A delegation of music professionals will promote the Lebanese music scene at the Babel Music XP Festival in Marseille this month. Their collective presence at Babel under the Focus Liban umbrella is the first activity of a sector-wide initiative that will start rolling out later this year.
In parallel, Beirut continues to pulsate with the rhythms of innovation through its Shuruq Live and UNS music series. This week, the city’s cultural tapestry is further enriched by the emergence of M7DHON©, a new alternative hip hop collective set to captivate audiences with their unique sound.
On Friday, March 22, the avant-garde collective M7DHON© will take the stage at Station, offering a series of performances that promise to redefine the boundaries of hip hop. Bridging the geographical divide between Lebanon and the diaspora, the members of M7DHON© are united by a shared commitment to a DIY ethos. This ethos not only challenges the polished aesthetics of mainstream hip hop but also confronts the pervasive clichés within the Arabic-speaking world. Through their distinctive styles, the collective’s rappers weave raw lyrics into moody, bass-heavy beats, crafting narratives that oscillate between social commentary and personal storytelling. Their music serves as both a homage to their cultural roots and a poignant exploration of the contemporary malaise afflicting Beirut.
From March 28 to 30, the Babel Music XP Festival in Marseille will become a nexus for Lebanese music, thanks to the efforts of Station Beirut and its Shuruq Music platform. Joining forces with key Lebanese cultural institutions such as Beirut & Beyond and Rumman/Stereo Kawalis, and in partnership with the Institut français du Liban, this delegation aims to cast a spotlight on Lebanese musical talent. The initiative seeks not only to showcase outstanding artists like Rust, Khansa, Sanam and Bedouin Burger but also to foster connections with music professionals across the European Union, the Mediterranean, and crucial markets in the global south. The Focus Liban endeavor at Babel is driven by a multifaceted agenda: to display the rich tapestry of Lebanese music, to engage and inform music professionals globally, to forge collaborative partnerships for training and distribution, and to facilitate international collaborations that will invigorate Lebanon’s music ecosystem. The participation of Focus Liban at the Babel Music XP Festival heralds the beginning of a series of initiatives designed to elevate the Lebanese music scene onto the international stage. This represents not merely an opportunity for global exposure but a strategic move to enrich the local music ecosystem through international partnerships and collaborations. The engagement of Lebanese music professionals at the Babel Music XP Festival underlines a commitment to showcasing and developing the rich musical heritage and contemporary talent of Lebanon on a global scale. This initiative promises to usher in a new era of international recognition and collaborative opportunity for Lebanese artists, signaling a bright future for the nation’s musical expression.
Moreover, every Tuesday at 8 PM, UNS offers a sanctuary for lovers of improvised Arabic music in Beirut. Supervised by the artistic vision of Khaled Yassine, each session showcases a unique assembly of sonic combinations and musicians, culminating in an open jam session that welcomes participants to contribute their instrumental prowess.
