب والخ كان اشرطة افلام رقص والخ . الاسماء جدا كثيره الي كانو موجودين والبعض منهم ما زال والبعض منهم ترك الرقص ولكن اسماء كثيره وضعت بصمه في الرقص بالسعوديه ، ( بدون ذكر اسماء عشان محد يتحسس اذا انحط اسمه او ما انحط )  اول بطوله في السعوديه رسميه في 2007  صارت مع شركة رد بول ، ولمدة تقريبا 5 سنوات ومن رد بول شاركة السعوديه في بطولة الشرق الأوسط ومثلنا فيها "Bboy Lazy" واخد بطل الشرق الأوسط ،  وبما اني ناشط حركي في مجال الهيب هوب والرقص في السعوديه قاعد أسعى دائما في دعم التجمعات وإقامتها . وين تشوف حالك فال٥-١٠ سنين الجاية؟ بعد 5 سنوات واكثر اشوف نفسي في بطولات خارجيه وعالميه واكون داعم كبير للمجال عالميا وإعلامياً. لان انا اشوف نفسي اني راح اوصل لأكثر من الي انا عليه لحبي لمجالي وراح يكون اسمي مخلد في المجال باذن الله ، راح اطلع مسارح كبيره وورك شوبات تعليميه اكثر. بالنسبه انا اول شخص في السعوديه أقام بوث عن ثقافة الهيب هوب في الرياض مع هيئة الترفيه عام 2017 و هيئه الرياضة 2018 . جمعة كل العناصر في مكان واحد وقدمنا عروض وأيضا علمنا الناس وتحدثنا عن ثقافة الهيب هوب ، من اول منشئها قدام مجتمع سعودي ما يفهم في الهيب هوب والحمدلله حضر كثير من داعمين المجال ومشاهيره من رابرز ودانسر وجرافيتي وديجي وبيتبوكس ، كان حدث قوي عن الهيب هوب وأعجب فيه كثير من المسئولين وتغيرت نضرتهم عن الهيب هوب وصححنا اخطاء كانو فاهمينها الناس. برايك, ايش هي الخطوات الأزمة عشان تتطور ثقافة الهيب هوب في السعودية (من ناحية الحكومة،الشعب/الجمهور و الفنانين) الهيب هوب ما راح يتطور الا لما نتطور حنا لازم نقوي ثقافتنا حنا كدانسر او كل هيب هوبر ، من رابر الى دي جي وجرافيتي نقوي ثقافتنا في مجالاتنا وننشرها بالطريقه الصح لازم نصحح اخطائنا ثم نصحح الأخطاء الي فاهمينها الحكومه والشعب والجمهور . طرق التطوير ونشر الثقافه جدا كثيره ، بدأتها انا وقروبي من مدينه الى مدينه في كثير من مناطق السعوديه بالعروض وغيرها ، وكمان البوث كانت خطوه ناجحه لي لنشر وتوعيت الناس في ثقافة الهيب هوب ، من اهم الاماكن الي تقدر ننشر الثقافه فيها الاماكن العامه الي فيها تجمعات الناس .دائما حنا نكمل بعض كعناصر الهيب هوب لما نتشارك في فيديو وغيرها من الاعمال وهذا الشي ضروري, كرابر يطلع دانسر او دي جي او جرافيتي معه في فيديو او دانسر وجرافيتي والخ . ( اذا قدمنا شي صح راح يوصل الجمهور والشعب والحكومه كل شي صح ) كدانسرز و هيب هوبرز سعوديين، هل ضفتوا او رح تضيفوا عناصر من الثقافة السعودية لشغكم، لو اي، ممكن أمثلة؟ الهيب هوب من الثقافات الي تقدر تدمجها مع ثقافة بلدك. ونعم صحيح أضفنا الثقافه السعوديه مع ثقافة الهيب هوب ، والهيب هوب له اساسه ولكن في كل دوله راح تندمج مع ثقافة البلد نفسها . مثلا ( الرقص ندمج اغاني عربيه او اغاني وطنيه في العروض وغيرها ، او دمج معزوفات عربيه مثل العود والطبل وغيره في ميوزك الرقص نفسه والأفكار كثيره في دمج الثقافه السعوديه مع الرقص ). والراب كذالك تقدر تدمجها وأيضا العناصر الأخرى ، يمديك تدمجهم مع الثقافه السعوديه ولكن لها انطباع خاص . فنانين/دانسرز ودك تشتغل معهم، سواء كانو سعوديين او اجانب اشتغلت مع كثير فنانين ودانسر سعوديين واجانب وقابلتهم ، احب اشتغل مع كل شخص يخدم المجال. كان مغني او دانسر ، ( bboy storm من المانيا مواسس ومبتكر ومطور لأساسيات رقص الbreaking , الرابر قصي ، boogaloo Sam , mr wiggles, popinpete ). نصيحتك لالناس الي قاعدين يحاولون يحققون احلامهم نصيحتي للناس الي تبغا تحقق أحلامها ، اذا تبغا تحقق حلمك تحدا نفسك اول ثم تحدا الناس وقفل اذنك من كلام الناس مهما اخطئت وطحت راح تحصل الطريق الصح وارجع و اوقف مافي شخص بالدنيا ياخذ شي يبغاه بدون تعب ، لا تعتمد على الحظ او على غيرك. اجتهد وخلك طموح وأخيرا خلي في حياتك طموح ان وصلت له انت ربحان وان ما وصلت له راح تكون نفسك راضيه لانك حاولت توصل للشي الي تحبه.  الهيب هوب اعتبره انا تحت التاسيس بدا يكون في اقبال بدات الثقافه تزيد عند الهيب هوبرز قبل الجمهور, حنا قاعدين ناسس ونحط للناس اساسيات الهيب هوب وننشر الثقافه ذي, فعشان كذا لكل هيب هوبر لا توقف راح يكون الهيب هوب الفن الاول بالسعوديه باذن الله.

Safwan is a music producer from Saudi Arabia , he produces beats and instrumentals in the Hip Hop and Funk Genres. He was born in Jeddah in 1993 . He lives in Yanbu , graduated from Yanbu industrial college with a high Mechanical Diploma in 2015 and a BS degree in the same college. Tell Us About Your Music And How That Started? I started making music in 2012 because I always wanted to be a producer, I feel the beat more than the lyrics , so that's how I hot into production. I make Hip-Hop and dance beats. But most of what I make and I'm perfect for is Hip-Hop and Funk. How Is It Doing That In Saudi? I'm just trying my best and reach the top, no matter where I'm at. It doesn't matter where you are, you will make it if you are very talented and believe in yourself. What Do You Think About The Up And Coming Music Scene In Saudi And How Do You See Yourself Contributing To It? Hip-Hop in Saudi is getting more popular unlike the old days , and it's kinda being accepted today. There's are a lot of Hip-Hop fans in Saudi. And me as a producer, i think I'm gonna make it , because I know I'm doing something real, plus there aren't much Hip-Hop producers in Saudi specially with what I'm doing, so there is a chance. Where Do You See Yourself In 5-10 Years Career Wise? One of the best Hip-Hop producers in the Middle East. Every Visionary Goes Through Trials And Tribulations, What Are/Were Yours? It’s simple, my job, it’s killing me,. If I was free I would do my thing and make it to the top faster. What Are 3 Things You Would Like To Change In The Music/Hip Hop Scenes In KSA? - A lot of rappers here don’t know much about the history of the musicologists in the genre and that’s a problem.  - There’s not much RnB or NeoSoul vocalist.  - There’s no real support or interest in media for underground producers and rappers or singers just like me. I think I’m good at making music and I produce several genres but I still don't even having a Small fan base , and to me, I’m not looking for fame I just make what i love , but that’s the thing, there’s no real support. How Do People React To You Being A Saudi Based Producer? I’m not even popular yet, but I'll talk to you about the people around me , I get supported from most people around me and they think it’s rare and good to be a Saudi producer. Who Are 5 Artists You Would Like To Work With?(Local Or Foreign)? 1- Dalia Mobarak 2- Tamtam 3- Qusai 4- Loulwa 5- Majed Jordan Safwan's Advice To You:  Never Say Never

Dj Licious is a belgum based DJ and producer. His passion for House Music took him on a long journey through the music industry. He released many hits under different labels such as ‘I Hear You Calling’ on the legendary Positiva record label, as well as remixing Avicii’s & Rita Ora’s worldwide smash ‘Lonely Together’. As an aspiring DJ, he set up his own clubbing concept SHOMI, which he still runs till this day. He has been touring Europe playing the famous "Defect In The House" parties and has been playing sets for festivals and events worldwide. In 2018 alone he racked up 18 million streams across all platforms. The industry considers him to be the next big thing in the House Music genre. We had the pleasure to talk to him and learn about his humble beginnings and what the future holds for him. -What Were Your Earliest Memories Of Doing Music And What Made You Fall In Love With It? Well I started playing the piano when I was 7, but before that music was all around me in my life. My dad is a big music enthusiast so I was raised with a lot of classical music and a lot of 60/70’ music :-), but I fell in love when I started listening to house music. That changed my view on music completely. -You Started Out As An Aspiring And Went On To Producing Hits And Collaborating With Industry Giants, What Are The 5 Most Valuable Lessons You Learned From That Journey? 5 valuable lessons! Here goes: • Creativity is everything. • Keep pushing your boundaries, never believe that you have achieved everything, cause you haven’t. Your work is never done. • Trust only yourself, although many people have good advice and you should always listen to it, you and only you have the final decision to make. • When you have a setback, and things are not going your way, don’t avoid it! Look at what went wrong and try to learn as much as you can, or you will keep making the same mistakes. • All the lessons above are worth nothing if you don’t enjoy the journey! You never know when it ends, so look back sometimes and be grateful. -Who Were The People You Looked Up To? There are too many people to mention, but basically anyone that works hard to reach their goals is someone I look up too! It doesn’t matter how big your dream is or how far you got, just the fact that you are trying is something I admire a lot. -“Good Vibes Come From Nothing But House But House Music” What Are “Good Vibes” To You, And Why Do You Make It Your Job To Create Good Vibes? House music is all about love & unity, that is what I understand to be good vibes. So if I can make just one person smile on the dancefloor, mission accomplished. -Every Visionary Goes Through Trials And Tribulations, What Are/Were Yours? Nobody in my family or circle of friends was working in the music business, so I had to learn a lot in the beginning and I made a lot of mistakes that could have been avoided if I had the right people around me from the start. But I don’t regret it, cause it only made me wiser now. -Who Are 5 Artists/Producers/A&R’s You Would Like To Work With In The Future? Too many to mention again, but I am a big fan of Thom Yorke (Radiohead) but would also love to work with London Grammar, Florence & The Machine, Lamb & Flume. -What Was Your Most Meaningful Piece Of Work You Put Out To This Day, And Why? I think that must be “I’ll be alright”, it is not my most famous piece, but the emotional messages I still get every day, is just mind blowing. I touched a lot of people’s heart with that for which I am very grateful! -What Do You Think The Future Of House Music Looks Like? House music will always stay present in it’s purest form. It just adapts to different forms as a reaction to what is happening in the world in that moment musically. Thinking forward many years ahead is pointless, cause music is changing so rapidly right now with the internet, even after 1 year a track can be outdated. -Where Do You See Yourself In The Next 10 Years? Still making music, and hopefully reaching a lot of people in the process and making them smile. DJ Liciou's Advice For You Stay strong, although it seems hopeless sometimes and you think you won’t make it, I strongly believe that you will as long as you don’t give up. A little trick to not give up, is to never compare yourself to others. You are not them, and they are not you. Check Out Licious Music on: www.djlicious.be Check Out Visionary Magazine's Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/visionarymagazine

