Egyptian singer 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Rahim first made headlines with his pre-9/11 hit, "I Hate Israel, I Love Amr Moussa." He followed up with an album featuring the song "Hey People, It Was Only a Tower and I Swear by God that They [the U.S.] Are the Ones Who Pulled it Down." [1]

The following are excerpts from a March 1, 2006 Dream2 TV interview with Al-Rahim that featured two new songs - one against Denmark and the other on the avian flu.

TO VIEW THIS CLIP, VISIT: http://memritv.org/clip/en/1073.htm.

[I Told My Producer] "We Must Wake up Islam and Write a Song Right Now"

Sha'aban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "I have liked news broadcasts and such things for a long time. I began with the song 'I Hate Israel.' I used to watch Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, and so on, and all those things on the news. Then I started to sing, and when the song about Israel became a hit, and there was such a big fuss, I decided to follow these things so I could pick up things that people like, and which help angry people to let off steam."

[...]

Interviewer: "Sha'aban, we sometimes watch the news and don't understand, and feel that we need someone to explain it to us. Who explains it to you? For example, if there is a conflict between two countries, or what happened between Syria and Lebanon... Who do you consult, and who explains it to you? We all sometimes need someone to explain things to us sometimes."

Sha'aban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "Why, is the news in English? The news is in plain language and it's very clear - People beat up other people, and people act unjustly. Anyone can understand this."

[...]

"One morning at six, when I finished working, I turned on the TV, and heard about those bad cartoons [in Denmark]. I got really mad, and called my producer, 'Alaa Wahaba, [and told him] we must wake up Islam and write a song right now. He said it was in the middle of the night, but I said: 'right now.'"

[...]

"Denmark? They are Nothing but Pagans"

Song by Sha'aban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "We are completely fed up.

"We are completely fed up.

"But there are no solutions.

"Humiliation has reached even the religion and the Prophet.

"The religion and the Prophet.

"Allah's messenger, Muhammad the Imam of Prophets.

"They want to distort his image - those despicable fools.

"Those despicable fools."

[...]

"No religion can be held responsible for the man who humiliated the Prophet.

"These are crazy people, and their top guy is an idiot.

"Their top guy is an idiot."

[...]

"Denmark? They are nothing but pagans.

"Who are they to say anything about the Prophet?

"About the Prophet.

"Our Islam is innocent of them, and what they say is all lies.

"Our Islam is a religion of love, not of injustice and terrorism.

"Not of injustice and terrorism.

"When you all meet in Hell, the flames will burn your faces.

"The flames will burn your faces.

"They will burn your faces.

"I will speak and won't be silent, and others will say along with me:

"We want a total boycott, and even that is not enough."

"Why Shouldn't We Curse Them Just Like They Curse Us?"

Interviewer: "Sha'ban Abd Al-Rahim, this song was banned on many channels. It was banned."

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "I never heard that."

Interviewer: "It was. Some say this was because it curses other people, who may think we are cursing them. So those channels said: We'd better not show it."

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "Well, why shouldn't we curse them just like they curse us?"

[...]

Interviewer: "What do you think of Berlusconi, the prime minister of Italy? One of his ministers printed the offensive cartoons on his shirt, and went out to the street, and he told him he must resign. What do you think of Silvio Berlusconi's position?"

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "He's the one who made the shirt?"

Interviewer: "No, he's the one who got mad at the one who made the shirt. He's Italian."

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "He's the one who got mad at the one who made the shirt? He's probably sick, sick in the head."

Interviewer: "The one who...?"

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "The one who made the shirt, and the other one too."

[...]

"As Prime Minister... I Would Appoint my Children.... I Have Many Children"

Interviewer: "Imagine that you are president of Egypt for three hours. Who would you appoint to be next to you? Who are the people that you think are good and can handle things? If you were president for three hours..."

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "Let's not talk about the role of president. Let's go a little lower, because I don’t want to be president."

Interviewer: "You prefer prime minister?"

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "For example, prime minister, because being president is a huge responsibility. So let's take a less senior role, for example, prime minister.

"First of all, I would appoint my children. All of them. I have many children. I would make my son minister of whatever, and my second son too... I'd appoint them to all the ministries."

Interviewer: "Which ministries do you have in mind?"

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "For example, I would make my son minister of housing, so he could find me a great apartment to relax in."

Interviewer: "But you already have an apartment, don't you?"

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "I want a bigger one. After all, I'm prime minister, my son is minister of housing, and you expect me to live in a smaller apartment than the one I have now?!"

[...]

"If I were prime minister, I would first appoint my children to all the ministries, and then I would appoint my friends, or, for example, my paternal cousin, my maternal cousin, and then my close friends."

[...]

Interviewer: "What about the missus?"

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "She will be the wife of a prime minister."

Interviewer: "You wear a picture of her on your chest."

Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "Yes, that's my wife. She sits on my heart, in my heart."

[...]

"Beware of Avian Flu; If You See a Dizzy Goose... Pick up the Phone and Report it"

Song by Sha'ban 'Abd Al-Rahim: "I will quit smoking and become a new man.

"On January first, I will begin to lift weights.

"I will quit smoking and become a new man.

"On January first, I will begin to lift weights.

"I will eat cornflakes, and drink diet tea, I will go to the shop and get a clean shirt.

"I will go to the shop and get a clean shirt.

"I will wake up early and jump rope.

"I will eat healthy - pigeon and duck.

"I will eat healthy...

"I will eat healthy - pigeon and duck."

[...]

"That's all we needed - avian flu. Without beating around the bush, without beating around the bush, I tell people: Beware of the avian flu.

"Beware of the avian flu.

"Beware of it.

"Beware of chickens, when they catch cold.

"Go and empty the coop of all its ducks and pigeons.

"Ducks and pigeons.

"If you see a dizzy goose, beware of it, or pick up the phone and report it.

"Or pick up the phone and report it.

"Report it."

[...]

"I will not beat around the bush, but tell people: Beware of the avian flu."

[1] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 674, " Popular Egyptian Singer's New Song: 'Hey People It was Only a Tower and I Swear by God that They [the U.S.] are the Ones Who Pulled It Down,'" January 21, 2004, http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/1043.htm.