DUBAI // The biggest problem facing people who want to make a career in music is getting a decent start - young local musicians especially face a barrage of obstacles.
That is why a group of rappers, DJs and producers have pooled their resources to help each other forge musical careers.
Nine individual Dubai-based hip-hop artists, all facing similar challenges within the underground music scene in the UAE, formed a collaboration called The Recipe to tackle the obstacles preventing them from getting their music to a wider audience.
Hani Khatib, 24, who performs under the name Jabbar, said the idea was about "power in numbers".
Khatib and Lucky Schild, 26, whose performance name is Swerte, came up with the concept in August last year when both were feeling frustrated by restrictions imposed on home-grown music.
"The biggest problem to any local musician here is getting started," said Khatib. "Licensing laws are ridiculous. You can't get to perform live without knowing someone, you can't get radio play and even if you have eight albums you'll still never get distribution."
The Department of Municipal Affairs insists that anyone performing to an audience applies for an individual licence that must be renewed for each performance. This makes promoters inclined to avoid local acts, opting instead for booking overseas acts for one-off gigs.
The licences also restrict onstage spontaneity as interaction with the crowd is banned, as are impromptu performances. A breach of any of the rules can earn the venue a fine of about Dh30,000 (US$8,170).
Radio stations' content is also restricted by an International Standards Agency code, while distribution outlets are limited to mainstream stores such as Virgin Megastores. Generally distributors are unwilling to spend money on marketing a local band that could be considered a financial risk. All these obstacles meant that although many fans were listening to their music on the internet, fledging artists like Jabbar and Swerte struggled to make an impact.
"We came up with the [Recipe] idea to combine our fans, bring together our talents and show that we have potential," said Khatib. "It is like a platform," explained Schild.
"We were not forming a group, more a collaboration to help each other.
The original idea was to put together a mix tape including music from all nine artists, which they would simultaneously promote. But earlier this year they were approached by the organiser of a club night called Rock Nation who had been let down at the last minute by his performers. The Recipe artists stepped in and were so well received that they caught the attention of other promoters.
In March, The Recipe performed live at the Four Point Sheraton hotel, then at Dubai Festival City and in Abu Dhabi for the Chevrolet Urban Challenge. "We were lucky with our first break," said Schild. "But we proved to people that we had talent and also that we had lots of fans. I think we opened a lot of eyes.
"By the end of the third gig the crowd were chanting 'make CD' and were trying to buy our mix-tape CDs from us even though we were giving them away for free."
Khatib and Schild said the success of The Recipe in such a short time proved there was an appetite for local music, it was just a matter of letting the "music do the talking".
Plans are now going ahead to release a mix tape produced by Jabbar and Swerte featuring all the artists' music. "There's no reason why we can't be a commercial success," said Khatib. "In the UAE it only takes 40,000 record sales to make a platinum record and that's very achievable."
aseaman@thenational.ae
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The Florida Project
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of Islam
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
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Launch year: 2018
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Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
