Today on al empire, our season finale and last episode. So who better to end it with than the person who made this all possible? Hebah Fisher, KC Network’s co-founder and CEO, demystifies her name, shares beautiful family stories, and reveals a love for kickboxing. Through the highs and lows of building KC Network, Hebah tells us what kept her going. Although al empire is coming to an end, we continue to believe in the importance of celebrating our community’s accomplishments. Search ‘Kerning Cultures Network’ to hear other podcasts like this one, and follow @kerningcultures on Instagram to stay in touch!This episode was produced by Dana Ballout, Alex Atack, and Tamara Rasamny. Sound design by Mohamed Khreizat and Alex Atack. Fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar. The original sting for al empire was composed by Ramzi Bashour. al empire is a Kerning Cultures Network production.This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here <a href="https://bit.ly/41il08u">https://bit.ly/41il08u</a> to get 10% off using code KC10.  <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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A chance encounter got Nooriyah into the world of radio hosting from which she began to DJ and curate music mixes. Her visually rich music compilations were unique, highlighting how some of the most iconic Western pop songs sampled Arabic melodies. When she started posting them on Instagram and Twitter, they quickly went viral. Growing up between Saudi Arabia, Japan and the UK, Nooriyah is now known for her vividly diverse music sets that blend music from around the globe. At the end of 2022, Nooriyah played a phenomenal Boiler Room set that cemented her role in the DJ hall of fame and gained international acclaim. In this episode, Nooriyah speaks to Dana Ballout about her journey into the world of DJing, how she founded ‘Middle of Nowhere’ to champion sounds of the diaspora as well as the importance of representation on the dancefloor. This episode is hosted by Dana Ballout, produced by Al Shaibani and edited by Heba El-Sherif. Fact checking was by Laura Wahied and sound design and mixing by Ahmed Mitry. Bella Ibrahim, Soumaya Bouabdellah, Malak Jarrar, Nadine El Shiaty, Tala Toukley, and Ahmed Salhab handle our marketing, and Batould Khalifeh is our operations manager. Al Empire is a production of Kerning Cultures Network.Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Watch Season 3 of al empire on YouTube.Danny Hajjar referenced in this episode: https://www.saalounielnas.com/ Support this podcast on patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $2 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nooriyah: DJ, Producer and Radio Host

There wasn’t a huge emphasis on music education when Majid Al Maskati was growing up in his home country of Bahrain. But an unlikely chain of events would somehow lead this young man with big dreams from a small Gulf island to co-create a hit single for Drake and get signed under his label. In this episode, Majid speaks to Hebah Fisher about his musical awakening that started with him and his producing partner Jordan Ullman making songs together from a dorm room and a basement. Eventually the pair would become the renowned R&B duo Majid Jordan. Hear Majid tell his story: his upbringing, the CD that brought him fame, a magical Coachella performance and hopes for the future. This episode is hosted by Hebah Fisher and Dana Ballout. It was produced by Ban Barkawi, Finbar Anderson, and Hager Eldaas and was edited by Heba El-Sherif. Fact checking was by Tamara Juburi and sound design and mixing by Youssef Douazou. Batoul Khalifeh is our operations manager. Al empire is a production of Kerning Cultures Network.Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Watch Season 3 of al empire on YouTube.Songs featured in this episode:Hold Tight - Majid JordanHold On, We’re Going Home - Drake ft Majid JordanSongs referenced in this episode:Chill Pad Deluxe - Majid JordanAfter Hours MixtapeTake Off Your Cool - OutkastOne More Time - Daft PunkBuy U a Drank - T-PainOceans - Majid Al MaskatiWhite Among the Blue - Majid Al MaskatiWaves of Blue - Majid JordanThis episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Majid Al Maskati: Music Artist, Majid Jordan

