These five Arab bands used to rock the Middle Eastern scene back in the day. Where are they now?
Arabs are known for their oriental music, belly dancing and romantic lyrics. But while solo artists dominate the Middle Eastern music scene today, Arab bands once had their glory.
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— The Life Pile (@thelifepile) November 15, 2017
Join us in a trip through time with these Arab bands:
Nina & Reida Boutros
The two Lebanese sisters, Nina and Reida Boutrous, where a big hit in the mid-90s. After a series of successful singles and albums, both women got married and moved to the United States.
4 Cats
The 4 Cats was every boy’s childhood crush. After the release of their first album in 1998, which was well received, the band went through several changes and saw band members quitting and being replaced. The 4 Cats introduced us to Arab popstars like Nicole Saba and Maya Diab.
Guitara
Notably known for their popular song “Ya Ghali”, Guitara is a Kuwaiti band made up of four members: Fahad, Renad, Khaled and Rahaf. The band was initially Khaled’s idea, and achieved international recognition for their second album “Gessati” (2001).
MTM
MTM, an acronym to Mikey, Taki, and Mahmoud, was the first real Arab rap crew. Their songs and style inspired a generation of hip hop fans and gave them hope for a larger Arab hip hop scene. Their 2003 song Omy Mesafra (My Mother is Travelling) is considered a classic.
WAMA
Formed in 1998, WAMA is Egypt’s first and most popular boy band. The four men met while studying music at the Egyptian conservatoire and formed the group, which remains active but has received less publicity in recent years.