via Sawah Host

2020 was one weird year, wasn’t it? Full to the brim with weird happenings and social distancing, the year’s most bizarre occurrence was the fast friendship that blossomed between Sha’abi singer Ahmed Sa’ad and the President of the Musicians’ Syndicate, Hany Shaker.

If you’re currently remembering that very meme-able video, you are correct – that’s what we’re talking about here.

via YouTube

Despite the strong friendship between the two singers, though, it seems like there’s some trouble in paradise as Ahmed Sa’ad has been banned from the Musicians’ Syndicate. So naturally, we got a tad too curious for our own good and decided to dig a little into what the cause of this fallout could be. And, yes, we have reached one probable hypothesis.

Ready? Well, get the drums rolling because this might all be related to Hany Shaker’s very intense battle with the entirety of the rap and Sha’abi genres.

via Al Bayan

See, we do not need to go back in time much to remember that Hany Shaker is vehemently against the concept of the electro-Sha’abi that’s represented by Hamo Beka and Hassan Shakoosh. His dislike of rap is just as noticeable, with the Musicians’ Syndicate banning Marwan Pablo after an on-stage intermission went wrong in his comeback concert.

So, how does this all relate to Ahmed Sa’ad? We’re glad you asked. Ahmed Sa’ad has featured electro-Sha’abi and rap fusionists Mostafa Enaba and Double Zuksh on a summer hit that has been on all Egyptians’ most-played playlists yet.

via YouTube

With the Enaba and Double Zuksh theory being only a hypothesis as of yet, the ban on Ahmed Sa’ad might have been catalysed because the singer has not paid off an overdue fine of EGP 20,000. Or maybe it’s because he’s been caught performing with playback tracks, something Hany Shaker has explicitly banned.

So is the dynamic duo no more? We have no clue. What we do know, however, is that Ahmed Sa’ad only commented that he’d be paying his overdue fine and that Somaya El-Khashab might enjoy social media a touch more these next few days.