Flavius Trica is a 26 year old fashion designer, living in Romania. He does web design, printing and fashion. Although he works with different companies to design different things (like websites, brandings and all that). What he loves the most is to work in fashion. He has a brand where he inserts his designs and ideas without being stalled by anyone. Two years ago he started his own fashion brand, Mstar Clothing & Acc. Also known as HouseofMstar where he designed his first two collections, Vanity which contains one time only edition articles and Devil's Line. The idea of Mstar focuses on exclusivity, "I don't want the t-shirt that he wears to be on 10000 other people" is the phrase that is constentley in his head when desiging clothes, and that stands on Mstar's ground combined with all of his creative ideas. What Got You Into Design And All It’s Different Forms? We are living in a world where you are judged by appearance and I like to contribute to that. There are people who, by wearing a special outfit will feel special, it's like they put an armor that gives them confidence. That’s what I want to do! I want to empower people who wear my designs by giving them confidence. When Did You Start And How Did You Get Into It? (First Program Used, First Design Created, First Inspiration, Etc...) My first design was a t-shirt featuring some skulls and a message: “until 24 I was a boy, now I’m a designer". I was inspired a lot by Olivier Rousteing, who is the creative director of Balmain, he is doing a great job there. I'm also inspired by McQueen . When I read the life story of Alexander McQueen, I found so many things in common with him and somehow he is still an inspiration although I never met him and probably never will. I also got inspired by movies, books, and old looks that I find on Pinterest . In this tech era, you can find anything you want at a glance from your mobile phone, you just need to open your eyes and the inspiration will come. But the main thing that inspires me is the people. I got inspired by them, they are the main actors here. How Would You Describe Your Style, And What Is/Are Specific Inspirations For It? My personal style is a combination of military-casual with small touches of elegance. I like to wear structured clothing from raw materials with military buttons, straight pockets, biker jeans, not large and definitely not super slim, I can’t stand slim trousers on men, it’s gross. I don’t wear the same outfit or something very similar two days on a row, I change it everyday but I try to keep my style even if I wear an elegant shirt or a basic tee. I like denim clothing a lot, is like my favorite material, I also have an obsession for jackets and perfumes. I think for men it’s easier, they should wear clothes that inspire trust, women on the other hand should wear clothes that inspire sex appeal and elegance at the same time, but for both sexes always wear what suits you the most and you will emanate confidence, otherwise you will look and be insecure. Where Do You See Yourself In 10 Years? Presenting 4 collections per year and dressing super models for the Met Gala every year, that’s when you know you made it in fashion. What Is The Future For Your Brand? Mstar will always keep it’s identity and will follow on the idea that people are unique so why dress them all the same? One thing is for sure, I will never follow trends, I hate trends, they make all people look the same. What Kind Of Impact Would You Like To Have On The World? These days designers lack ideas, they create ridiculous outfits just to get out of the box but those outfits tend to make people look like clowns. I want to change that. People should stop wearing a clown outfit in order to be unforgettable and it’s the designers fault, so yeah, I really think I have the power to do that. Every Visionary Goes Through Struggle/Trails And Tribulation, What Are/Were Yours And How Did You Overcome? There were struggles with the fabrics mostly. On the first products, I had so many tries regarding prints that failed, bad fabrics etc. until I found the perfect combination in order to create a good article. But I am aware that it is just part of the process and I know that I will encounter more challenges