#david degner

[zenbubbha]

a sprawling mural by eL Seed in the Manshayet Naser neighborhood of Cairo

It covers approximately 50 buildings, painted in a part of Cairo inhabited traditionally by Coptic Christians and garbage collectors. The mural quotes a third-century Coptic bishop: “If one wants to see the light of the sun, he must wipe his eyes.”

Photos by David Degner for the NYTimes.

[drbmbay]

something in the air.

People taking to the streets to protest, Alexandria, Egypt - photo by David Degner / Freelance (2011)

“One of the reasons I came to Egypt is because it is so cheap to live here. I came about six months before the revolution. I was just doing my thing for six months. Then, the revolution started and, all of a sudden, photographers were in demand.” - David Degner

[5centsapound]

David Degner: Mahraganat Music

Through the warren of Cairo’s unplanned slums, mahraganat (festival) music blasts from tuk-tuks, cigarette stalls and cranked up cellphone speakers; auto-tuned voices mixing with heavy electronic rap beats. The sound quality is low and the lyrics are unmistakably vulgar. Egyptians can’t get enough.

Sha’abi music (literally translating to the music of the ‘poor’) is the new anthem of a new Egypt, recorded in bedrooms, mixed on shoddy laptops and capitalizing on the anger at the country’s economic and political situation. The young singers discuss pride, community, sex, and religion, seething about their frustrated expectations of a better life through irreverent, comical and sarcastic lyrics like “The people want phone credit! Just phone credit,” a play on the popular 18-day Tahrir Square uprising chant: “The people want the fall of the regime!”

[read more here] !!

[nevver]

Hoop dreams

[newsmotion]

One Day in Khaldeya, Syria

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[roadsandkingdoms]

While living in Imbaba, a rough part of northern Cairo, I walked to my favorite vegetable stand on a dirt alley one street in from the Nile. It was not the closest stand to my house, but Ahmed the vegetable salesman never tried to rip me off or force unwanted purchases on me. And then nature brought this gift: while picking through the carrots these three rose to the top. Here they are: my Odalisques.

Check the original story from the R&K backfiles

[Photo Credit: David Degner]