Carriers of Dissent

Al-Shaykh Imam and Ahmad Fu’ad Najm
Egyptians Imam Issa (AKA al-Shaykh Imam, 1918-1995)—a blind, struggling musician—and Ahmad Fu’ad Najm (1929- )—a famed poet—were partners in crime, so to speak. Often singing solo, al-Shaykh Imam would put Najm’s political satire to music. The collaboration landed both of them in jail, where they only caused more trouble, singing to prisoners—and guards. The Egyptian authorities noticed their increasing popularity and thought it better to release them.

The duo rarely sang love songs, but when they did, the political undertones made them cult classics. One of their most famous songs ridicules Nixon’s visit to Cairo during Sadat’s reign, while another makes fun of the French president’s visit. Their cassettes were banned in nearly all Arab countries but still reached millions. Nowadays, Ahmad Fu’ad Najm can be seen on Egyptian TV as smart and original as ever, while al-Shaykh Imam passed away in 1995.

Mudhaffar al-Nawwab
Mudhaffar al-Nawwab (1934- ) is an Iraqi poet whose cassette tapes received a great deal of attention. His prose takes the form of traditional Shia mourning, sounding like an attack by a wailing man, cursing the government with extremely vulgar language. He was imprisoned, but managed to escape after he dug a tunnel with fellow prisoners. Still, he reached eager listeners while hiding in the marshes of southern Iraq, delivering prose about his experience, including phrases like, “Who smuggled this village out of my country?” Passed on by listeners who made bootleg copies, al-Nawwab was never silenced.

Ziad al-Rahbani
Ziad al-Rahbani (1956- ) is the son of Fairuz and Asi al-Rahbani, and the nephew of Mansur, perhaps the three most important figures in Lebanese music. During the civil war that began in 1975, Ziad wrote a series of plays that dealt with the war in Lebanon and the interference from foreign countries. His tapes were not as hardcore as those of al-Shaykh Imam or al-Nawwab, but they were still banned in many countries. Even so, they found their way to open ears via cassette.

Besides the masterfully crafted scripts of Ziad’s plays, the tapes always contained gems of music. Among his actors was the late, great Joseph Saqr, who most often sang about unemployment and life’s other prevailing troubles. Ziad’s plays include Film Amerki Tawil, which became an American feature film, Belnesbe la-Bukra Shu (What’s Up With Tomorrow), and Nazl al-Surur (Happiness Inn). He has also produced his mother’s music and his own music; Ziad’s Arabic jazz albums are a must.