Throughout the years, music has evolved in many ways and on different levels - some more disappointing than others and some that have changed entire cultures.
As the idea of "underground music scenes" has attracted a big following, the songs that emerged from it have witnessed the same appreciation.
From the ghetto neighborhoods of Egypt, a unique music style saw the light around 10 years ago. A style created from free mixing applications found on the web, a bunch of random beats, and heavy auto-tune.
Mahraganat, meaning "festivals", was first popular among the youth of the country and at shaabi weddings. Born in Egyptian Madinat Al Salam, this genre spread to the entirety of Egypt, then made its way to reach European music festivals...
Focusing on the many societal, political, and economic issues Egyptians are facing, the lyrics of the songs from this growing genre hit people hard, as relatability was, and still is, key to reach a wider audience and build loyalty among its fanbase.
"Our subjects and issues went straight to people - and that's why it got bigger," DJ Sadat, Mahraganat pioneer, told The Guardian.
As it crawls from country to another, this musical innovation brought people many well-loved songs, reaching millions of views on YouTube.
Take a look at some of the most popular Mahraganat songs that have taken the Arab world by storm:
1. Oka Wi Ortega: El3ab Yala (2017)
2. DJ Sadat and Alaa Fifty Cent: Msh Haro7 (2013)
3. DJ Kafoury: Walle3 el Ftil (2013)
4. Ahmed Mekky: Al Hala Git (2017)
5. Hysa, Halabessa, and Sweasy: Hitta Minni (2015)
As Mahraganat grew louder, international media took notice of it
Back in 2013, the New York Times followed DJ Sadat - real name Al-Sadat Mohamed Ahmed Abdelaziz - on his journey through Madinat Al Salam and music creation sessions.
In this four-minute documentary on the popularity of Mahraganat, Sadat is portrayed as a celebrity guest at Egyptian weddings, as men are seen all hyped and jumpy at his performance.
More documentaries followed in recent years
Earlier this year, Nowness focused on another ghetto neighborhood of Egypt known for its Mahraganat production and distribution.
Bulaq, a poor area on the skirts of Cairo, was the star of this three-minute documentary. Going deep into the process of making this genre's songs, Nowness dived into underground studios to show the birth-room of Mahraganat.
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