Young Maha Abouelenein was always full of confidence. It was a trait her dad instilled in her from a very young age and she carried it with her throughout her life. It helped her launch her career in Egypt in the late 90s, starting in the telecoms business and later navigating several industries to become the renowned communications superstar she is today. In this inspiring conversation, Maha speaks to Dana Ballout about how a little Egyptian girl raised in a small Minnesota town goes on to build an empire that straddles the US and the Middle East. She opens up about her journey to bridge the cultural differences in communication styles between the two regions and her experience in managing the personal brands of celebrity clients including Gary Vaynerchuk, Karen Wazen and others. This episode was produced by Ban Barkawi, edited by Heba El-Sherif and hosted by Dana Ballout. Fact checking was by Deena Sabry and sound design and mixing by Monzer El-Hachem. Batoul Khalifeh is our operations manager.al empire is a production of Kerning Cultures Network. Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Watch Season 3 of al empire on YouTube.This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maha Abouelenein: CEO & Founder of Digital & Savvy

Hassan Hajjaj is known as the “Andy Warhol of Marrakech” - but his style transcends that comparison. His work lives in the intersection of fashion, pop culture, Moroccan heritage, Afro influence, orientalist critique, and many other disciplines, truly placing it in a league of its own. In this episode of al empire, the British-Moroccan photographer and artist sits down with Dana Ballout to talk about what it was like moving from Morocco to the UK in the 1970s, his journey to calling himself an artist, and why his art isn’t for intellectuals.This episode is hosted by Dana Ballout. Produced by Finbar Anderson and Ahmed Ashour. Edited by Dana Ballout and Alex Atack. Research and fact checking by Deena Sabry, with sound design and mixing by Youssef Douazou. Batoul Khalifeh is our operations manager. Special thanks to Sole DXB. al empire is a production of Kerning Cultures Network. Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Watch Season 3 of al empire on YouTube.This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hassan Hajjaj: Photographer and Artist

In 2008, Hassan Ahmad Dennaoui, a Jeddawi with a larger-than-life personality, came upon a mixtape with music from Arab hip hop artists like Narcy, Lowkey, Shadia Mansour, and Omar Offendum. What he heard changed his life.Hassan - better known by his radio host and MC name Big Hass - is an authority when it comes to hip hop music in the region. From launching an Arab hip hop culture blog, to hosting the very first radio show playing hip hop music in Saudi Arabia, to even becoming a music executive producer, Hass has proven himself a pioneer and legend in the regional hip hop scene. In this episode, Hass sits down with Hebah Fisher to discuss his upbringing in Saudi Arabia, how he educated himself and others on hip hop culture, and his dreams for the regional hip hop scene. This episode is hosted by Dana Ballout and Hebah Fisher. Produced by Hager Eldaas with additional support from Ahmed Ashour, and edited by Dana Ballout. Research and fact checking by Deena Sabry, with sound design and mixing by Ahmed Mitry. Our marketing team includes Bella Ibrahim, Soumaya Bouabdellah, Ahmed Salhab, Nadine El Shiaty and Malak Jarrar. Batoul Khalifeh is our operations manager.al empire is a production of Kerning Cultures Network.Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Watch Season 3 of al empire on YouTube.Artists referenced in this episode:NarcyShadia MansourLowkeyOmar OffendumDJ Kool HercChuck DPublic EnemyLL Cool JJeddah F.A.MDhad GraffitiDJ Lethal SkillzBig MoeNora ZeidOddiseeSongs referenced in this episode:Omar Offendum - FinjanShadia Mansour ft. M1 (Dead Prez) - Al Kufiyyeh 3arabeyyehJeddah F.A.M - Jeddah LoveIraq CypherAl9ine & Blvxb ft. DJ Lethal Skillz (Prod. by Big Moe) - Harib This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big Hass: Radio Host and Music Executive Producer

When Khaled Kteily told his colleagues he was quitting his job to get into the sperm business, he raised a few eyebrows. But in his words, the idea to launch a digital male fertility clinic was his “one hit wonder” and he never looked back ever since. In this episode of al empire, Khaled chats with Dana Ballout about the misconception of fertility being exclusively a woman’s responsibility and why every man should consider investing a small price to freeze their sperm. They get into it all: the epiphany that drove him to start Legacy, the ethos of building his business, and of course countless sperm puns. This episode was produced by Finbar Anderson and Alex Atack with additional support from Ban Barkawi. Editing was by Dana Ballout and fact checking was by Deena Sabry. Sound design and mixing was by Youssef Douazou. Our marketing team is Bella Ibrahim, Soumaya Bouabdellah, Ahmed Salhab, Nadine El Shiaty and Malak Jarrar. Batoul Khalifeh is our operations manager. A Big thanks to Mazen Hashem at Solo Films for the studio in Beirut. al empire is a production of Kerning Cultures Network.Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Watch Season 3 of al empire on YouTube.This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Khaled Kteily: Founder & CEO of Legacy

