Text Maya Abuali

We don’t know too much about DJ Gawad, the self-proclaimed ‘Best Producer in the Middle East.’ The title is footed in Arabic across the cover of his new album Volume 1, as ominous as it is a self-fulfilling prophecy (keep in mind, his narcissism is an irreverent and ironic front for genuine talent). Shrouded in anonymity, all we know is that he’s only 19, he’s based in Amman, and he makes crazy beats. Despite being new to the scene, his tracks feature Palestinian and Jordanian rap heavyweights like Julmud, Shbash, and rknddn—a brooding, angsty support group for the brooding, angsty youth of the region.

One listen to his song Lam3a and the reasoning for his anonymity reveals itself. In all its head-bopping glory, it’s not often that one hears such… unfiltered Arabic in the public domain. The offensive lyrics are only half the fun of his music, which is riddled with chopped up samples, insane flow switch-ups, Memphis Gangster rap references, and some trap elements. Rich with sarcasm and satire, his album exhibits layers of social commentary otherwise avoided by polite Arab society. In the intro to his track ‘interlude,’ between expletives we can’t talk about and in a chipmunk-esque pitch that hides his voice, he grumbles about the absence of female rappers on the album, cussing out his male features. His track Lancer is a full-blown Ammani-style couple’s quarrel between the producer and a voice titled Movenwomen. It’s obscene in the best possible way.

We tried to gatekeep him, truly—but the laws of the internet and our conscience wouldn’t let us hoard music this good. As part of the D100, Dazed MENA spoke with the up-and-coming MC. Suffice it all to say, getting words out of an anonymous rapper determined to stay incognito involved more silence than sentences. In honour of his penchant for brevity, here’s the gist of our conversation and nothing else:

What inspired you to start doing what you do?

I wanted to listen to better music in my car.

Defining moment in your career so far?

When Felukah asked me to be her playback DJ, of course.

What changes are you hoping to drive with your work?

To improve the music taste of all my listeners.

How does your work engage with local culture in the MENA region?

I am creating the local culture? What is this question?

What fuels your creative process?

Marlboro Touch and thinking of my loves.

What would you like to see yourself ultimately reshaping with your practice?

Everything always. Repeating the same thing is so boring.