The LA Times has an article on Syrian singer Hossam Haj and his new song “Let Us Pray Together, Sweetheart.” Haj got famous for his last jam, “Get Your Hijab On!”. Haj is the latest in a growing list of self righteous singers. While I kinda dug the work of Sami Yusuf and could tolerate guys like Ahmed Bukhatir this trend feels soooo 2006 to me. While some of the clips give the classic religious-pop message of “faith makes your life better/meaningful” what I find interesting is how many of these clips are still basically love songs and concentrate so much on romantic relationships. The cynic in me also wonders how many of these guys at this point are just jumping on the latest trend. I am still waiting for one of them to have an R-Kelly moment….”Welcome to the Kunefe Factory!“
While I have a well documented love of hot/sassy/athletic women in hijabs, I find little girls in the headscarf to be kind of creepy. I hate the scene in the Haj video where he gives the newly minted mini-muhajibah chocolate as a reward. I also think the “I am going to lightly touch your hijab” move is a bit creepy too. Here is the hijab video from Haj:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR7-HbxV-Ew]
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- Another Kuffiyeh Spotting…
I meant to say “I am speechless”…
Posted by Anonymous | August 14, 2008, 5:16 pmthis is speechless!
I can’t believe those Syrians (and i’m one of them)!
Arabic pop was one of the last places where women can be slutty and not give a fuck about what the damn Mufi/Hajj/religious maniac thinks, and now they’re turning that into an Islamic propaganda tool.
This makes me sad and sorry for the women’s rights activists in the Middle East.
The lyrics, man, just the lyrics are screaming out loud with male-power and control.
You may accuse me of being an orientalist, but this makes me sorry.
:’(
Posted by Anonymous | August 14, 2008, 5:16 pmTfeh! I can’t believe the mini mhajjabi turned off the haifa video!
What a bunch of hypocrites. That’s why all the Syrians with money come to get their freak on in Beirut eh?
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Posted by Agripina Buchmeier | July 11, 2010, 5:11 am