Review by: Mustafa Abubaker

The short:

This bright, bouncy, and soulful hip-hop song is about Phay embracing everyday life.

The long:

From Atlanta rapper Phay’s album Bake Sale, the single Everyday People touches on topics ranging from Phay’s rank in the rap game, Jay-Z’s influence on Phay, his old Honda Civic, police harassment, and more. The song features three soulful bridges, two scorching verses, and one beat switch that is sure to be situated in hip hop history. The brief breakbeat recalls the days of freestyles over music from boomboxes on New York City street corners. The music video finds the bearded Phay rapping smoothly and passionately sporting a white chef’s coat.

Phay is Palestinian and has significant ties to the region. Phay’s parents were exiled from Zarka, where Phay recalls visiting when he was 6. He remembers that Zarka was the second biggest city in Jordan, and was essentially built as a refugee city with a stark lack of planned architecture. He describes it as “a very impoverished environment”.

Phay’s musical roots span through generations; as his grandfather was a poet and musician as well. Phay’s grandfather would freestyle in Arabic, hit the tabla drum, and rhyme for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes at a time which sparked Phay’s musical inspiration.

To listen or not to listen:

As DJ Khaled once said in his debut studio album, Listennn… the Album -- Listen! This song is crucial for those wishing to feel the pulse of Arab-American hip-hop.