DUBAI: Spotify is rebranding its leading Egyptian rap playlist, “Melouk El-Scene,” to celebrate the growing popularity of the genre.
Since 2019, “Melouk El-Scene” has become the most popular rap playlist on Spotify in Egypt, with a 620 percent increase in streams since its launch. Through the playlist, listeners in the country were able to discover the most influential names in Egyptian rap, which spurred the growth of the hip-hop scene.
Wissam Khodur, head of artist and label partnerships at Spotify for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “Rap is more than a genre; it is a culture, a movement. Seeing how loyal and dedicated our fans are to rap on our platform drives us to keep creating more opportunities for them to connect with their favorite artists.”
Artists like Wegz, Marwan Moussa, Marwan Pablo, and Afroto regularly appear on Spotify’s viral charts representing what listeners from the country are streaming. Moreover, since the start of 2022, Egyptian rap songs have, on average, maintained their spots on Spotify’s viral charts for over four months.
Melouk El-Scene, the most popular rap playlist on Spotify in Egypt.
“I am still blown away at how far (the genre) has come in the last three years. I am so happy to be part of this success, and I truly believe the best is yet to come,” said Moussa.
Afroto, whose song “Msh Bel 7ozoz” was the most-streamed song on Spotify in the summer of 2021, said: “I can’t believe that in a few years, they will say that our generation changed rap forever and brought it to the top. Not only that, but my name will also be at the forefront.”
The new visual aesthetic of “Melouk El-Scene” aims to pay tribute to the prominence and influence of Egyptian rap through a visual experience that speaks the language of both rappers and their fans by incorporating elements of street art.
The rebrand also includes a series of satirical videos featuring Afroto and Moussa in partnership with Egypt’s hugely popular “Nesr El-Scene,” a mini mockumentary produced by Schema Studios that went viral due to its sense of humor and ironic take on Egyptian rap.
The relaunch of the playlist will also see Spotify introduce Clips for the first time in the MENA region. The new feature enables listeners to watch exclusive stories from the artists in the form of videos while streaming “Melouk El-Scene.”
Dareen, Abo El-Anwar, Perrie, Afroto, and Moussa, are among the artists that are part of the playlist.
Khodur added: “Introducing new features such as Spotify Clips, a rebrand for ‘Melouk El-Scene,’ along with a whole campaign dedicated to the Egyptian rap community shows how committed we are to growing young talents from Egypt while leveraging our innovative capabilities to give rap fans the best listening experience on Spotify.”
