Palestinian-born rapper Belly is hungry for success

He's been through the worst of what life has to offer — living in the midst of war and poverty, hustling on the streets and selling drugs to survive. But then he discovered he had a knack for song writing and rapping, and presto, he created The Revolution. Belly's debut album has become an instant success worldwide, and now he's enjoying the best of what life has to offer.

Quality

The Revolution is not just any other rap album. It is quality in its best form with controversial lyrics that flow with ease, tangling themselves around hooks that grab the listener instantly. Most of the beats have the hypnotising sounds of Arabia while Belly raps about the war in Iraq, the problems between the West and the Middle East, about friends who become enemies and about losing the ones you love.

Belly was born Ahmad Balshe in Jenin, Palestine. To escape the war, he moved with his family to Jordan and Saudi Arabia before settling in Canada. Belly started rapping on the streets and producing songs on a home computer.

But then he met Tony Sal who had started up his own independent record label, which he named Capital Prophet Records. Belly and Lebanese/Canadian r 'n' b singer Massari were his first signings and it wasn't long before Belly started writing many of Massari's hits such as Be Easy and Smile For Me.

Then he turned his focus on The Revolution, which, to Belly, is much more than just an album — it's an actual revolution.

The 23-year-old recently won the Much Music Video Award for Best Rap Video for Pressure, his first single featuring Genuwine. He's also toured with the likes of rap legends Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube and his second single Don't Be Shy, featuring Nina Sky, is on constant rotation on the Dubai radio stations.

Excerpts from an email interview:

Congrats on your new album The Revolution! It sounds great. How has the response been so far?

The response has been phenomenal. I'm definitely blessed to have supporters like the ones I got. People all over the world have been getting in touch with me to let me know that they are a part of this revolution. It's bigger than just an album, and it's bigger than just Belly... this is something for the people.

You touch on the subject of the war in Iraq and the problems that the Middle East is experiencing. Are you hoping that your lyrics and music will reach out and perhaps change the situation?

Absolutely… I'm here to change things. I'm not planning on doing it alone. Anybody who feels the way I do and actually does or says something about it is helping to change the situation. I'm just playing my part…

Your first single, Pressure, is with Genuwine. Why did you choose that to be your first release?

Pressure is the perfect first single, it just felt right. As an artist, you have to feel it out and let it happen naturally. Before my album came out, and I was letting people in the studio to preview it, everybody wanted Pressure to be the first single.

Some great names have collaborated with you on this album. How and why did you choose these people to do music with?

I chose people who would complement the songs that I put them on. Everybody I worked with on my album I have a great deal of respect for, so it was an honour for me to have these features. CP Records got me in the door and the music kept me there.

You're originally from Palestine, and you've lived in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and have ties with Lebanon as well. But you grew up in Canada. Where would you say you truly feel at home?

Palestine is my heart, the whole Middle East is my soul. A lot of my best friends are Lebanese and my sister got married there so Lebanon is dear to me as well. Canada raised me, so I got a lot of love for Canada. All of these places are home…

Any plans to move back to the Middle East? Maybe Dubai?

Yeah… I'm looking at one of those Palm islands. Dubai is the future. Hopefully Hydropolis will open soon — I'll stay there while they build my house!

You're very open about the fact that you used to hustle in the streets. Is that something you've moved away from now or is it still a part of your life?

I definitely moved away from that life. I still live the "lifestyle" though. I take every chance I get to teach kids that you can get money fast, but legit' money lasts.

You once said in an interview with Much Music that you're a 'gangsta'. Is that something you're proud to be? Have you ever been concerned about the influence your words have on younger generations?

Gangsta is a state of mind, when u make it through the situations that I've made it through and have grown up with what I have grown up with, you can call yourself a gangsta too. I'm the only one credible to tell kids that it's not right, because I did it first hand.

Your flow is very cool. Which rapper or rappers would you say you relate to the most in terms of style and lyrical content?

The greats... Notorious BIG, Tupac, Eminem, Jay Z, 50 Cent and Big Pun.

You've got a lot of Arabic influence in your music. Have you ever been worried about it distancing your non-Arab listeners, particularly with the current tensions between the West and the Middle East?

Good music is good music no matter what language you're singing in. I think my fans appreciate the fact that I'm not afraid to be myself. I'm proud to be an Arab.

You and Massari have done a lot of work together. You've written some of his hits and he's featured on your new album. Have you got any more collaborations coming up with any other Arab artists — perhaps someone like Saudi rapper Qusai, aka Don Legend, or Lebanese-born singer Karl Wolf?

Yeah. I wrote 90 per cent of Massari's album. I'm definitely open to working with both those artists.

And what's going on in your personal life? Any special ladies for example?

Let me be secretive about this one. I like my personal life to be personal. That's the only thing I got left that's mine. I don't want to share it with the world.

Finally, what does the future hold for Belly? What is your biggest dream?

I want to be a billionaire… You can't help the poor if you're one of them.

6 Quick questions

Favourite song of all time: Respect — Notorious BIG
Favourite movie: Casino
Bad habit: Cigarettes
Motto you live by: Death before dishonour
What would you bring to a deserted island: A pen and a pad
Hobby: Getting money