We’ve all experienced some form of light bulb moment — that moment when we realise we want to turn our lives around. Or, that moment you know for sure that you’ve found your calling, your passion. For Emirati rapper Abdul Rahman, better known as Ghost, it came when he was just seven years old, when he was gifted a cassette tape (remember them?) for the motion picture soundtrack of Friday, the 1995 comedy drama starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker.
Ghost has since been pushing to carve his own identity in the local music scene, launching his first mixtape called Recruitment in 2009. He’s since performed at various high profile events, his last one being at the Beats on Beach on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Soundbites caught up with the mysterious 25-year-old from Abu Dhabi, who works by day as a communications professional, to talk hip hop, icons and where he wants to take his music.
So do people get scared when you introduce yourself?
Well, it mostly depends on who I’m introducing myself to. I always try to present myself as a gentleman first, followed by the name “Ghost”. Yet, I’m clearly visible. It’s frightening.
How did you come up with a stage name like Ghost?
I had to take my time and brainstorm like a genius. To be fair, it’s not the most original name you’ll ever come up with, but that’s beside the point. The name was actually given to me by one of my elder friends back in 2001, in North Virginia. It was during a basketball game where I had a chance to showcase my speed, and agility as a young man. Rushing past the defence led to remarks such as “he got ghost”, which, figuratively speaking, means “he disappeared”. That title kind of stretched outside the basketball courts as time went on. It was pretty much applied in most scenarios that occurred between our group of friends. I don’t think I had a choice at that point, but I definitely grew to appreciate it.
Tell us about your musical roots. How and why did you start rapping?
My parents mostly listened to Arabic music. However, every now and then I caught a glimpse of Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, and James Brown, among other legendary musicians, playing in the background. For some reason, Western music sounded more appealing to me because of its variety, in terms of subject matter. At the age of 7, I was given a cassette tape labelled Friday — Motion Picture Soundtrack, which inevitably ignited the flame, and my love, not only for rap, but for the entire hip hop culture. I wrote and composed music out of passion, more so than financial reasons. It simply gave me a platform to express my thoughts, an opportunity to speak for the voiceless, and ultimately represent where I’m from. Hence, #AbuDhabiGhost.
Who are your rap idols?
If I could idolise one rapper, dead or alive, it would have to be Tupac Amaru Shakur. I totally agree it may be a cliche for most rappers in the Mena region to make the same choice, but I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for Pac’s work ethic and passion, I wouldn’t be considering a career in the rap game.
Any rappers/hip hop artists in the Middle East you look up to?
With all due respect to every single hip hop artist in the Middle East, I think we can all agree that we haven’t had any artist successful enough for us to look up to. That includes me as well. We all have a lot of work to do before we can look up to each other.
What does Ghost represent?
I represent hip hop in the Middle East; not to say that I’m the current spokesman or whatnot, as I believe I haven’t earned that title yet; however, I really wouldn’t mind giving it a shot. I stand for respect, I stand for unity; two things that could shift this region’s current situation and reveal its true potential. My music mainly revolves around previous experiences and current aspirations, in addition to other elements related to the art form.
Do you write all your songs?
Absolutely. In hip hop, to be considered a true MC, you would have to be creative enough to write your own lyrics. On another note, I wouldn’t mind being a ghostwriter. How about that?
Which of your gigs have been your favourite and why? (Any gig, performance you’re looking forward to?)
My favourite gig was “Yasalam — Beats By The Beach 2013”, Headlined by Ludacris in Abu Dhabi, Corniche during the F1 weekend. I kind of got an unexpected response from the crowd; it was very satisfying to know that Abu Dhabi was rocking with me that night.
You launched your mixtape in 2009. What about a fully-fledged album?
With the right amount of resources, I think we can definitely create an album that will raise the bar in terms of Middle East hip hop. And I say “we” because all this wouldn’t be possible without my team. I may be a solo artist, but at the end of the day, “teamwork makes the dream work”.
What’s this documentary you’re appearing in? Why are you in it?
The documentary I’m in is called Mic Check and is about hip hop in the Middle East. I actually got approached by rapper DEEN, who is producing the film, and I was asked to be one of the main focuses of the documentary. The project focuses on 3 different stories and 3 different perspectives from 3 different artists trying to make it in the mainstream market via the UAE.
What next for Ghost?
I’m just spending as much time as I possibly can in the studio. I’m also looking forward to next year, and what it has to offer as far as live shows and appearances. Also, I’ll be working on my sophomore mixtape Training Day, which is due to be released in 2024 (assuming all fails next year), as well as a group album that should be out by 2014.
Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
I see myself looking back at my accomplishments up to that point, with the intentions of staying relevant and updated with the current state of hip hop. Hip Hop is forever.
For more on Ghost, go to www.facebook.com/abudhabighost.
