Hip Hop, Hip Hop… Yo! The Sons of Yusuf are lighting the stages up!

Kuwait Upto Date • March 9, 2016 • 0 Comments

When we think of Kuwait, sometimes we forget that the arts scene is very robust and present. It can be hard to imagine a hip-hop group coming out of Kuwait; however the Sons of Yusuf have been setting the stage for a phenomenal transformation in this country. I had the absolute pleasure to meet and interview Ya’koob and his brother Humble Abdul for this article. I will say that they are charming and extremely talented. The 2 brother duo who comprise the band “Sons of Yusuf” – Ya’koob Al Refaie, producer/songwriter/poet and Abdul Rahman Al-Refaie aka Humble Abdul, songwriter/ poet are an absolute pleasure to spend time with.

When talking to them I can understand why they have such a strong following and are performing all over thecountry of Kuwait and abroad. Just after this interview and their concerts in Kuwait they will be travelling to the USA to perform in D.C and New York. Born in Kuwait and raised in Los Angeles, USA, they are from a very creative and musically inclined family. The brothers are excellent at their craft and have many dreams for the music scene in Kuwait and abroad.

It is very obvious that the country of Kuwait is developing rapidly and that the arts scene is also on the rise. Many local artists are able to make a big name for themselves in Kuwait, the GCC and abroad on the international scene The Sons of Yusuf are an example of this as they make their way to the top! With many hits such as “Arabs in Paris”, “Yala” and “When we ride”, they are changing the mentality around urban music in Kuwait and the hip hop scene. The music that they create is very influential as well; they have been working with many artists such as Erykah Badu, Shafeek Hussain, Bilal Salaam, and Jay Electronica.

The message is clear and it is very obvious while interviewing the Sons of Yusuf that they have a moral goal to change the way things have been and create a better path for musicians in Kuwait. Ya’ Koob shared that by believing in yourself and doing what you love you are able to make change. He goes on to say that “musicians in Kuwait don’t get together like they used to, and we want to help change this.”

As Ya’Koob says “we want to change the world” and of course they will! Their music is catchy and modern. Raised in a western society but still upholding traditional Islamic values, they seek to inspire a new generation of artistic talent. The Sons of Yusuf embrace hip hop with a Middle Eastern influence that keeps the listener hooked and their fan base growing!