“Spicy shatta shorty she roll Egyptian loud” has to be one of the hardest lines in the history of MENA rap – dare we say, in the history of rap ever. And it’s in the hook of one of the hardest female collabs to come out of the scene since perhaps Feluakh and Dena Anuk$a.
Felukah and Dounia single handedly remind us why we need to see more Arab women represented in music. They add a flavour, quite literally a spice (no pun intended) to the music scene with their unique perspectives and fly lyrics.
‘Say Hi to my Demons’ is an example of just that. Produced by local rising stars Ka2en’s resident producer Sudma, the instrumental is a dark, sultry trap beat that acts as the perfect bedding for these versatile artists to lay their demons in.
Felukah kicks the song off with said hook, floating liltingly over the beat with incredible flow. It’s truly a flawless hook that carries the song, with its catchy title-phrase and an earworm of a melody. For the verse, however, Felukah takes a step back from her usual intricate bars and high-concept messages, opting for a simpler approach. That being said, Felukah still conveys the intended message with grace – embracing her shadow self, allowing the listener to see every side of her without a trace of shame.
After a sick beat drop and vocal pitch, the highly anticipated featurist Dounia comes in with the classic Dounia-esque bang – sultry vocals delivered with a royal attitude that inspires the goddess in us all. “Overactive imagination, making life one big vacation”, she begins, rapping with a jolting flow, before doing the honours of the song’s bridge.
Special shout out here to Sudma, the producer, and Temple Sound Studios for the mix and master – the track’s production and engineering are seamless, highlighting both artists’ strong vocal qualities on a hit-song structure.
Listen to ‘Say Hi to my Demons’, courtesy of the wonderful Abu Recordings and EMPIRE, below.
