Rap/Dance music w/arabic influences?

March 5, 2005 11:57 AM

So I'm a pledge at a fraternity here at Cornell university, and we're throwing a party whose tentative name is "Rock the Casbah". We're hoping for a mid-eastern/indian feel to the party, from decorations to music. Anyone know some good arabic/indian dance music or american rap music influenced by the sounds of the mid-east/india?

For the record, i already have an album by Panjab MC...

posted by Kifer85 to media & arts (30 answers total)

ADF?
posted by andrew cooke at 12:10 PM on March 5, 2005

if you really want to rock the casbah - not only will you need the clash - but you should really get some Cornershop and Asian Dub Foundation.

on preview ac beat me to it.
posted by grimley at 12:13 PM on March 5, 2005

there was a really good album out of leeds way back. one track was about prince naseem. "something connection"? can you remember, grimley? my copys is in la serena.
posted by andrew cooke at 12:18 PM on March 5, 2005

M.I.A.
posted by jennyb at 12:19 PM on March 5, 2005

Les Negresses Vertes, especially an album called "Mlah!"

Moroccan-influenced all-out rock...kind of like a French/North African version of the Pogues.
posted by LairBob at 12:22 PM on March 5, 2005

DJ Cheb i Sabbah.
posted by enrevanche at 12:22 PM on March 5, 2005

not sure. i think i remember it, but I"m nowhere near my records at the moment....
posted by grimley at 12:25 PM on March 5, 2005

Probably more disco-esqe then you're looking for (as it's a Michael Jackson cover), but there's Don't Stop Till You Get to Bollywood (via BoingBoing) by the Bollywood Freaks.
posted by blueberry at 12:26 PM on March 5, 2005

ha. just remembered it. black star liner yemen cutta connection
posted by andrew cooke at 12:26 PM on March 5, 2005

Magic Mike.
posted by mds35 at 12:33 PM on March 5, 2005

Ofra Haza who's own Yeminite/Israeli music made the dance charts, but was the source of samples for Eric B and Rakim and M/A/R/R/s if this is not too ol' Skul for you. Too early for a Green Dragon Party? Give my regards to Davy.
posted by Duck_Lips at 12:38 PM on March 5, 2005

This guy actually covered "Rock The Casbah" itself -- in Arabic.
posted by dragstroke at 12:43 PM on March 5, 2005

Tabla Beat Science adds a flavor of Asian electronica to Indian tabla music. I've only heard Tala Matrix [Amazon], which had a deep groove throughout. I used it to soundtrack a fight scene spoofing the Matrix (no relation). The "flow" of this percussive music makes it a perfect party background.
posted by NickDouglas at 12:56 PM on March 5, 2005

Natacha Atlas, though I'm no expert, and can't recommend a specific track or recording.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 1:24 PM on March 5, 2005

Following on from dragstroke, rai is modern Algerian music -- check these links: 1 | 2 - with MP3s | 3
posted by omnidrew at 1:34 PM on March 5, 2005

Dj/Rupture-Gold Teeth Thief
posted by DelusionsofGrandeur at 1:48 PM on March 5, 2005

Aisha Kandish's Jarring Effects from Morrocco. I have Shabeesation and Koyo Habib, both have great rhythms.
posted by SobaFett at 2:22 PM on March 5, 2005

Bollywood for the Skeptical.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 3:11 PM on March 5, 2005

I'm not a big fan of Tabla Beat Science myself, but you might check out Asian Travels & Arabian Travels as samplers of electronica based on South Asian and Middle Eastern sounds. See also Talvin Singh, State of Bengal, The Ananda Shankar Experience (more Bollywood/funk-ish). Lots of other good reccos here already.
posted by adamrice at 3:19 PM on March 5, 2005

Panjabi MC has this one song that would be appropriate...

Beware of the Boys Remix (with Jay-Z mixed in) is the name..

Also, I second the mention of M.I.A.: Get the song Galang.
posted by tweak at 3:20 PM on March 5, 2005

Panjabi-MC
posted by Pinwheel at 3:43 PM on March 5, 2005

These two went over well at our last party:
Bombay the Hard Way: Guns, Cars & Sitars
Bombay the Hard Way, Vol. 2: Electric Vindaloo
posted by PantsOfSCIENCE at 3:51 PM on March 5, 2005

I'm going to add some obvious answers to the good ones: Thievery Corporation is Indian/Arabic on many tracks (including of course the ubiquitous "Lebanese Blonde"). Virtually anything produced by Timbaland in recent years is Indian-influenced, but don't count that as an endorsement ;)
posted by abcde at 4:00 PM on March 5, 2005

1. run a google search for bhangra
2. type titles into Soulseek
3. ?????
4. PARTY
posted by fishfucker at 4:23 PM on March 5, 2005

I third (?) the MIA advice, with the addition of her other CD, Piracy Funds Terrorism although I haven't yet heard all of it. If you're interested, it should be coming in the mail any day now...you could email me for a sample.
posted by amandaudoff at 5:17 PM on March 5, 2005

For true cutting edge arabic music with a modern feel, I havent heard anything better than Arabesque.
posted by dhruva at 5:39 PM on March 5, 2005

second the "bombay the hard way" recommedations.
posted by juv3nal at 5:48 PM on March 5, 2005

Tunak Tunak Tun. See how it works. [mefi]
posted by dhartung at 1:02 AM on March 6, 2005

I second the Arabesque CD. Fab arabic tunes that have a modern twist. Natacha Atlas it a bit more chilled out.
posted by floanna at 8:13 AM on March 6, 2005

A lot of the South Asian suggestions here are good, but given the "Casbah" in the theme, wouldn't it make sense to have some middle-eastern music, since that's about a thousand miles closer to being appropriate? Or, perhaps, even some north African music?
posted by anildash at 11:54 PM on March 6, 2005