Explore Shaabi on Josplay Music This contemporary urban musical genre, which has its origins in the countryside, combines a very eclectic range of instruments, from the most traditional and classic, like the riq, cymbals, large and small (tura and sagat), the nai, and the kanoun, to the western violins, accordion, saxophone, trumpet, electric keyboard, and now the digital sounds of the computer.
Shaabi is used as a broad term for something that isn't extremely complex because the word Shaab meaning "people," refers to something that comes from the people. The popular Baladi music that was prevalent in Egypt from the 1920s through the 1940s served as the inspiration for the genre. Shaabi started to develop and take shape in the 1970s. It is a genre that evolved from Cario's streets and depicts lower-class Egyptians' tribulations and way of life.
Influenced By: Baladi
Spin-Offs: Mahraganat
Though Shaabi songs may seem to disregard tradition, they are steeped in Egyptian cultural expressions, often more in tune with the vernacular of the working class than the more Westernized music of the upper classes. A typical Shaabi song begins with a mawal, an unstructured vocal improvisation that conveys emotions such as love but frequently addresses government corruption, social grievances, or everyday struggles. These vocal improvisations are either accompanied or answered by instruments such as the nai flute, accordion, or modern keyboards. After the mawal, the song transitions to a faster rhythm, typically in the double-time maqsoum style, accompanied by the tabla drum.
The rise of cassette culture in Egypt contributed significantly to the genre’s spread. Songs were passed from kiosks to taxi drivers and through microbuses, becoming accessible to the wider public. In the 1970s, Ahmed Adaweyah became the first Shaabi singer to achieve mainstream success, selling millions of cassettes with his distinctive sound that fused vocal improvisation with urban beats. He began performing at religious festivals and street weddings but soon transitioned to high-class events, performing at clubs along Cairo’s Pyramids Road.
By in a the early 2000s, Shaaban Abdel Rahim rose to fame with controversial songs like "Ana Bakrah Israel" ("I Hate Israel"), becoming a folk hero for his populist lyrics. Other notable Shaabi artists include Hakim, Saad El Soghayer, Amina, and Abdelbaset Hamouda, whose music has reached international audiences despite occasional censorship. Over time, Shaabi has evolved, with some singers adopting autotune and electronic elements, paving the way for the development of Mahraganat—a more modern, electronic offshoot of the genre. Mahraganat retains the rebellious spirit of Shaabi but incorporates club beats and autotune to appeal to a younger generation.
Each Shaabi performer introduced their particular brand of singing to each era, which had a distinct singing style of its own. The Mawwal is one prominent Shaabi form of singing in which the phrases are extended to demonstrate the singer's vocal prowess. The lyrics of the songs may speak about love or a folkloric tale.
Shaabi lyrics often combine intense political commentary with humor and double entendre, making them both entertaining and reflective of societal issues. The themes typically revolve around politics, personal life, love (sometimes quite explicit), drug and alcohol use or abstinence, poverty, work, money, and marriage, capturing the everyday struggles and aspirations of working-class Egyptians.
As a musical form, Shaabi is the voice of the street, an urban expression full of feeling, double entendres, and social commentary. As a dance, Shaabi reflects a true and authentic expression of the Egyptian people and their humor and playfulness.
The timbre of Shaabi music is defined by the employment of both traditional instruments like the darbuka and the mizmar (a type of reed instrument), as well as contemporary instruments like synthesizers and drum machines (a type of drum). A bold, expressive manner is frequently seen in the voice
Shaabi music often has a prominent percussion part that includes hand-held percussion instruments like the Mazhar and Darbuka as well as drums. A keyboard or melodic instrument, such as an accordion, is frequently used to carry the tune, and a vocalist is frequently present as well. Syncopated, pulsing Shaabi rhythm called the Maqsoom thumping, the beat of the Goblet drum suggests that the time signature is 4/4 The components of Shaabi music are frequently put together in a way in a musical arrangement that emphasizes the vigor and rhythmic drive of the genre while still leaving room for the melody and lyrics to shine. To do this, you may layer several percussion instruments and use a range of textures and dynamics to produce an exciting and dynamic composition.