This episode of Quartertones was recorded live on the Sole DXB stage in Dubai on December 13, 2024. Founder of Empire Records Ghazi Shami, and head of Empire Iwana Sohail Nafar explore the challenges and future of the Arab music industry, from Ghazi's connection to Palestinian heritage to Sohail's work with DAM and Empire. They discuss cultural representation, the impact of geopolitics on music, and the potential for Arab music on the global stage, touching on digital distribution, local and global influences, and empowering Arab artists.

00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome
00:43 Ghazi's Reflections on Being in the Arab World
03:49 Suhel's Journey and Impact
07:47 Building a Festival to Save Homes
11:35 The Evolution of Empire Records
12:26 Challenges and Triumphs in the Music Industry
18:50 The Role of Technology in Music Distribution
22:02 Ambition and Inspiration
28:05 Global Interest in Regional Music
28:26 Challenges of Streaming Platforms
29:20 Empire: A Cultural Hub
32:19 Arabic Music's Untapped Potential
32:36 Local vs Global Music
33:59 Exporting Hip Hop and Social Consciousness
36:47 Artist Development and Authenticity
42:40 Future of the Music Industry
51:33 Q&A Session

Ghazi Shami is a Palestinian-American music technologist, record producer, audio engineer, entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of Empire Distribution. Empire Distribution was founded in 2010 in San Francisco, California and now also has offices in New York, Nashville, the UK, and the Middle East.

Connect with Ghazi 👉 https://www.instagram.com/ghazi/?hl=en
Explore Empire 👉 https://www.instagram.com/empire/

Suhel Nafar is the co-founder of Palestinian hip-hop group DAM, which was featured in award-winning documentary Slingshot Hip Hop. Formerly, Nafar was the global lead of Arab music and culture at Spotify and is now the vice president of strategy and market development at Empire Distribution WANA. He is also the music supervisor for Netflix’s show Mo. 

Connect with Suhel 👉 https://www.instagram.com/suhelnafar/?hl=en

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu

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