in the future as well, you can’t create something good without failing a few times before. I overcame it through work. When you’re doing what you love you feel relaxed and you don’t feel the pressure the same way. I work a lot, I’m always working, Monday to Sunday. When you’re having a brand and a path to where you want to go then you have to work more than 9-5 Monday to Friday. What Do You Think About The Fashion Industry In Dubai And The Middle East? Fashion industry in Middle East is really on a highway to the sky at the moment, from designers and models to influencers and of course the customers who pay a big attention to looks. Apart from the many talented designers based in the Middle East, I am very happy that designers from all over the world are starting to pay big attention to the people in the Middle East, more specifically to Middle Eastern women, creating stunning collections for them. They are the some of the most powerful women that I've encountered and luckily they do know how to take care of themselves so they deserve outfits that will make them remembered. Dubai is starting to become the center of everything (it's already is the center of many things) and luckily fashion is a domain that is on it's list. I think in the next years, Dubai can be a fashion capital, in line with Milano, Paris and New York. Personally I love the arabic influences especially on clothes, talking about rich embroideries on fabrics, personalised hijabs, arabic ornamental prints on silk scarfs. What can I say?! I can't wait to launch Mstar's Middle East collection, sooner than you will think. Flavius's Advice For You The key is to do what you love and always but always stay focused at your plan. My favorite quote? “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough” Check Out Flaviou's brand Mstar at: www.mstar-shop.com

Cerena is a rising Freshman at Temple University, she recently graduated from The Episcopal Academy. She started doing visual art at a young age, around 5 or 6 years old. From then on she practiced drawing people and shapes. When she was 12 , she got serious about her art and began working with shading ,highlights, proportions and more. However her supplies were limited to a number two pencil because of the poorly financed art program at my elementary/middle school. When she began attending the Episcopal Academy as a freshman in 2015, she started using more supplies after being introduced to different styles and material. She started selling her artwork as she began improving with the supplies, and by my sophomore year she created a small business with selling her work through Instagram. she still does art commissions to this day, and she is going into Temple for visual arts but, will also do performing arts throughout college. What Got you into art, were you inspired by a certain artist as a child or was it naturally a passion of yours? It was naturally a passion. I remember in preschool I saw a lady drawing a three dimensional house and from then on I wanted to do that, and more. When It Comes To Your Own Style, How Would You Describe It, What Is It Inspired By And Is There A Specific Theme? My own style is semi realistic, although I can do realistic paintings I prefer to have a blended style like that because, I can add many aesthetic elements to it. Did You Go Through Challenges And/or Failures When First Trying To Sell Your Paintings? Yes, many people would want me to lower my prices even though my prices were already low. And many others wanted free artwork. I was making art during a time where it was a trend for people to easily create digital drawings of random people with a free iPhone app for fun, and a lot of my past audience thought that my artwork- that I used traditional supplies for- should either be super cheap or free. So i grew my audience by doing artwork in exchange for shoutouts from popular pages , and from there my page grew a different audience. Then I started gaining popularity on my own by making time lapse videos of my artwork. After gaining a lot of following from a new, art loving audience , I started getting more art requests. But I then faced the challenge of juggling my schedule. Because I got hundreds of people wanting my artwork and I had to pick my customers based off of what I thought I could do in my limited free time, because for my four years of high school, I attended a very prestigious , very time-consuming and very academically challenging school. And in addition to the academics , I was doing musical theatre , one of the presidents of two clubs , and more while juggling the artwork. So selling my paintings was something I had to squeeze in there. Do You Remember The First Art piece you sold, what did i it feel like? The first piece I sold was back in middle school when I did lined paper drawings for people for $2-$5 each. It felt great and I bought candy with the money But if we are talking about actual serious artwork selling, the first piece I sold was for a friend, of her friend. And it was a drawing for $45 (what would be worth $125 now). Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In ten years i see myself being well known , but not too known. OR, I just go MIA but I’ll still be doing big things like maybe Broadway or owning my own art company, or both! My dream is to be in professional musical theatre and have a job with a small company working in the background that I own. Would you say your passion for art and theater are intertwined? I feel like my passion for art stems from how long I’ve been working on it , and my passion for theatre is separate but still super huge. When I was younger I would always be doing art but was super interested in musicals and performing but didn’t have any skill to perform, because I never thought I could do it. And when I went to high school and did my first musical I was hooked, and by my sixth show I knew I didn’t want to stop. But both visual art and performing art are demanding fields . I’m really leaning more towards musical theatre now but I don’t wanna leave painting and drawing behind Who are 5 artists you would like to collaborate with? @artbybankrupt @omar_ortiz_artista Sara Sandoval @emzdrawings And Jazza from YouTube What kind of impact would you like to have on the world? I’d like to show young people, especially young black kids in Philadelphia that they can be anything they want to be in life. You don’t have to be a doctor, lawyer, scientist, basketball player, or studio artist to be successful. A lot of young black boys growing up in the hood in Philadelphia are convinced in and/ or out of school that they’d be successful if they get in the NBA , NFL, or become rappers. And in school we’re all taught that academics is the only path to success. As a young girl I wanted to sing and draw and act, but no one ever told me how to make that into a career. I was always educated on writers, scientists, historians and etc. but I was never taught that I could chase a career in Broadway or be more than a freelance painter until I worked for three years of my Philadelphia-public-school-life to get into a private high school. The K-12 private education is where I found the most opportunities were given and I learned so much about how I can hone in on my skills to work towards being successful jn many visual art + performing art careers. I would’ve never known about if I stayed in the Philadelphia public school system. Young kids of color in the city are not encouraged as much , if at all to be more and do more than what they see around them. Does the fact that you have a lot of social media followers helped excel your art career, If so, what are 5 things you tell other artist out there to do, so that they can grow there social media as well? It definitely does because having a lot of social media followers means my art can reach thousands at a time for free instead of paying hundreds for a two hour art show every time I wanna showcase my art I say show people what you are making, take videos of the progress (people love to see the end result come from a rough beginning), advertise your work, make sure you know the Instagram algorithm, and never post early in the morning on weekdays if you want a post to flourish -I see many African women in your paintings, what is the inspiration behind that? I paint and draw a lot of women of color not just because of the lack of women of color seen in paintings - I do it because it’s so fun to experiment with the colors on darker complexions. Light values and shadows just pop, and so do bright colors against the rich shades of brown What Was Your Most Meaningful Piece And Why? The purpose of this painting is to point out not only the general/universal beauty standards (left) , but even in the black community, dark skin girls have to look a certain way to be considered beautiful and this is what I am portraying in this painting. Not only is it called beautiful if you are light skinned, etc., but dark skin girls have to have long curly hair, sharp jawline, glowing skin, fleeky eyebrows, etc. In order to be considered "beautiful". The message is, No matter what you look like, you are beautiful. -If You had To Replace Your Self With The Life Of Another Artist, Who Would It Be? And Why? If I could put myself in another artist’s shoes, I’d put myself in Beyoncé’s. It’s not a widely known thing, but Beyoncé does paintings as well. I’d like to see her work so badly because I know that she puts her all into her pieces. They must all be super passionate and/or fun or powerful because she does them for therapeutic reasons as well. -Cerena's Advice For You! And my advice for artists would be to not compare yourself to others to point out negative things about your work, and saying someone else is “better” than you. That’s like comparing apples to oranges. Instead look for ways to change up your style and improve your own skill. "I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite." -- G. K. Chesterton

