Rolling Stone MENA - Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage

Youtube to Netflix

AlKhalat+: Saudi Absurdist Comedy’s Journey from YouTube to Netflix

Over the past few years, a wave of Saudi absurdist comedy has been migrating from YouTube to streaming. AlKhalat+ is its latest dispatch.

By Youssef Ali

Father, Imam, Lennon

Tamer Nafar’s Debut Solo Album Tells Stories of a Palestinian Past and Future

DAM co-founder Tamer Nafar on his debut solo album, fatherhood, grief, and the hip-hop that refuses to stay quiet.

By Yasmin Alrabiei

Beyond Hybridity

On Traces, Shkoon Map What Memory Leaves Behind

On their debut full-length, Traces, Shkoon go beyond surface hybridity – into memory, exile, and the sounds that outlast the moment.

By Danny Makki

Cover Story

The Return of Stormy

Stormy covers Rolling Stone MENA’s April issue, opening up on family, fame, fandom, and the road to Desperado.

By Danny Hajjar

Arab&Being

Meet TÄRA, the ‘Arab&B’ Artist Italy Has No Category For

TÄRA named her own genre, dropped her debut EP on the anniversary of the Nakba, and is making music Italy has no category for.

By Adam Makary

Chosen by Song

How Accident, Intuition, and Desire Shape Yasmine Hamdan’s Work

By Oumeïma Nechi

Narein, Jazzed

TUL8TE Plays It By Ear

By Ammar Manla Hasan

Existential Brusier

Abyusif Surprise-Drops His Dark New EP ‘Bal Masque’

Abyusif’s indulges in introspective alternative rap on surprise EP ‘Bal Masque,’ reuniting with usual suspects Lil Baba and Abu El Anwar.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Sandbox Reviewed

Sandbox 12 Reviewed: Gouna-Centered Days and Music-Focused Nights

From sun-soaked afternoons to 5 AM closing sets, Sandbox 12 returned to El Gouna with two moods and one clear identity.

By Ahmed Amin

MUSIC

A!MS Brings Together The Splash Gang on ‘Wait What’

‘Wait What’ is a standout single from A!MS’ Peak Season album, out now via 3FIFTY7 MUSIC. Following a career built…

By Chris Gallagher

NEWS

Kordofani Doubles Down on Rhythmic Experimentation on ‘Kabasayba’

Kordofani blends hip-hop and afro-house on “Kabasayba,” pushing further into his new experimental era.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Bypassing Hormuz

The UAE’s Hormuz-Bypassing Pipeline Is Half Done, Due in 2027

The UAE is halfway through building a pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, with plans to double crude exports by 2027.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Open Wound

Syria Arrests Tadamon Massacre Identified Perpetrator Amjad Youssef

More than a decade after the Tadamon massacre, Syrian authorities say Amjad Youssef, long linked to the killings, is now in custody.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Hormuz, Reopened

Iran Reopens The Strait of Horumuz

Following the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Iran announced on Friday the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Fear & LOLing

Fear and LOLing: Arab Political Satire in The Age of Absurdity

From full-fledged newsrooms to a one-man IG parody account, inside the three outlets reviving Arab political satire.

By Adam Makary

No Clear Way Out: How Iranians View U.S. Intervention Six Weeks In

Second Thoughts

How Iranians View U.S. Intervention Six Weeks Into The War

How six weeks of war, economic strain, and escalating threats have reshaped Iranian sentiments on U.S. intervention in Iran.

By Shirin Hakim & Diba Mohtasham

Youtube to Netflix

الخلاط+: آخر محطة في رحلة الكوميديا الغرائبية السعودية من يوتيوب إلى نتفلكس

خلال السنوات الأخيرة، بدأ تيّار من الكوميديا الغرائبية السعودية بمغادرة موطنه على يوتيوب باتجاه منصات البث، الخلاط+ آخر إصدارات هذا التيار.

By Youssef Ali

Too Dumb To Fail

Too Dumb to Fail: The Game and the TikTok-ification of Arab TV

The smartest move in Arab TV’s recent history was to go completely dumb. Five seasons in, The Game is still proving it right.

By Ammar Manla Hasan

Binge Therapy

Binge Therapy: 24 Titles to Stream in MENA This April

Rolling Stone MENA’s monthly streaming guide to the films, TV series, and documentaries available across platforms in the MENA region.

By Yasmina Bitar

Hustlers & High Ratings

Heroes, Hustlers, and High Ratings: The Mohamed Samy Era of Egyptian TV

A look back at fifteen years of Mohamed Samy’s directing during the most prolific production era in Egyptian television.

By Youssef Ali

Egy Ma3lesh

Egybest Sacrifices Its Original Story on the Altar of Eid Cinema

A promising piracy drama slips into formula, as Egybest trades a rich story for safe, trope-heavy Eid entertainment.

By Ammar Manla Hasan

Buy One, Give One

Fadie Musallet on Embedded Giving and Showing Up for Dubai’s Labor Workers

Dubai baker Fadie Musallet built FadieCakes on a deceptively simple idea: buy a cake, and someone who built this city gets one too.

By Sumayya Tobah

(Sub)Culture

Wael Mckee On Building Identity Before Visibility: Personal Branding as the Foundation Behind Modern Influence

For many, personal branding is still interpreted through the lens of marketing, visibility, and digital presence, something shaped after the…

By Ethan Stone

(Sub)Culture

The Return of the Ancient Morning Ritual

Across the world, something quiet is happening. People are returning to the morning ritual. Not the elaborate, optimized version that…

By Chris Gallagher

MUSIC

Antonio “Tony” Underwood: Advancing Tuba Performance and Jazz Education

As a leader in the music industry, Underwood has embarked on a mission that aligns education and community impact. As…

By Ethan Stone

Palestinian Arab men reading the Huna Al-Quds magazine, 1940

A Media Renaissance?

Inside the MENA Media Boom: Who Are These Magazines Really For?

Arab media is booming as Western outlets shrink – who are these new titles for, and can they balance culture, commerce, and identity?

By Salma Mousa

TECH

Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum’s Nawa Technologies Aim to Export UAE’s Digital Governance Model

The Dubai-based holding company is fostering partnerships with tech to leverage proof of concept for Gulf state capacity-building in frontier…

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

The Ibtihal Effect

Microsoft Restructures Israel Operations Amid Military Use Allegations

Microsoft places Israel unit under French oversight amid investigation into Azure-linked military use against Palestinians.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Q-Day Apocalypse

Could Bitcoin Go to Zero? Something Happened Yesterday Says: Maybe

Bitcoin faces a growing quantum threat that could test its security, governance model, and long-term dominance.

By Ammar Manla Hasan

TECH

How AI Audio Tools Are Expanding Creative Possibilities in Music

AI technology has grown to present artists with new musical possibilities through its enhanced ability to generate and distribute music.…

By Chris Gallagher

TECH

How the Hint App Repositions Astrology as Emotional Insight, Not Fortune Telling

Across digital culture, astrology and symbolic systems have returned to everyday use. This time, the focus is not on predicting…

By Matthew Kayser

Lifestyle

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