For new single Sharaf El-Wattan ("honor of the homeland"), Assasi and rising star The HWS connect with the overwhelming brutality of their native Syria.
Category: Releases
The HWS debut EP sponsored by Bilad El-Sham Music
Bilad El-Sham Music announces sponsorship of The HWS debut EP, QALB ALSHARI3.
Wait no more – “Laysh” and “Yasmina” music videos are here!
Assasi has shaken off the winter doldrums by releasing long-delayed music videos for Third World Wide, Vol. 1 tracks, Laysh and Yasmina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU-4KzbJroA Both tracks were produced by Haquin, with Yasmina featuring a verse by Athens-based Syrian-Kurdish rapper Sarbasst and guitar work by Mike O'Hehir of Coyote Island. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrJ-w6Tt9s Assasi collaborated with Portland, Maine based [...]
Assasi becomes “Ghost of Sham”
Being a Syrian in exile can feel like a nightmare you can’t wake up from, like walking through the world as a ghost - invisible and cut off from humanity, or inadvertently haunting those around you who can’t understand your pain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAqzg8d67q8 “Ghost of Sham” was written and shot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with Finnish [...]
Backstage with Maine Public at Third World Wide Vol. 1 release
Assasi was honored to host Maine Public/Report for America reporter Ari Snider in the studio and backstage at SPACE last Saturday to talk about developing a rap career in Aleppo, leaving Syria, and stories that inspired the new EP Third World Wide Vol. 1. Ari's radio piece incorporates an interview and sounds and photos from [...]
Portland Phoenix reviews “Third World Wide Vol. 1”
Assasi had the pleasure of taking a break from release show rehearsals to speak with Sam Pfeifle (West Gray Creative) of the Portland Phoenix to discuss Volume 1 of his first solo album, Third World Wide. Sam dived deep into Assasi's music and emerged with a very positive review of the EP! "It is as [...]
Assasi talks Third World Wide Vol. 1 and performs “Sawareekh” on WMPG
Last Friday, Annella Linton hosted Assasi on WMPG (90.9 Portland, ME) Something For The Weekend to discuss Third World Wide Vol. 1 (live on streaming this Sunday, October 17!) and his upcoming album release show at SPACE Portland this Saturday, October 16. They talked Syrian hip-hop, getting to know the Portland hip-hop community, and behind [...]
Assasi to launch Third World Wide Vol. 1 at SPACE on Oct. 16
Assasi is taking over SPACE (538 Congress St, Portland, ME) on Saturday, October 16 to celebrate the release of Third World Wide Vol. 1 with the most epic night of Arab music and culture Maine has ever seen. Buy Tickets Buy Tickets on Eventbrite Jins Ensemble (Duncan Hardy, Eric LaPerna, and Doug Andrews) will open [...]
New release: Emsallam joins Assasi for “Yalalalli”
When you’re stuck between cultures and the world is a mess, why not throw a party? Assasi teams up with Emsallam to laugh in the face of life’s absurdity over a danceable track (Haquin) piled high with layers of darbouka, riq, and cümbüs saz by Lo.Renzo (Lorenzo Mantovani) and Gilbert Mansour. The music video, equally [...]
New release: Assasi fuses Afrobeat with Arabic flair on “Mandal”
One day, I had an epiphany. I realized that haters and their mindless imitators could only bother me if I cared what they had to say. “Mandal” and its accompanying music video celebrate me running out of fucks to give! Featuring live riq, tombak, and sarangi by Lorenzo Mantovani, “Mandal” reinterprets dancehall-UK drill fusion a [...]