Mouri: The multi-hyphenate paving his own path

Ahmed Zaghmouri—or Mouri as he is better known—is a multi-hyphenate creative mind that refuses to settle into a single medium. Creative director, visual artist, sound engineer, producer, and curator–Mouri is credited in the footnotes of a vast array of projects, all tethered in the commonality of amplifying Palestinian creative expression. At 27, the Ramallah-based artist has put his hometown on the map, co-founding BLTNM, Palestine’s first independent hip hop label. Since then, he’s directed music videos, produced a book, built a sound system in collaboration with Radio Alhara, and above all, connected and harnessed the talent of Palestinians in his orbit. 

Born and raised in Palestine’s West Bank, Mouri’s climb toward co-founding BLTNM was marked by the logistical nightmares that the occupation relentlessly imposed. But Ramallah was bursting at the seams with creative ingenuity, and it wasn’t long before he, alongside collaborators Al Nather and Shabjdeed, came together to found the independent label in 2015. Mouri explains to Dazed MENA the impact he had always hoped to achieve with his work: “Since day one, as an individual, my main goal has been to speak with, work with, and support my people,” he explains. “I’m hoping to amplify the voices of the oppressed, challenge the powers that govern us, and unite like-minded individuals under a shared vision.”

The establishment of BLTNM came to be framed by the press as ‘defiant’ or ‘subversive,’ otherwise jarring vernacular for a group of musicians who simply wanted to make music together in a legitimate setting. But their circumstances as Palestinians meant that any attempt to better their lives was labelled inherently dissident. It’s the grating reality of these conditions that fuels the creative fire of the label’s co-founder. “I’m deeply motivated by anger towards the unfairness and injustice in the world,” Mouri shares with Dazed MENA. Through the indignation of it all, the artist finds much to be grateful for. “At the same time, I’m inspired by the beauty of it all and the gift of waking up each day to witness its divinity.”

The label’s influences expanded to draw audiences from around the world, culminating in sold-out tours across Egypt, Jordan, and London. As BLTNM put out music videos for their artists, Mouri could be seen lurking in the back, shades on, scarfed up, bobbing his head, making his debut as an audio engineer. But he soon found his calling behind the cameras, directing the music videos from the label for ‘Kilmeh,’ ‘Hajmeh, and ‘Amrikkka.’ He expanded into co-writer and art director for the short film “From Jerusalem to Ramallah and Back,” an audiovisual excerpt from the debut of Shabjdeed. 

His work as director of ‘In Ann’ by Daboor and Shabjdeed—a moment Mouri considers as a defining moment in his career—has garnered over 80 million views on YouTube since its release in 2021. Shot in full view of the Apartheid wall under Mouri’s direction, the video conveyed that despite living under occupation, Palestinians are steadfast and still creating. It quickly went viral as an anthem of resistance, rallying thousands online, scoring TikTok edits and inspiring tattoos. 

Highlighting the violence of occupation through art is one of Mouri’s instinctive strengths. This year, the artist produced Ibrahem Hasan’s book Yesterday Come Closer, a visual and textual archive of Palestinian collective memory. Alongside it, Mouri put out YCC Sound System with Radio Alhara, a weekly 24-hour takeover of the radio program highlighting artists in alliance with a free Palestine. 

As if his creative pursuits weren’t already diverse enough, Mouri has been shifting between disciplines, looking into more esoteric forms of storytelling. “A bit of this, a bit of that, you know how it goes,” he teases. The artist, now based in Barcelona, has just curated a booth showcasing independent publications at the Sharjah Art Foundation’s Focal Point this November. He’s now looking to tread into unknown artistic territory: “I’ve honestly been experimenting a lot this past year,” Mouri shares. “I feel like I want to try all the mediums that I couldn’t before. I’ve been keeping busy with non-stop research into design, photography, and fashion.”

In every medium he embraces, Mouri crafts cathartic sensory experiences through which people can make sense of their emotions tied to the Palestinian struggle. There’s an indisputable weight that comes with creating such art—but Mouri recognises that he is not alone in this endeavour. “I’m feeling really confident about our future and genuinely excited that we finally have the chance to take control of our own story,” Mouri hopes. “It’s not just about us individually—there’s a sense that the whole region is reclaiming its narrative, piece by piece, and that’s a powerful thing. It’s a shift that’s going to allow us to grow stronger, more connected, and more resilient together.”