In ninth grade, Palestinian-American stand-up comedian and actor Mo Amer struck a deal. If he recited a monologue from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in front of class, his English teacher would let him do a stand-up set and help him pass. Mo killed it.Mo always knew he wanted to be a comedian, and he has turned that life-long passion into an incredible career in stand-up, TV, film, and many other mediums. The star of Mo, Ramy, DC’s Black Adam, and many Netflix specials like The Vagabond sits down with Dana Ballout to kick off Season 3 of al empire. They discuss his early years as a Palestinian refugee in Houston, TX, touring comedy clubs in post-9/11 America, and how he hopes to “influence the culture” with his art.This episode is hosted by Dana Ballout. Produced by Finbar Anderson and Alex Atack with additional support from Ahmed Ashour. Edited by Alex Atack and Ahmed Ashour. Research and fact checking by Deena Sabry. Sound design by Monzer El-Hachem. Special thanks to Majd Bani Odeh, and Quincy at Sacred Stone Media in Houston, Texas.Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Watch Season 3 of al empire on YouTube.This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mo Amer: Stand-Up Comedian and Actor

al empire returns for Season 3 with more stories of exceptional Arabs from around the world and their journey to the top, from comedians and entrepreneurs to musicians and media mavericks. This season of al empire, we’re also releasing the full uncut video episodes online. Subscribe on Youtube through this link to learn more.al empire is hosted by Dana Ballout and Hebah Fisher. Produced by Alex Atack, Ahmed Ashour, Al Shaibani, Ban Barkawi, Finbar Anderson, and Hager Eldaas. Edited by Dana Ballout, Alex Atack, and Heba El-Sherif. Research and fact-checking by Deena Sabry. Sound design by Mohamad Khreizat, Ahmed Mitry, Monzer El-Hachem, and Youssef Douazou.Find a transcript for this episode at kerningcultures.com/al-empire.Support this podcast on patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $2 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

al empire is back!

Omar went from being an investment banker to adventuring around the world. He’s been on adventures climbing the highest mountains in the world, attempting to row across the Atlantic Ocean, skiing in the North and South Poles, and a lot more, like starting his travel and adventure business, Wild Guanabana. Omar walks us through life’s eccentric highs, literally, and mournful lows.This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Tamara Rasamny with editorial support by Dana Ballout and Alex Atack.  Sound design by Tamara Rasamny, and mixing by Mohamad Khreizat, fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar. The original sting for al empire was composed by Ramzi Bashour. al empire is a Kerning Cultures Network production. Search ‘Kerning Cultures Network’ to hear other podcasts like this one, and follow @kerningcultures on Instagram to stay in touch!This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Omar Samra: Adventurer and Entrepreneur

Ghizlan Guenez always loved fashion. But, as she entered the corporate world, Ghizlan could never find modest yet fashionable clothing to suit her style and the women around her. In 2017, she founded The Modist, the first online luxury site for modest fashion.This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Alex Atack with editorial support by Dana Ballout and Tamara Rasamny.  Sound design by Alex Atack, and mixing by Mohamad Khreizat, fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar. The original sting for al empire was composed by Ramzi Bashour. al empire is a Kerning Cultures Network production. Search ‘Kerning Cultures Network’ to hear other podcasts like this one, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to stay in touch! This episode is supported by Calo, an app that provides personalized meal plan subscriptions. Download Calo here https://bit.ly/41il08u to get 10% off using code KC10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ghizlan Guenez: The Modist Founder

Featuring exceptional Arabs around the world and their journeys to the top. al empire is a Kerning Cultures Network production. Search ‘Kerning Cultures Network’ to hear other podcasts like this one, and follow @kerningcultures on Instagram to stay in touch! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next

Our producer Nadeen Shaker takes us on her own personal journey in trying to discover why she felt excluded because of her hijab. In Egypt, things are more complex than they seem; history, politics, class, and money all played a hand in changing how people perceive veiled women. This week on Kerning Cultures, a story about what it's like to feel like an outcast in your own country. This episode was produced by Nadeen Shaker, with editorial support from Dana Ballout. Tamara Rasamny, Zeina Dowidar, Alex Atack, and Hebah Fisher. Fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar. Sound design by Alex Atack and Mohamed Khreizat. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.Support this podcast on patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outcast

