Reservoir and PopArabia announce joint venture with Saudi hip-hop label Mashrex

Independent music company Reservoir Media and MENA-based music publisher PopArabia have announced a joint venture with Saudi Arabian hip-hop label Mashrex. (Supplied)
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Updated 20 June 2023
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Reservoir and PopArabia announce joint venture with Saudi hip-hop label Mashrex

  • Companies to release new music under the Mashrex brand starting this summer

DUBAI: Independent music company Reservoir Media and MENA-based music publisher PopArabia have announced a joint venture with Saudi Arabian hip-hop label Mashrex.

The deal represents Reservoir’s ambition to become the largest holder of Arabic music copyrights.

Golnar Khosrowshahi, founder and CEO of Reservoir Media, said: “Our deal with Mashrex bolsters Reservoir’s robust emerging markets strategy, and as Saudi Arabia continues to make investments in music and as hip-hop’s popularity continues to surge, we expect to see strong growth from this market.”

As part of the deal, the companies will jointly release new music under the Mashrex brand.

Reservoir and PopArabia have also acquired several of Mashrex’s previous releases, which will be integrated into their catalogs, and going forward, PopArabia will manage Mashrex’s YouTube channel, which has nearly 400,000 subscribers.

Founded by writer, producer, and rapper Ameer Mashhour in 2016, Mashrex first began releasing music videos in 2016 through YouTube. Specializing in Khaleeji rap, Mashrex works with a team of local talent with recording and producing capabilities in Jeddah.

“Due to its population and outsize influence, the rapid development of entertainment in Saudi Arabia has major impact on the regional music ecosystem,” said Hussain Yoosuf, better known by his stage name “Spek,” founder and CEO of PopArabia and executive vice president of international and emerging markets at Reservoir Media.

He added: “Working with Ameer and Mashrex is an exciting opportunity for us to capitalize on their existing brand and build on the growth and influence of hip-hop across the Gulf and MENA. We’ve already landed a synch for the catalog in a regional film, which I see as an indicator of what the future holds.”


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”