At the height of Egypt’s 2011 revolution, indie pop band Cairokee captured both national and international attention with their singles “”صوت الحرية (The Sound of Freedom) and “الميدان” (The Square); songs made unforgettable after being adopted by protestors as hopeful, rallying cries. 8 years later, Cairokee are more cynical and electronic than idealistic and acoustic. Nevertheless, they continue to serve as catharsis for young Egyptians with the album “أبناء البطّة السوداء” (2019), translated by the band as The Ugly Ducklings.
The title itself evokes alienation, in that البطّة السوداء, literally “the black duck,” is a phrase used to describe an outcast in Egyptian Arabic. The album opens with “”بنخاف (We are Afraid), a dirge-like track that comments on the feelings of isolation inherent in modern living. In the same vein, the lyrics in “كان لك معايا” (You Have Lived with Me) seemingly decry the disconnect between the empty encouragement meted out by celebrities and the vast majority of Egyptians, who are still living under the thumb of the government: “Stars in the sky telling you how to live/Taking advantage of your tragedy.” The song also samples Umm Kulthum singing the original “كان لك معايا” (You Have Lived with Me), which could be interpreted as either nostalgia for a time when celebrities were genuine or a pointed reference to her political activity and governmental support. Overall, the song could also be a response to criticism aimed at the band for appearing in Coca Cola advertisements; a way of distancing themselves from other artists who have truly “sold out.” The following track, “يا أبيض يا أسواد” (Black or White) speaks to the uncertainty of living in contemporary Egypt. The narrator vents his frustration by recounting a series of failures and faults he finds in his society but is ultimately complacent in his place within it: “Either black or white is the story of my life and all my tales/Though I’m okay, okay living in the gray halfway.” This reflects the sentiment that many young Egyptians feel in living in the aftermath of an ultimately unproductive revolution. “أنا الصوت” (I Am the Voice) harkens back to Cairokee’s revolution days in its sound and lyrics, though the words take on a darker tone, warning oppressors that “I’m the one who’s hard to sedate.”
The band’s original Western indie rock-inspired sound has been replaced with an electronic exploration of Arabic musical genre. While songs such as “”بنخاف (We Are Afraid) and “هاتلنا بالباقي لبان” (Give Us Some Gum for the Change) are largely Western in their style, songs like “يا أبيض يا أسواد” (Black or White) and “”أنا السيجارة (I Am the Cigar) clearly draw from Egyptian shaabi music. Their use of this urban folk genre sound communicates their national pride and commonalities they share with their audience. Journalist Amira El-Noshokaty writes that the western style of Cairokee’s revolution-era music undermined the patriotism of its lyrical content, though their continued blending of shaabi sound with indie pop in their more recent albums sends an obvious message to the contrary. “يلا نغنّي” (Let’s Sing) is a rap, which to writer N.A. Mansour is perhaps, as a Black American genre, not a sound that can truly resonate with Arab audiences. However, Palestinian hip-hop group DAM and others have adopted this style of music to voice their social struggles, and the topics they and Cairokee use fit very well with the traditional content of rap.
For the future of Cairokee, the sky is the limit. By releasing their music on YouTube, they are able to circumvent the censorship they have faced with past albums and reach a worldwide audience. Continued marriage of Arabic and Western genres is sure to yield new and exciting musical styles, and the band’s meaningful lyrics ensure that they will stay relevant to Egyptian youth.
Cairokee. (2019). The Ugly Ducklings. Takwene.
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Mansour, N.A. (2020). Cairokee and its Audience: How an Egyptian Band Stays Relevant. Maydan: Islamic Thought. https://themaydan.com/2020/01/cairokee-and-its-audience-how-an-egyptian-band-stays-relevant/
Salah, Hend. (2015). 12 Years & Counting: An Interview with Cairokee Ahead of the Band’s Huge Galleria40 Gig. Cairo360. https://www.cairo360.com/article/music/12-years-counting-an-interview-with-cairokee-ahead-of-the-bands-huge-galleria40-gig/
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