Alexandrian trap-behemoth, and star of our very own Rabka documentary series Ahmed Ali, aka Wegz, has dropped his latest EP titled Gezirat Albatl (Hero's Island). Since his 'Batalo Fake' release with Hesham Raptor in 2017, the 19-year old has whipped up multiple bangers from his hometown, El Wardian. Gaining him widespread traction, Wegz's 'Ymkn' ('Maybe') is centered on the themes of money, status and power - all three of which the artist considers to be futile. His collaboration with the nationally-revered mahraganat artist Sadat for 'TNT' would change his life forever.Wegz's new EP release was gradual, with one track issued each day over the past week. Addressing feelings of loss, sadness and heartbreak, the four-track compilation delves into previously uncharted territory. Indeed, the album's woozy and lethargic style is atypical of Wegz's genre, rendering it a refreshing venture in R&B.
Inaugurating Gezirat AlBatl is the impactful track 'El Zar,' named after the exorcism rituals in Egypt and around the Middle East. Referencing everyday malevolence, all the while expressing his determination to command it, Wegz subsumes both meanings in the DJ Totti-produced opening track. Meanwhile, 'Kan Nefsy' is more humble in both sound and meaning. Addressing depression, heartbreak and loss, the album's second track expresses hopelessness in the form of high-pitched warbles. The somberness bleeds into 'Horeya' ('Sirens'), with Wegz's heartfelt pleas to be re-acknowledged - one can assume - by a former lover. Alas, ending as it begins, the album's final track '3la Ra7ty' ('On My Own Terms') is triumphant. Asserting that he will continue to prioritise his interests and those of his family in order to eventually run the world, Wegz assures us that his blues are ephemeral and by no means a surrender.
