Cultural Roots

The Bilad El-Sham movement has developed since 2008 as a vehicle for regional unity, social justice, and global solidarity through music. Faithful to its cultural roots yet fearlessly innovative, Bilad El-Sham fuses Arabic hip-hop with classic oriental samples and collaborations with a wide range of music styles. Now led by Aleppian MC Assasi Halabi, Bilad El-Sham was originally founded in Damascus by Khaled Arnaout, AKA Big-K. Khaled and his proteges, hailing from various cities across Syria, sought to share a message of unity, peace, and open-mindedness while celebrating the best of Arab traditions. They hoped to revive the historical relationships and rich culture of the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan) and project a positive image on behalf of Arab youth, hip-hop, and the Middle East.