Jara is a Saudi based rapper and Fashion/Streetwear enthusiast. She started to dabble with fashion and music, in order to Bring something different to the Saudi market. Her experiences and different style are the tools she uses to Advocate for streetwear and rap to top that off. She was born and raised in Jeddah ,lived in Sweden for 4 years and goes back & forth between Jeddah and Sweden. Describe Your Beginnings In Music And Fashion. Regarding music, I started writing in Sweden, when I was going through a dark time. Expressing myself through music was my only outlet. But I started focusing on it more a few months ago. Regarding fashion, I’ve always been the odd one out, especially here in Saudi. I named myself "Hoodjabi" a few years ago. I didn’t feel myself as a Hijabi so I combined modesty with style. and I started wearing hoodies as a type of hijab. Combining modesty with streetwear. And that’s pretty much how I started. So what is your ultimate goal with your music? I want to prove that you can make hits without swearing and singing about profanity. I want to show that as a woman, I can still make it and be modest. Jara is a brand you know, not just a person. What do you think about the fashion and hip hop scene in Saudi Arabia? Fashion wise, I feel like it’s very generic. The models are very copy paste. They all look the same and it’s very hard to get work if you look different the way that I do. Streetwear isn’t so big here, and there aren’t many ‘influencers’, who have the style that I do. It’s more hippy, boho and basic. The music Industry here is more or less a joke, it’s based more on comedy than on lyrical content and talent. The Arabic rap scene is growing but the English scene is non existent, I am trying to shine a bigger light on people like me and other creatives to try and change the way it’s going. What are 3 things you wish were different about each of those industries? Modeling wise I wish the focus wasn’t on being basic. And that there was more attention and focus on originality and uniqueness. Especially ethnic and size wise too. With streetwear and fashion in general, the way I dress is considered masculine, the looks and comments I get cause of the way I look is very toxic. People make many assumptions and I wish people would be less stereotypical regarding looks. I’ve been told that I seem very intimidating just cause of how I dress. Music wise, every producer, talent manager, and almost everyone in the industry that I have met with tells me I won’t make it cause I rap in English. Arabic is the only way anyone is going to know who I am. Like my success is based on local engagement and that rapping about things I actually care about in English won’t take me anywhere. I wish music was taken more serious in the Arab world in general and internationally, I wish that music wasn’t based on genericness. Do you plan to change that or be involved in the change of those things?, if so, how? I’m gonna keep going at it, try to be more consistent and give the world everything I have to offer. consistency is key. What’s your most meaningful project so Far? My streetwear documentary, it sums up who I am and what I want to do. (Watch Below): Who Are 5 Artists You Would like To Collaborate With? The dream. just a dream probably never a reality: Joyner Lucas J cole Kendrick Jorja Smith 070 shake. For now that’s what comes to mind. How do people outside of Saudi react To You, like Sweden for example, what do they think when they see you, a Saudi-Born female rapper and street wear enthusiast? In Sweden it was pretty encouraged, I felt more out of the box when I used to wear the hijab there. I slowly transitioned into dressing more street and wearing my hoodie as a form of modesty, and once I did I wasn’t looked at that much. In Sweden I dealt with racism cause of my color and attitude more than how I dressed. Rap wise I don’t fit the norm there either. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Well hopefully, making a big impact, not just here or the Middle East but internationally. Showing that you can defy the norms, and excel in whatever field you choose, no matter what your circumstances are. If you could replace your self with any other artist/creative, who would it be? No body. As cocky as that sounds. I don’t envy any of them. Honestly, female wise most of them don’t have the same mindset as me when it comes to modesty and how I want to present my self. I don't necessarily believe in everything they stand for. Billie maybe if she wasn’t white and she could rap. So if Billie and Joyner Lucas had a baby. Something like that. Check out Jara's music at: https://soundcloud.com/theycallmejara

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