Laughter in the Dark (Paperback)

Yasmine El Rashidi

ISBN 13: 9798987053508

Published by Columbia Global Reports, NY, 2023

About this Item

Paperback. What can hip-hop tell us about Egypt today? A decade ago, millions of Egyptians took to the streets in a people-led revolution that captivated the worlds attention and sent ripples across the Middle East. But the so-called Arab Spring quickly faded, and a return to the status quo of authoritarian rule was cemented. What happened to the energy and desire for change? In Egypt, the answer lies in its youth, who comprise the bulk of the countrys fast-growing 106 million citizens. Sixty percent of the population is under the age of twenty-five, and their world views are very much influenced by social media: TikTok is their primary language and medium of choice. Music is their means of expressionin particular, a thriving hip-hop scene known as mahraganat. This music has given voice to deep dissatisfaction with the Egyptian state and the overall conditions of Egyptian society and culture. Could this be the start of a force for change? Laughter in the Dark is a riveting portrait of a country that is being transformed, for good or bad, by the rise of a fresh youth culture.'Told with an insiders perspectiveEl Rashidi writes with equal authority when chronicling the revolution and analyzing song lyricsthis is a persuasive appraisal of the connection between art and politics.' Publishers Weekly'A brief, pungent dispatch from the vibrant youth music scene pushing against authoritarian dictates in El Rashidis country. A vivid journalistic report.' Kirkus Reviews'Laughter in the Dark is a brilliantly composed portrait of Egypts answer to hip-hopand how it functions as a musical genre, economic engine, and cultural force amid the restrictions of an increasingly authoritarian regime. Meticulously reported and elegantly written, its a must-read for any global citizen.' Zack OMalley Greenburg, author of Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9798987053508

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Laughter in the Dark (Paperback)
• Publisher: Columbia Global Reports, NY
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798987053508
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

What can hip-hop tell us about Egypt today?

A decade ago, millions of Egyptians took to the streets in a people-led revolution that captivated the world’s attention and sent ripples across the Middle East. But the so-called “Arab Spring” quickly faded, and a return to the status quo—of authoritarian rule—was cemented. What happened to the energy and desire for change?

In Egypt, the answer lies in its youth, who comprise the bulk of the country’s fast-growing 106 million citizens. Sixty percent of the population is under the age of twenty-five, and their world views are very much influenced by social media: TikTok is their primary language and medium of choice. Music is their means of expression—in particular, a thriving hip-hop scene known as mahraganat. This music has given voice to deep dissatisfaction with the Egyptian state and the overall conditions of Egyptian society and culture. Could this be the start of a force for change? Laughter in the Dark is a riveting portrait of a country that is being transformed, for good or bad, by the rise of a fresh youth culture.

About the Author

Yasmine El Rashidi is the author of The Battle for Egypt: Dispatches from the Revolution and Chronicle of a Last Summer: A Novel of Egypt. She is a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books and a contributing editor of the Middle East culture journal Bidoun. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times and the Atlantic, and has been anthologized in volumes including Writing Revolution: The Voices from Tunis to Damascus and The New York Review Abroad: Fifty Years of International Reportage. She lives in Cairo.