Music
Oran’s Bawdy Rai Music
Bawdy and subversive, with a history and lyrics that speak to Algeria’s pluralist past, Rai music flourishes in the Mediterranean port city of Oran while its superstars have built international reputations.
Saving Sounds
In a world where memories can fade and history is often erased by the forces that seek to control it, Afghan-American collector Omid J. reminds us that preserving stories — whether through songs, films or simple moments captured on a cassette — can be an act of resistance.
How Diljit Dosanjh Changed the Way Sikh Men Are Viewed in Pop Culture
While it was only in 2024 that Diljit Dosanjh became a household name in India, over the course of two decades the Punjabi pop star has slowly and effectively changed the way people look at Sikh men and present them in South Asian pop culture.
Rap Is the Next Chapter of Sudan’s Sonic Story
Music has always played a role in Sudan’s history of revolutions, displacement and reconciliation. Now, in the midst of the latest conflict, a new generation is exploring its musical roots with rap.
The Music Plays Again in Mosul
The maestro is back home in Mosul, along with many of the previously displaced musicians. The campus theater hall is being rebuilt, and the statue of Othman al-Mosuli is back on display by the railway station, waiting for the toots of trains that bring new visitors.
On the Screen, Libyans Learned About Everything but Themselves
From California to Cairo, none of the films that featured my country, Libya, could step out of an Orientalist vision of camels, belly dancers, an endless desert and, of course, our iconic “Brother Leader.”
Bob Dylan Helped Me Survive Pirate Captivity
I was spending hours alone with my thoughts, ever since a gang of pirates kidnapped me from a car outside the dusty crossroads town of Galkacyo, in central Somalia, during a reporting trip in 2012. The mystery of this song became an obsession.