Hey Scholars, welcome back to our weekly blog where we celebrate and educate on the diversity surrounding us all! This week, we wrap up Arab American Heritage Month and Celebrating Diversity Month by taking a look at diversity in music. There are many cultures that influence the music we listen to, whether it be through lyrics, beats, producers, songwriters, or artists themselves. Here we look at some famous Arab Americans in the industry, as well as the overall diversity among artists and the music itself.
DJ Khaled: Born on November 26, 1975, Khaled Mohammed Khaled, otherwise known as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, and record producer of Palestinian descent. Khaled began his career in the 1990s working as a radio host for radio station 99 Jamz, and continued to build his popularity by working with Terror Squad as their DJ for live performances. After gaining production credits on Terror Squad's material, he released his debut studio album
Listennn...the Album in 2006 which earned a gold certification. DJ Khaled went on to found his own record label, We the Best Music Group, which has signed artists from all across the globe, including Mavado, Steph Lecor, Kent Jones, Flipp Dinero, and Vado among others. DJ Khaled has worked with many notable artists throughout the industry, such as Drake, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar and many others. Khaled describes himself as a devout Muslim, and is a father of two sons whom he shares with his wife.
Fredwreck: Farid Karam Nassar, otherwise known as Fredwreck, is a Grammy Award-winning American music artist and record producer. Born June 23, 1972 in Flint, Michigan to Palestinian parents, Nassar gained his stage name from his friend Joe Quixx while DJ'ing one night. Fredwreck earned his big break when he became a producer for Dr. Dre's then newly founded Aftermath Entertainment record label, then going on to work with Snoop Dogg's then Dogghouse Records. He has produced music for many artists, including Eminem, Britney Spears, Ice Cube, Lil' Kim, Hilary Duff, 50 Cent, and more.
Rihanna: Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is a Bajan singer, actress, fashion designer, and business woman, professionally known as Rihanna. She was discovered by record producer Evan Rogers who brought her to the US to record demo tapes, which led to her being signed by Def Jam records in 2005. Her first single "Pon de Replay" charted successfully worldwide, peaking in the top five in 15 countries. Rihanna went on to earn major music success with her album "Good Girl Gone Bad" which featured hit single "Umbrella" which topped the charts in 12 countries and remained at number one in the UK for 10 consecutive weeks. Rihanna went on to gain further success with her music, before taking a hiatus and venturing into other business opportunities. In 2022, Rihanna officially joined Forbes list of billionaires, making her Barbados' first billionaire, and one of only 33 new women to join the ranks of billionaire status.
Bad Bunny: Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, better known by his stage name Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, record producer, and actor. Bad Bunny displays diversity through his music, incorporating rock, bachata, rap, and hip hop among others. Bad Bunny has collaborated with artists such as Drake, J Balvin, Nicky Jam, and many others. He is also a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, publicly advocating for the rights and respect of the community.
BTS: Bangtan Boys or BTS, is a South Korean boy band which debuted in 2013. Members include Jun, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. BTS has achieved crossover success in the US, becoming the first Korean act to top the US Billboard 200 with their studio album Love Yourself: Tear, in 2018. Their name as described by J-Hope, signifies the group's desire to "block out stereotypes, criticisms, and expectations that aim on adolescents like bullets." Some of their musical inspirations include See Taiji and Boys, Eminem, Drake, Charlie Puth, and Post Malone among others. Their diverse musical inspiration is shown through their music in their various albums, with influences such as Afro op, trap, pop rock, Latin pop, jazz hip hop, and more.
The Weeknd: Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter born to Ethiopian parents. He began releasing music anonymously on YouTube in August 2009, eventually adopting the stage name The Weeknd. In 2011 he met music executives Wassim Slaiby and Amir Esmailian, with whom he founded XO record label. Also in 2011, be met rapper Drake after a performance at the Mod Cloth Theatre, and became one of Drake's opening acts and appearing at his OVO Festival. The Weeknd cites Michael Jackson, Prince, Eminem, Wu-Tang Clan, and more as inspirations and influences on his music.
Shakira: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is a Colombian singer and songwriter, also of Lebanese ancestry. Shakira's music is heavily influenced by Latin culture and she also cites Arab culture as inspirations and influences on her career. She is always experimenting with her music which displays the heavy influences of cultures around her. Her album She Wolf combines influences from various countries and regions such as Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East. Her diversity in music is show through influences, dancing and singing.
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