Shaabolla, singer of controversial 'I hate Israel' tune, dies in Cairo
Egyptian singer Shaaban Abdel Rahim, known as Shaabolla, passed away at age 62.
1 min read
Shaaban Abdel Rahim died at the age of 62 [Wiki]
Egyptian singer Shaaban Abdel Rahim - nicknamed Shaabolla - most famous for the song "I hate Israel", passed away at a Cairo hospital on Tuesday at the age of 62.
Abdel Rahim rose to fame after releasing his song in the year 2000 during the outbreak of the second Palestinian Intifada.
"I hate Israel and I will say it until the heavens, I pray I die or get imprisoned," the song states.
The simplicity of his lyrics coupled with singing in a traditional Shaabi dialect made it a hit across the Arab world.
He was often able to bypass the censors by placing pro-regime messages in his songs. Praise for the then president Hosni Mubarak and foreign minister Amr Mousa also featured in his infamous song.
In 2003, however, his song "Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Laden" was taken off the airwaves for inciting terrorism.
He denied the allegations, claiming his song was a condemnation of Osama Bin Laden and terrorism.
The song condemned the US before he stating "I hate terrorism in every way". The chorus then kicks in with "Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Laden."
In 2017, he released a song titled "The Rudeness of Qatar's Foreign Minister", which seemingly took aim at Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay connected
Abdel Rahim rose to fame after releasing his song in the year 2000 during the outbreak of the second Palestinian Intifada.
"I hate Israel and I will say it until the heavens, I pray I die or get imprisoned," the song states.
The simplicity of his lyrics coupled with singing in a traditional Shaabi dialect made it a hit across the Arab world.
He was often able to bypass the censors by placing pro-regime messages in his songs. Praise for the then president Hosni Mubarak and foreign minister Amr Mousa also featured in his infamous song.
In 2003, however, his song "Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Laden" was taken off the airwaves for inciting terrorism.
He denied the allegations, claiming his song was a condemnation of Osama Bin Laden and terrorism.
The song condemned the US before he stating "I hate terrorism in every way". The chorus then kicks in with "Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Bin Laden."
In 2017, he released a song titled "The Rudeness of Qatar's Foreign Minister", which seemingly took aim at Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay connected
Follow the Middle East's top stories in English at The New Arab on Google News
More In News
![Israeli forces ordered bombed Gaza's Jabalia, ordering residents to leave [Getty]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/2176418030.jpeg?h=a5f2f23a&itok=srmqckaL)
