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

Smells Like Gen Z Spirit

The Stealthy Revolution of Moroccan Grunge Rap

Lo-fi, raw, and defiant: how Moroccan grunge rap became a voice for a restless generation.

Rewired Heritage

The Limping Pulse: Decoding Istanbul’s Hybridized Electronic Scene

Bridging Europe and Asia, tradition and technology – meet the artists at the heart of Istanbul’s melting-pot electronic scene.

By Arnaud Pessey

Cover Story

DJ Snake Moves by Appetite: On Algeria, Authenticity and the Future

DJ Snake speaks with Rolling Stone MENA about his latest album, Nomad, his Algerian heritage, and what’s next for him.

By Dounia El Barhdadi

Cairo, Sampled

Loops & Mutations: El Kontessa on Sampling Cairo’s Chaos

One of the most influential producers and DJs in Cairo’s electronic scene, El Kontessa breaks down her production process step by step.

By Hesham Badr

Bars Behind Bars

Bars Behind Bars: The Unspoken Rules Governing Tunisian Rap

Following the brief detention of rapper Kamara last year, the Tunisian rap scene is divided on what that detention means to their future.

By Maram Khenissi

Tehrangeles Revisited

Neon Echoes in Exile: How Iran’s Diaspora Pop Thrived in Tehrangeles

By Steven Barrow Barlow

Camps & Keyboards

Camps & Keyboards: Ratchopper Is Co-Producing Arab Pop’s Future

By Peter Holslin

Not Very Distinct

The Franchising Curse Haunts Dystinct’s ‘Ta3al’

Why Dystinct’s “Ta3al” feels like franchising a hit instead of pushing forward – and how pop keeps forgetting the power of scarcity.

By Ammar Manla Hasan

Unevenly Rich

Balad Beast Reviewed: The Place, The Sound, The Crowd

Ahmed Amin attends the two-day festival and reports on what works, what’s missing, and what sets Balad Beast apart from regional peers.

By Ahmed Amin

Right Wing Olympics

Ghali Under Fire Ahead of Winter Olympics Over Pro-Palestine Stance

Italian rapper Ghali faces backlash ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics over his outspoken pro-Palestine stance.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

MUSIC

How Moe Rock Turned an Unlikely Story Into a Grammy Nomination

There are very few hard rules left in pop culture, but one has held for more than three decades: no…

By Josh Wilson

MUSIC

Inside the Sound of K_T

Some artists approach music as invention; others treat it as recognition. K_T belongs to the latter group, drawn to melodies…

By Chris Gallagher

Post-Ceasefire Fire

Yasser Abu Shabab, Gaza Militia Leader Accused of Aid Looting, Killed

Israeli-backed militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab, accused of looting aid in Gaza, is reportedly killed in Rafah amid post-ceasefire clashes.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Nation Defining Trial

Post-Assad Syria’s Most Crucial Trial Isn’t About Assad’s Crimes

Trials begin in Syria over sectarian and state violence, raising questions about transitional justice and the country’s fragile transition.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Miss Muammar, winner of the Global Creative Women Award (GCWA) 2021, teaches her students at UNRWA Fukhari Elementary Girls school in Gaza / 2022 UNRWA Photo

Women At The Table

Trump’s Gaza Plan Mustn’t Follow His Record on Women’s Rights

Trump’s 20-points Gaza peace plan shouldn’t repeat his domestic failures on women’s health, education, and rights.

By Dr. Felicity Gerry

Saleh Aljafarawi was killed by an armed gang in Gaza city

False Peace

Saleh Aljafarawi’s Killing Shows Ceasefire Isn’t The End

The killing of Saleh Aljafarawi exposes the fragility of Gaza’s ceasefire.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Palestinians celebrate announcement of peace plan agreement in Khan Younis in southern Gaza in this screengrab obtained from a video.

Historic Moment

Early Celebrations as Trump Announces Agreement to First Phase of Gaza Deal

Gazans are hopeful that Trump’s announcement will mark the end of two years and two days of the gruesome war.

