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Seek to Change Image of Arabs ‘Sons of Yusuf’ Blaze a Musical Trail

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Seek to Change Image of Arabs ‘Sons of Yusuf’ Blaze a Musical Trail Macau rolls out the red carpet for Asian 39Film Awards THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 Kuwaiti rappers seek to change image of Arabs ‘Sons of Yusuf’ blaze a musical trail By Sahar Moussa anything we wanted in life, and that we can change the to be a big change in the Arab world soon. And we want to world if we put our minds into it. be part of this new movement, this new era in the Middle a’koob and Humble Abdul are two Kuwaiti brothers Music is a universal language, and we know the effect it East. We live in amazing times. who have taken rap and hip-hop music to a different can have on people. With positive energy and good inten- Ylevel in a country like Kuwait, trying through their tions, music can be a powerful tool and the best way to KT: What are the challenges you face in reforming music to deliver a positive image regarding Islam and connect with people from anywhere. Kuwait’s music industry? Arabs. ‘Sons of Yusuf’ is what they call their two-member SY: We’ve been making music for as long as we remem- band. Born in Kuwait but brought up in Los Angeles, KT: What are the messages you are trying to convey ber. We don’t depend on any music label or company. What Ya’koob and his younger brother Abdul’Rahman aka through music and art? makes our work more exciting is that we are independent. “Humble Abdul” Al-Refaie blended Western music culture SoY: We want to inspire people through our music. We The only challenge we’re facing is that we are doing every- with an Arabic flavor. want to share our side of the story too, and show the world thing ourselves - from producing to directing, editing etc. Kuwait Times spoke to the duo in an exclusive interview. what it’s really like out here in Arabia. Most importantly we But this is what we love doing. Yes, we know this field can Excerpts: want to spread peace and help alter stereotypes about generate a lot of money, but our top priority is the future Arabs or Muslims today. generation, the youth. We feel like we have a big responsi- Kuwait Times: Who are Ya’koob & Humble Abdul? Growing up in California, nobody really knew anything bility and we are willing to sacrifice and risk everything to Sons of Yusuf: Brothers who comprise the band “Sons about Kuwait or the Middle East. Some had just heard of make a change. of Yusuf” - Ya’koob Al Refaie, 27, producer/songwriter/poet the Gulf War - that’s about it. Since then we knew we had and Abdul Rahman Al-Refaie aka Humble Abdul, 25, song- to introduce people to our culture, tradition and religion. KT: What are your future plans? writer/poet. Most news channels today only show the negative side of SY: We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing. We are the Arab world. just getting started. We have big surprises on the way KT: What does music mean to you? inshallah, and we can’t wait to share it with you. (Follow SoY: Music has always been a big part of our lives. It KT: How do you propose changes to the stereotypes Kuwait Times website to check their video clip with the means everything to us. Ever since we were kids, about 9- of Arab musicians, especially Kuwaiti? lyrics and their CNN interview) 10 years old, we knew we were going to make music. Our SoY: By believing in yourself and doing what you love. father Yusuf was always into art and music, and encour- Musicians in Kuwait don’t get together like they used to, aged us to follow our dreams. He taught us that we can do and we want to help change this. We know there is going Iran film portrays the Prophet Muhammad, drawing criticism ere in this Persian replica of Makkah, built at A very heavy role movie instead uses others to tell his story, like his the cost of millions of dollars, an Iranian film But while Sunni Islam, the religion’s dominant grandfather Abdul-Muttalib, portrayed by Iranian Hcompany is attempting to offer the world a branch, widely rejects any depictions of Muhammad, actor Ali Reza Shoja Nouri. “It was a very heavy role,” literal glimpse of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) his close relatives or companions, Shiite Islam doesn’t. Nouri told The Associated Press. “I cannot express my despite traditional taboos against it. The movie In Shiite powerhouse Iran and other countries, posters, feelings about it.” For his vision, Majidi hired Academy “Muhammad, Messenger of God” already recalls the banners, jewelry and even key chains bear the images Award winning visual effects supervisor and filmmak- grandeur - and expense - of a Cecil B. DeMille film, of Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali, revered by Shiites who er Scott E. Anderson, three-time Oscar-winning Italian with the narrow alleyways and a replica Kaaba shrine see him as the prophet’s rightful successor. The late director of photography Vittorio Storaro and music built here in the remote village of Allahyar. But by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, who led Iran’s 1979 producer Allah-Rakha Rahman, who won two even showing the back of the Prophet Muhammad Islamic Revolution and later became the country’s Academy Awards for his work on “Slumdog as a child before he was called upon by Allah, the supreme leader, reportedly even kept a picture similar Millionaire.” most expensive film in Iranian history already has to young Muhammad in his room for years. By making a high-quality film, Majidi said it will been criticized before its even widely released, call- In the new 190-minute film, the story focuses on give the world the right impression about the Prophet ing into question who ultimately will see the Quranic Muhammad’s childhood, never showing his face. The Muhammad. He blamed Islamic extremists and the story come to life on the big screen. West for sullying the image of a pillar of faith for 1.5 Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, center, director of ‘Muhammad, Messenger of God’ movie “How should we introduce our prophet?” asked billion people across the world. “For Muslims, the conducts a scene of the movie, in Allahyar village. Majid Majidi, the film’s director. “Many relay their Prophet Muhammad is a mercy to the world and the messages to the world through cinema and pictures.” hereafter,” he said. Yet, the film already has seen wide- In American cinematic history, films involving the spread criticism even before being widely released, Bible often find the biggest audience and box office largely from predominantly Sunni Arab countries. In returns. Biblical stories have inspired dozens of films February, Egypt’s Al-Azhar, one of Sunni Islam’s most from the 1920s all the way to recent blockbusters like prestigious seats of learning, called on Iran to ban a “Noah” starring Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott’s bibli- film it described as debasing the sanctity of messen- cal epic “Exodus: Gods and Kings.” But in Islam, por- gers from God. Meanwhile, the Sunni kingdom of traying the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has long Qatar has announced plans to have its own $1 billion been taboo for many. Islamic tradition is full of writ- epic shot on the prophet’s life. Majidi said he would be ten descriptions of Muhammad and his qualities - ready to cooperate with any Islamic country planning describing him as the ideal human being. But clerics a film on Muhammad. —AP generally have agreed that trying to depict that ideal is forbidden. The Paris terror attack on the satirical Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, director of magazine Charlie Hebdo, which killed 12 people in ‘Muhammad, Messenger of God’ movie speaks January, saw gunmen target it over its caricature of in an interview with The Associated Press in Photo shows a replica of Kaba in a scene of ‘Muhammad, Messenger of God’ movie. the prophet. Tehran, Iran. — AP photos.
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