In our day-to-day lives, it's a drink. But for some people, it is not as simple as that. It's a Sufi's spiritual companion, an Emirati's keeper of tradition, and a Yemeni's connection to his homeland. Today, we dive into three stories about coffee, exploring the tradition, culture, and spirituality of this simple bean.This episode was produced by Noon Salih, with editorial support from Alex Atack, Dana Ballout, Zeina Dowidar, Nadeen Shaker, and Dina Salem. Fact-checking by Dina Salem. Sound design by Alex Atack and mixing by Mohamad Khreizat.Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.Support this podcast on patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More Than A Buzz

We asked women to tell us about their first periods and how it set a tone for how they view their bodies today. A tribute to International Women's Day.Produced by Shahd Bani Odeh and Darah Ghanem. With editorial support by Dana Ballout, Hebah Fisher, Bella Ibrahim, and Alex Atack. Sound design by Alex Atack. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.Support this podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KC Short: Break the Cycle

Two bite-sized stories from the Kerning Cultures vault. First, is there really Halal Cart drama in New York? And, we explore an ancient farming practice, modernised in Cairo.This episode was produced by Alex Atack, with reporting for the Halal Food Cart story by Jahd Khalil and production support from Nadine Tadros and Claire Tighe. Editorial by Dana Ballout, Bella Ibrahim, and Hebah Fisher. The aquaponics story was produced by Alex Atack and Hebah Fisher, with editorial support from Bella Ibrahim, Dana Ballout, and Zeina Dowidar. Overall sound design by Alex Atack. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.Support this podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Misfits, Volume I

His whole life, Walid Waked had been told that his great grandfather invented the Arabic typewriter. And then, one day, he learned that another family – the Haddads – believed they invented it. This week on Kerning Cultures, the contested history of the Arabic typewriter.This episode originally aired in September 2019.Thank you to everybody we spoke to for this story: Ahmed Ellaithy – for taking us down the rabbit hole with you – Walid Waked, Anis Waked, Alexandre Cordahi, Nagla Badran, Pascal Zoghbi and Titus Nemeth.This episode was produced by Ahmed Ellaithy, Hebah Fisher, Nadeen Shaker, and Alex Atack, with editorial support from Dana Ballout, Tamara Rasamny, and Zeina Dowidar. Sound design by Mohamad Khreizat. Fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.This episode is brought to you by GoSell by Tap Payments: https://www.tap.company/sa/ar/sellKerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production. Support this podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Tale of Two Inventors

While we're gearing up for our next season, we wanted to share a behind the scenes look at what goes into making our episodes.Hear Trancing with the Zars here, and Zabelle here.This behind the scenes episode was produced by Alex Atack with Zeina Dowidar and Nadeen Shaker. Editing by Dana Ballout, and mixing by Mohamad Khreizat. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.Support this podcast on patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the Scenes: Zar and Zabelle

Short stories about passports, visas, and making “home”. And, the KC team challenge themselves to find a place in the world where visas don't matter.Thank you to Mohamed Somji, Liz Eschauzier, Anna Zacarias and Dylan Fitzgerald for sharing their short stories of living in the UAE.This episode was produced by Alex Atack with Dana Ballout and Hebah Fisher. Sound design by Alex Atack. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.Support this podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

78 Degrees North

Last year, our producer Darah Ghanem stumbled upon an obscure blog on a nearly forgotten corner of the internet. On it were hundreds of historic photographs of a Christian missionary school in Khartoum called Unity High School. But as she looked closer, she started to see something else: the blog's writers were trying to tell the world about an alleged corruption scandal that they thought had taken place at the school nearly a decade ago. This week on Kerning Cultures, a story of loose ends, conflicting sources, and half-truths. Part 2 of 2.This episode was produced by Darah Ghanem and Alex Atack, with editorial support from Dana Ballout and Hebah Fisher. Fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar, sound design by Alex Atack and mixing by Mohamed Khreizat. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production.Support this podcast on patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $1 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unity High: Part 2

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