By Rolling Stone Staff

A still from Palestine 36, directed by Annemarie Jacir - one of four Arab films short listed this year.

Oscar Season

Arab Films Are Reaching The Oscars, But The Industry Is Still Lagging

Four Arab films make the Oscars shortlist this year, marking a historic moment for an Arab cinema still struggling for sovereignty.

By Ahmed Amin

GFF Examined

The Screens Behind Smoke Screens at El Gouna Film Festival

What lies behind the polarized coverage of El Gouna Film Festival, beyond red carpet glamour and class critique?

By Ammar Manla Hasan

Zeitgeist Forecaster

15 Years Later, ‘Microphone’ Still Finds Its Voice in Egypt’s Youth

In 2010, Microphone foresaw Egypt’s revolution and a decade of cultural and social change. Is its prophecy still resonant today?

By Ahmed Amin

Very Small Dreams - From Ground Zero screening at El Gouna Film Festival

GFF Coverage

A Window That Refuses to Close: Window on Palestine at GFF

Window on Palestine returns for its third edition at El Gouna Film Festival – a bold act of cinematic and cultural grounding.

By Maram Khenissi

Samra's Dollhouse by Tunisian filmmaker Maïssa Lihedheb is nominated at El Gouna Film Festival

GFF COVERAGE

‘Samra’s Dollhouse’ Blurs Love, Control, and Performance At GFF

Tunisian filmmaker Maïssa Lihedheb’s ‘Samra’s Dollhouse’ redefines power, desire, and the female gaze at GFF.

By Maram Khenissi

Cultural Frequency

How Qatar Turned the Arab World’s Biggest Football Night Into a Song the Region Could Hear

On Qatar’s approach to transforming global sporting moments into platforms for shared Arab cultural expression.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Books Without Borders

Amazon Launches The Digital Arabic Library with 38,000+ Titles

Arabic books go global as Amazon launches the Digital Arabic Library, bringing 38,000+ Arabic titles to readers worldwide.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Live from Cairo

Eyad El Mogy Takes El Sabt El Momtaz to The Stage

Eyad El Mogy’s second live performance of his viral YouTube show El Sabt El Momtaz drew a crowd of Egypt’s Gen Z tastemakers.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Beyond The Field

GVP Co-Hosts Davos Panel on GCC’s Influence in Sports

GVP, publisher of Rolling Stone MENA, co-hosts a Davos panel that examines the Gulf’s growing role in shaping global sport.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Art Deco Reclaimed

Traveling Lotus and Stolen Faience: Egypt’s Art Deco Legacy

Wizara’s Adham Hafez explores Egypt Art Deco, a new project tracing the design movement’s roots in Egyptian history.

By Adham Hafez

TECH

Cadiz Inc. Maps a Practical Path to Southwest Water Security

If you ask Cadiz Inc. what progress looks like, they point to pipes, permits, and people served. The company’s work…

By Chris Gallagher

Democratizing Longevity

Democratized Longevity? UK Startup Bien-Être Tests It in the UAE

UK startup Bien-Être enters the UAE, testing whether longevity tech can become everyday health rather than a luxury for the wealthy.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

TECH

CoinTerminal Shows Transparency Can Be Rewarding with Its $10,000 Monthly Prize

Crypto has never been short on opportunity, but it has often lacked trust. CoinTerminal’s $10,000 monthly prize aims to change…

By Anthony Burr

MUSIC

GPM Music Group: A Fresh Take on Music Marketing For Independent Artists

In the evolving landscape of music promotion in the digital age, independent artists often face a familiar dilemma: how to…

By Chris Gallagher

Fitness

Sound, Sweat, and Strategy: The Culture Collision Fueling the Future of Wellness

There’s a new rhythm pulsing through the world of wellness—one where athletes and musicians move in sync, powered by innovation,…

By Chris Gallagher

Lifestyle

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