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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s strong tradition of poetry has laid the foundations for the Kingdom’s aspiring hip-hop talent to thrive in the music industry, pioneering artist Qusai Kheder has told Arab News.

The veteran artist, who kicked off the fourth season of “The Mayman Show” by Arab News in a rare interview, expressed his faith that talent in the local hip-hop scene has an opportunity to elevate the music genre in the Kingdom. “Hip-hop is a universal genre of music right now, and it’s only 50 years old right now, since 1973, I would say. And it just blossomed all over the world, I mean, in many different languages. So, it’s only right to be part of the Middle East because first of all, I mean, our language is a very rich language,” said Kheder.

He added that hip-hop is about creating poetical rhythm. “We’re masters when it comes to poetry,” he said, adding that though the Kingdom has always had musical talent, only the recent development of the right ecosystem has allowed it to flourish. “That’s what’s happening right now. Before, the music has always been here, you know. Saudi Arabia has always been rich when it comes to its music and to its culture,” he said.

“But, I mean, through all the ups and downs, we’re finally here where we need to be. We should have been here a long time ago, but hey, it’s a good thing, it’s a good sign, especially for the next generation. But I mean, as far as hip-hop is concerned, again, there’s a lot of great hip-hop talents in here,” he added.

The Saudi hip-hop artist joined AlUla FM under the Royal Commission for AlUla with his own show. “I always had a love and passion for radio and when I was in college, I had my own radio show in 1996. And I just love the environment of the radio. And I felt like I can do good in it, but didn’t expect that I was going to be actually on the radio, especially now during this period of time in my life,” he said.

Kheder has been working on many new singles that he said could lead to five future albums, though he is waiting for the right opportunity to release the music.

“I have just been throwing some singles here and there until I find the right time and the right deal and work with the right people, because mainly I’m not planning to release anything that I truly believe in because I definitely elevated it when it came to my music and my sound,” he said.

Kheder added that he was proud of his new material and wants to make sure that it is released and marketed to his expectations.

With a lengthy career full of hip-hop accolades, hosting TV shows and events as well as acting, Kheder recalled some of his fondest moments, such as in 2017, when he performed at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida, where he was at an alumni speaking opportunity with the University of Central Florida.

“So, I used to go to that House of Blues and watch some of my favorite artists, you know, from Outkast to Musiq Soulchild, Common, Kanye, to name a few. And it just happened that I graduated 15 years before. And at the same time, they booked me for a show at the House of Blues and I was like, ‘oh, wow, I used to be just a fan, and one of the audience, to watch the superstars on that stage.’ And then once I was an opening act back then, and now I’m here and I’m a headliner and I see all these people are watching me in the city that I used to love and live in, and graduated,” he said.

Kheder also mentioned another moment in Khartoum, Sudan, where he performed live for the first time in 2020. It was also his first visit to the country. “We had been trying to do a show there for years. And then it just happened. They finally called me and they said, ‘hey, this is the time for you to come and do a show in Sudan’,” said Kheder.

He performed his song titled “Black Pharaohs,” a track that he made for the Sudanese people and which features Sudanese artist Ahmad Amin. “We performed it once and the people went crazy and asked for it again and again,” said Kheder.