Egypt's mahrganat music: from the streets to five-star hotels

Born in Egypt’s working-class neighbourhoods, mahraganat music is loud and raw, and these days it is practically impossible to escape. But for the artists behind it, mahraganat is more than just party music: they see it as the latest chapter in Egypt’s rich musical history. In this third episode of the season, we travel to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to discover the origins of a genre that has become the soundtrack to urban life, despite receiving no official airtime. Mahraganat evolved from shaabi: music by the people, for the people. Although it rose to prominence during the revolution of 2011–12, it has since become less overtly political. It remains the music of happiness, partying, joy and celebration. Its fast rhythms and loud beats may be a far cry from the golden age of Egyptian music, but mahraganat has been on the scene since the early 2000s and it isn’t going anywhere any time soon. We trace its origins and evolution as we speak to one of the godfathers of the movement, his musical partner and a specialist in the genre. Mid-East Junction is produced by RFI's English-language service. This episode was mixed by Vincent Pora.