Palestinian rapper rknddn has been in hiding for quite some time for unknown reasons, but his fans are thirsting for new projects and music, given his undeniable talent. For his latest release ‘3awwi’, he is joining by two heavyweights who happen to be frequent collaborators of his, as Jordanian producer Big Murk and Palestinian rapper/DJ/producer, Muqata’a, join forces for a juke-inspired drill beat.
An upbeat rhythm with a despondent melody; Big Murk’s production boasts a balance of stomping your feet while crying your eyes out (metaphorically of course). The use of a disheartened piano riff sends the notion of despair and losing hope, but the rapid pace of the drums would automatically force a head-bop out of its listener. Murk places the snares in a drill form, but the kicks, percs, and hi-hats just scream footwork/juke due to its choppiness and glitches.
This leaves a leeway for rknddn and Muqata’a to lay out their lyrics without intrusions or having a sense of a sonic element out of place. In ‘3awwi’, both artists reflect on the hardships and struggles of daily life and the burgeoning anxiety that fills our hearts and minds. They also mention the forgotten prisoners who do not get to see the light of day in an unfair “justice” system.
Big Murk, rknddn, and Muqata’a finds solace in each other, with constant collaborations among each other, but ‘3awwi’ marks their first collaboration as a trio, and they did not miss. Catch their hip-hop experimentation below.
