Photo: Instagram/@flywithhaifa
“Men and women, we are created to lift one another not to control one another and make each other’s lives miserable,” says Haifa Beseisso of the message behind her latest track. The Dubai-based Palestinian-American vlogger and rapper released The 3aib Song last night with an aim of starting a conversation around the usage of the word 3aib (meaning shame) to hold back women.
Filmed in Sharjah, Mleiha, the music video stars Beseisso alongside her sister Tala, as well as other male creatives from the region appearing as backup singers, replying with “shame” to the women’s basic asks. Lyrics of the song include lines like, “Shame on you if you laugh out loud / Shame on you if you raise your voice.” However, Beseisso’s motive behind creating the song runs much deeper. “Although the men in my family are very supportive, the number of honor killings that happened this year to girls inspired me to speak up,” shares the rapper with Vogue Arabia. “On my Instagram stories, I asked my followers what they have been shamed for and that didn’t make sense to them, and the question box exploded with answers which inspired the lyrics,” she reveals when asked how the song came together.
“Messages from my followers about what they go through also encouraged me to speak up for the injustice that goes behind a lot of closed doors,” she adds. “Although I am known and enjoy celebrating Arabia in my work in different ways, I felt the need to voice some of the silenced pain that women go through. This piece is not to be pessimistic but to highlight an issue, and shed the light on the concept of ‘shaming’ girls in different areas of life.”
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While shining a light on the disparities in the treatment of men and women in the region, Beseisso dedicates the song to every girl and woman facing pressure in all aspects of their lives. “I wanted to write a piece about the pressure that women go through in the media in terms of beauty standards, but then thought that women are pressured from everywhere — at work, home, and in society,” she says. “The idea of “3aib” or “shame” came to mind as being one of the most used words to pressure women.” And so, with help from her friends, the song was brought to life in seven days and unveiled in the same week as International Women’s Day.
“This piece is not to be pessimistic but to highlight an issue, and shed the light on the concept of “shaming” girls in different areas of life,” Beseisso stresses. “Our intention is to inspire girls to realize their rights more and hopefully inspire a brother or a husband who has been controlling the women in their family to loosen up and allow them the space to be and shine. Just like how he would like to live his life and shine.”
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Vision and production: @flywithhaifa
Written by Kimo Basha, Haifa Beseisso, Daniella Banikova (THE TRIO)
Directed and filmed by @daniflicks
Music and lyrics: @kimobashaworld
Styled by @mr.jamesharris
Starring @tala.beseisso, @thefamousguyyy, @mowkam, @salahskai
Saxophone by @samuherrerosax
Music mastering and recording by @omarhamdan89
Assistant producer: @tala.beseisso
