al empire

4.6 (127)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

05/22/2023

Nooriyah: DJ, Producer and Radio Host

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.

28 min
05/15/2023

Majid Al Maskati: Music Artist, Majid Jordan

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 Jordan Hold On, We’re Going Home - Drake ft Majid Jordan Songs referenced in this episode: Chill Pad Deluxe - Majid Jordan After Hours Mixtape Take Off Your Cool - Outkast One More Time - Daft Punk Buy U a Drank - T-Pain Oceans - Majid Al Maskati White Among the Blue - Majid Al Maskati Waves of Blue - Majid Jordan 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.

31 min
05/08/2023

Maha Abouelenein: CEO & Founder of Digital & Savvy

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.

28 min
05/01/2023

Hassan Hajjaj: Photographer and Artist

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.

27 min
04/24/2023

Big Hass: Radio Host and Music Executive Producer

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.

33 min
04/17/2023

Khaled Kteily: Founder & CEO of Legacy

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.

37 min
04/10/2023

Mo Amer: Stand-Up Comedian and Actor

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.

25 min
SEASON 3 TRAILER

al empire is back!

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.

1 min

See All (25)

من قديم الازل والعالم ده محيرنا. بنشوف ظواهر غريبة وبنحاول نفسرها بأي شكل. بنعمل تجارب و اختبارات لفهم العالم ولفهم نفسنا بشكل أفضل. فشلنا كتير (اوي) ونجحنا كتير (مش اوي يعني). في بودكاست علمي جداً، انا، المقدم، هقعد اشرب كوباية قهوة معاك و نتكلم عن عالمنا وعن العلم اللى بيساعدنا نفهمه. البودكاست ده من إعداد وتقديم أحمد سمير، تدقيق حقائق لينا الديب وتمارا جبوري، إشراف تحريري هبة عفيفي، تصميم صوتي محمد خريزات وبول ألوف، تصميم جرافيكي أحمد منصور. ناس لطيفة والله. يمكنكم دعم هذا البرنامج عبر patreon.com/kerningcultures بمبلغ يبدأ من دولار واحد في الشهر "A Superbly Scientific Podcast" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4.7 (217)

SCIENCE
قصصٌ وتجارب عن علاقتنا بأجسادنا (هذا البودكاست غير مناسب لمن هم أقل من 18 عاماً). بودكاست جسدي من إنتاج شبكة كيرنينج كلتشرز. اشتركوا لتصلكم حلقة جديدة كل خميس. إذا استمتعتم بالحلقة، اتركوا تقييمكم ورأيكم على منصة البودكاست التي تستخدموها. يمكنكم دعم هذا البرنامج عبر patreon.com/kerningcultures بمبلغ يبدأ من دولارين في الشهر. التصميم جرافيكي لروند عيسى. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4.6 (113)

PERSONAL JOURNALS
Stories from the Middle East and North Africa, and the spaces in between. Kerning Cultures is produced by Kerning Cultures Network. Support this podcast on https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $2 a month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4.9 (456)

DOCUMENTARY
قصص عن تلك الطاقة التي تحرك الكون. عن الحُب؛ بكل صوره وتجلياته، وبكل أفراحه وتعقيداته. بودكاست بِحُبْ من إنتاج شبكة كيرنينج كلتشرز. هذا البودكاست من تقديم شهد بني عودة و إعداد الفريق العربي. الاشراف الصوتي لمحمد خريزات والتصميم الغرافيكي لأحمد سلهب. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4.8 (96)

RELATIONSHIPS
In 2016, Omar Samra called Omar Nour with a life-changing idea: “How about we row across the Atlantic Ocean?” Within a matter of hours, the two were registered to compete in the world’s toughest race: a 3,000-mile unsupported row across the mighty Atlantic Ocean, in a seven-meter rowing boat. However, about nine days into their journey, when their boat capsized in a severe storm and the life raft didn't open, they came face-to-face with death. Inspired by the documentary, Beyond the Raging Sea, this podcast unravels new layers of humans’ state of mind against adversity. State of Mind is produced by Kerning Cultures Network. State of Mind is hosted by Lobna Monieb. It’s also produced by Lobna, alongside Ahmed Ashour and Ban Barkawi. The show is edited by Heba El-Sherif, with additional support from Deena Sabry. Deena is also the researcher and fact-checker with additional support from Eman Al-Sharif. Sound design is by Mohamad Khreizat, Monzer El-Hachem, and Youssef Douazou. Our marketing team includes Bella Ibrahim, Soumaya Bouabdellah, Omama Othman, Ahmad Salhab, Tala Touckley, and Batoul Khalifeh is our project manager. Learn more about the film, Beyond the Raging Sea: https://www.beyondtheragingsea.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.

4.7 (12)

SCIENCE

View Subscription FAQs

4.6

out of 5

127 Ratings

Great Interviews

02/24/2021

megkvinde

The interviews are always fascinating to listen to. I love that I get to learn about diverse people who I would never have encountered in the more traditional media.
Great podcast

11/23/2020

ayyasal

Very interesting topics and interviews!! Thank you for shedding the light over the experiences of those people. Some of them were even new to me! I cannot wait for your next episode to come. Keep up the great work!
One of my favorite podcasts

08/26/2020

Hala.r

I am not very big on podcasts but this show has changed that. I recently stumbled upon the show and have binge heard all the episodes in two days. Excellent choice of guests both interesting and inspiring. Definitely worth a listen. Thank you guys for an incredible show.
*Finally* hearing from incredible Arabs around the world!

08/13/2020

gaby1038

As a 25 year old Arab American, listening to Al Empire has been awe-inspiring and empowering. I truly can’t describe the impact the podcast has had on me personally and with all those whom I’ve shared it. On an even more basic level, I've learned more about the immense accomplishments and the happenings of the Middle East by hearing the stories of our incredibly accomplished community. A much needed addition to the podcast world. Great editing, great and thoughtful questions and impactful conversation. Thank you, Kerning Cultures!!

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.