WELCOME TO ASLAN MEDIA MUSIC!

Monday Mixtape: The Brothahood’s Jehad Dabab

Music hardly exists in a vacuum. Like an interconnected web, each tune and each track released to the world came from somewhere and leads to somewhere else. At Aslan Media, we recognize that very few albums come to us without influence, and it is those artists that walked the road before who shape the styles and expressions of the musicians we profile.

To show that music is an expression that knows no physical, cultural, societal or economic boundaries, Aslan Media is beginning a new regular series called Monday Mixtape. Artists profiled on this site share with us the tracks that inspire and influence who and where they are as music artists. The genres covered by these playlists are limitless, as are the artists they include. Whether situated in the Middle East or beyond, they carry universal messages found in every region of the world.

We begin our Monday Mixtape series with Jehad Dabab (better known to his fans as Jehad or “G”), a founding member of the Melbourne-based Islamic and socially conscious hip hop group The Brothahood, profiled here by Aslan Media. “I’ve always loved hip hop growing up,” Jehad told Aslan Media Arts and Music editor Safa Samiezade’-Yazd. “I loved the lyrics, I loved the meanings, and I loved the way they used the wordplay and the poetry- it was just really inspiring.”

At the same time, Jehad also found that mainstream rappers were out of touch with everyday life, spewing out tracks that glorified drugs, misogyny and the pursuit of “bling,” all completely irrelevant to Jehad’s life as a minority voice in Australia. “The old school hip-hop has always been a tool to provide an alternative viewpoint to the mainstream media,” he explains. “If you want to call it old school, call it old school, but as long as there’s some sort of message or some sort of benefit you’re getting out of the music, that’s what it’s all about for me.”

“I think they [artists] have a big responsibility because artists are a voice for the people, and it’s a responsibility that we all- if we’re just sitting around talking about meaningless stuff, it’s a responsibility we’re not fulfilling.”

Here is a sampling of the artists and tracks that inspire Jehad and influence his music:

Brother Ali- Picket Fence

“Ali taps into my emotions with this track and paints a picture with his words,” says Jehad. “Hi bold honesty gives the listener insight into his world.”

Watch the video here

KRS One- Hip Hop Knowledge

“KRS’s ability to break down complex details of history in this track inspire me and prove that hip-hop can be used to reach out to the masses on any topic,” says Jehad.

Watch the video here

Blackstar- Thieves in the Night

“I love the way Mos Def and Talib Kweli bounce back and for in this track (and their whole Blackstar album). With four people in The Brothahood, it’s important that we use these techniques to keep our flow fresh,” notes Jehad. “This track is smooth and conscious. My type of jam.”

Watch the video here

Immortal Technique- The 4th Branch

“Tech spits mad knowledge on this track, he speaks about the media being the 4th branch of the government,” explains Jehad. “This was the first Immortal Technique song I’d ever heard and his ability to capture his audience with metaphors and demanding voice is truly unique.”

Watch the video here

Common- I Used to Love H.E.R

“A hip-hop classic. Common talks about the love of his life and how she’s changed over the years. The listener is lured to believe he’s talking about a girl, at the end of the track he reveals who he’s actually talking about,” says Jehad. “Guaranteed you’ll have to listen to the track twice.”

Watch the video here

Ice Cube- Ghetto Vet

“I never get sick of this track,” Jehad remarks. “It reminds me of myself growing up an so many people that I know. When we were younger, we thought we were invincible. Cube really paints a picture for the listener in this track and helps you appreciate life.”

Watch the video here

Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth- They Reminisce Over You

“A feel-good track with that instrument that defines hip hop,” says Jehad. “Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth talk about their life growing up and make the listener feel a part of their journey.”

Watch the video here

Musiq- Just Friends

“I can’t help but move when I hear this track. No matter where I am, if this track comes on, I have to bop my head, tap my foot or start moving somehow,” says Jehad. “Musiq Soulchild has a unique gift and bring conscious lyrics to R&B. He doesn’t just talk about love/sex; he talks about life.”

Watch the video here

Warren G- This D.J.

“I grew up listening to Warren G and G Funk,” notes Jehad. “His smooth relaxed style influenced my own flow and even my attitude on life. I’m pretty laid back thanks to G Funk. The bass on this track is ridiculous.”

Watch the video here

Outlandish- Aicha

“I can relate to Outlandish and their lyrics on so many levels, perhaps because we’re ethnics who were born and raised in a Western country. They stay true to their beliefs and hold strong ties to their origins. They’re all from different backgrounds, like us in The Brothahood,” Jehad explains. “I’m a big fan of Cheb Khaled and the fact that Outlandish pulled off an English version of this classic song is amazing. It’s a feel-good track and I know many people who named their daughters Aisha because of this song.”

Watch the video here

Jurassic 5- Remember His Name

“A reminder that death could be around the corner, it could happen to anyone, anytime. A creative track that uses wordplay to make you think death is someone they know, but the J5 guys have forgotten his name,” remarks Jehad. “Bangin’ beat too!”

Watch the video here

To learn more about Jehad and the rest of The Brothahood, you can read our exclusive interview in which they talk about their newest CD release, socially conscious music and why hip-hop continues to flourish amongst Arab and Muslim youth worldwide. You can also download their latest album, Mixtape 2.0, for free, and follow their updates on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

*Photo Credit: Rawberry Creative, image courtesy of The Brothahood’s Facebook page

• < Prev
• Next >