Electro Sha'abi is the sound of Cairo's youth
- Text by Pauline Beugnies
- Photography by Pauline Beugnies

Mahraganat music, known by some as Electro Shaabi, is music from the people and of the people. In the context of post-revolution Egypt, it’s not so much a genre as a mobilising force; a reworks-and-footwork street-party scene soundtracked by upbeat electro and politically conscious lyrics that give voice to the realities of Egyptian life.
The music emerged from the vibrant street weddings and family fiestas of the informal neighbourhoods of Cairo, but has since taken on a momentum of its own, incorporating lyrics informed by the evolving social context, usually tailored to the neighbourhood where the all-night party takes place.
One of the rising stars of the Mahraganat scene is Sadat, a deejay and emcee credited as the ‘godfather’ of Electro Shaabi. “Today, everywhere you go, you hear the music – in the shops, on the tuks-tuks, in the streets, on cell phones.” says Sadat of the electro beats and mantra-like rapping that has become Cairo’s soundtrack, spreading from poorer neighbourhoods to wealthier kids bouncing around the city’s bars and clubs. “Before the revolution, it was just a small scene, but after that we found it could express our ideas. Now we are really giving what we think to the public with our own music and ideas from A to Z.”
Those ideas are expressed in songs like ‘The People and Government’, with lyrics that need no explanation: ‘My brother was dying, as I was holding a rock / The government is despotic and powerful / We live without freedom / We will continue fighting for our rights, we have been crashed enough.’
With its infectious energy and street-party vibes, Mahraganat music began to gain international recognition through social media in the lead-up to the 2011 protests. As the audience spread from the party scene, the issues addressed by lyrical emcees shifted away from the hip hop staples of sex and drugs and moved towards a more socially conscious place. “People in the streets are the politics,” says Sadat. “It’s not all about the president, the political parties and who holds power.”
Legitimate employment is difficult to come by. So, in an all-too familiar tale, drug dealing and gangs is often the default position. Electro Shaabi is both a reflection of that reality, and a physical space where it can no longer be ignored. “We made music that would make people dance, but would also talk about their worries,” says twenty- three-year-old Alaa 50 Cent, Sadat’s musical collaborator. “Everyone from Egypt who listens to this music can hear their own problems being expressed. Many people are criticising the music, but it spreads like a virus in the street.”
Though Mahraganet shares hip hop’s roots in people- powered politics, this message-laden party music seems to be evolving with a more collective vision than hip hop was able to sustain. In a deeply patriarchal society, out on the streets and away from the city’s clubs, it’s also a movement for men.
Sadat and Alaa 50 Cent arrive at a wedding in a fancy pink car. A flock of young guys come running up to them, yelling their name, and dancing crazy, indefinable moves. The comparison with the blinged-up pitfalls of gangsta rap is tempting. But Alaa clarifies where his name stems from: “I love 50 Cent, but I was called Fifty because when I was a kid I was always sharing everything.
This article originally appeared in Huck 43 – Street Photography with Boogie.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck

Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims
Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Written by: Hannah Bentley

Gazan amputees secure Para-Cycling World Championships qualification
Gaza Sunbirds — Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour earned Palestine’s first-ever top-20 finish at the Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium over the weekend.
Written by: Isaac Muk

New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture
Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.
Written by: Isaac Muk

Rahim Fortune’s dreamlike vision of the Black American South
Reflections — In the Texas native’s debut solo show, he weaves familial history and documentary photography to challenge the region’s visual tropes.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind
Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.
Written by: Emma Garland

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”
Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.
Written by: Katie Goh