Rapper Saint Levant, whose real name is Marwan Abdelhamid, has paid homage to his Palestinian roots by announcing the release of his second album, Deira, in honour of a now-demolished hotel of the same name in Gaza.
An active presence on social media, the 23-year-old multilingual musician took to Instagram to share the news of the album with his fans. “I am really proud of this body of work that took me a year to create,” wrote the artist. “I’m honoured to share it with you.”
The album, consisting of eight songs, envisions a future return to a free Palestine. Marwan’s latest project has been met with raptures from his online community, ringing a particularly strong chord amid the horrifying backdrop of the atrocities ravaging Gaza. “You made art that is so beautiful and so important now more than ever,” wrote one fan in the comments section. “These songs are crafted with so much love – thank you for sharing them with all of us. Incredibly proud of you.”
According to Vogue Man Arabia, in Deira, Marwan has collaborated with notable artists such as Kehlani, 15-year-old Palestinian rapper MC Abdul, Sol Band, and Algerian phenomenon Cheb Bilal. The artist has also partnered with Palestinian-Jordanian artist Zeyne, who provided background vocals throughout the entire album, to incorporate an additional element of his heritage and bring Arab-pop and R&B elements into each track.
Marwan was born in Jerusalem to a Palestinian-Serbian father and a French-Algerian mother. As a result of his multicultural upbringing, the young artist’s music takes inspiration from a melting pot of backgrounds, melding into a fusion of French, Arabic, and English. Marwan’s first album, From Gaza, With Love, was released in March 2023 and also garnered similar praise from fans.
With his mixed heritage having heavily influenced his art, Marwan’s lyrics often explore themes of identity, love, and social issues. His other well-known tracks include Very Few Friends, Jerusalem Freestyle, and Here and There, and have all been popular with fans.
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