Syrian rapper and producer born Mounir Bu Kolthoum has found a niche in his rap and production style, with a wide musical range and social consciousness. His deeply poetic and introspective delivery stands out in the regional hip-hop scene.
After releasing his first full LP in 2024, Dumya Bilaa Khie9aan, Bu Kolthoum went public about quitting music. However, just a few weeks later, he made a comeback with a raw and gritty EP named after his birth name with a subtle homage to the pioneer Mohamed Mounir.
The five-track EP is a cohesive project reintroducing Bu Kolthoum’s sound, featuring heavy hip-hop production built around distinct samples. The EP’s title, MHD MOUNIR, signals an intentional declaration of his identity and opens a window into what lies beneath Bu Kolthoum. This project contrasts with the slightly softer, R&B-leaning sound of his previous album, Dumya Bilaa Khie9aan.
The EP tells a short story, opening with, ‘OMAR,’ that represents the person his mother aspired him to be, while Bu Kolthoum sees himself differently, aiming to forge his own path with a harsh, uncompromising delivery featuring heavy trumpet-driven instrumentation and introducing that conflict.
A sample from Ibrahim Al Hakamy’s ‘Sho Beny’, with distorted vocals and auto-tune makes up the very next track “SHUBENNI,” the sample lines touch on themes of new beginnings, while Bu’s bars deliver an unflinching reflection on disillusionment to survive.
In the middle track, “U NVR KNU ME,” he fully sheds the Bu Kolthoum’s outer skin, revealing the raw, angry Mounir in unfiltered rap, with orchestral elements in a rough, unpolished style rapping about prioritizing self-worth and confronting those who have caused him pain. The track’s music video serves a bold cinematic piece by Good People and directed by Ingrid Bawab, features Bu Kolthoum in an unhinged state, angry, sweaty, and standing amid a gangster-like cult. Sometimes sinisterly smiling, other times glaring angrily at the lens, the visuals are punctuated with shots of scattered bodies, showcasing how the chaos around him caused him to that state.
Then comes the title track, MHD MOUNIR, which continues the transformation after fully embracing Mounir, he starts seeing himself with the Arab music pioneer Mohamed Mounir. The track showcases Bu Kolthoum’s confident, boastful side in a classic “I am the best” anthem, layered over a moody beat highlighted by a synthesised flute and deep bass. The track’s dense, rapid-fire delivery is peppered with subtle social critique, creating a nostalgic yet contemporary backdrop. Bu Kolthoum closes the EP with “IF I’M HONEST,” a bilingual track with a calmer flow. Serving as the emotional anchor of MHD MOUNIR, it is arguably the most vulnerable moment on the record, stripping away the anger and grounding the EP’s intensity in raw sadness.
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