Metal Music Morocco: Where West and East Co-Exist

There is something really cool and special about seeing a girl wearing a Hijab who throws up the universal Metal/Rock sign with her hands.
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Hey world,

Mo here, current Fulbright Scholar and drummer of Kashmiri/NYC band Zerobridge, reporting to you from Tangier, Morocco. Today's question: "Do Arabs rock?" Yes, they do. I witnessed a crazy show by the Moroccan Metal band called WANTED in the Cinema Rif. The place was packed. Young Arabs wearing crazy hoodies and Korn and AC/DC t-shirts, rocking out.

The young Arab rock fans here are no different from the routy, bored, confused teen rockers in America. Yet, there is something really cool and special about seeing a girl wearing the conservative head covering (Hijab) who throws up the universal Metal/Rock sign with her hands! Such is not your typical image of Arab, Muslim youth, yet the Arab world is dynamic and rich and in the universal realm of music and art, Western and Middle Eastern; non-Muslim and Muslim, actually can co-exist and communicate with one another.

Case in point: Metal music, (a type of aggressive rock music originating in the West), being played by young Arab-Muslims in Morocco. Or even visually, you can see this when a young Arab metal head is walking around the Old Medina or Casbah in a 'Korn' t-shirt. I asked the band Wanted about the status of Rock music in Moroccan-Muslim society and also their thoughts on Islam, America, and the strained relationship between America and the Middle East. I hope you take the time to hear what these Arab youth are saying. It might surprise you. These are peace loving, practicing Muslims who love to play rock and roll. Great players. Hope you dig. Here is the link to my video interview with Wanted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMpxSgk2VBg&feature=player_embedded Cheers from Morocko,MohsinCurrent American Fulbright ScholarDrummer for Zerobridge

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