Bootleg Magic with Alya Mooro & Nasri Atallah Nasri Atallah & Alya Mooro

Alya and Nasri talk about the massive explosion that tore through Beirut on August 4th, the fourth largest explosion in human history. Nasri was in town at the time, and gives a first-hand account of the immediate aftermath of the disaster, and the anger and sadness that emerged in the week after it. Please donate to the disaster relief effort: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lebanon-relief

We talk about the world looking a bit like its old self again, why we've been away for a month, what Bootleg Magic will be focussing from this point onwards (hint: showcasing Arab creatives), what it's like to live in the diaspora when things are happening back home, about the TV show Nasri made in lockdown and our usual recap of the week and pop culture recommendations. 

We caught up with the brilliant MAY CALAMAWY who plays Dena on the Hulu hit TV series RAMY. We spoke about the events unfolding the US, where she lives, and about our own reckoning around race and racism happening in communities in Arab World. She told us what it's like being on a show loved for its representation of Arabs in the diaspora, working with Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali, how a very personal story of hers made it into the show and much more. Don't forget to rate the show and subscribe, it helps others find us. 

We catch up with Alya's mate Joss, who works at Wired PR where they take care of some of the biggest names in music like AJ Tracey, Goldlink, Stormzy and Jorja Smith, to name a few. We talk about what the pandemic means for the music industry, musicians and journalists. We also catch up about more down to earth things like the joys of walking a dog or making fresh pasta. And, as always, we end on our Highlight/Lowlight and Recommendations from the world of pop culture. 

Thanks to everyone who tuned in to episode one last week. We're back with more highlights and lowlights and some pop culture recommendations. 

Links to some of the things we mentioned in this episode: The Guide to Experimental Travel | Driving Around Downtown LA | Seeladanse - The Instagram account with Mediterranean photos | THE LAST DANCE on Netflix | Story about the Drive-in Cinema in Lithuania | Alya's article on Growing closer to God during Ramadan under lockdown | Advice on mental health from Mind UK | The Morning Show on Apple TV+ | RAMY Season 2 Trailer | Never Have I Ever on Netflix. 

Find us on Twitter - ALYA | NASRI 

Alya and Nasri are both British-Arab writers, now stuck at home like everyone else. They discuss what's been keeping them sane, Tinder chats in the time of isolation, whether it's illegal to walk 6 feet away from a friend in the park and introduce what Bootleg Magic is going to be about.