Beyond the state-backed titans, a new wave of independent labels rose in the 1960s and ’70s.
Capitalizing on the low cost of 45 RPM production, labels like Moriphon, Sout El Hob, and Nefertiti introduced alternative sounds and visions into Egypt’s musical landscape.
These weren’t
just musical statements, they were visual rebellions.
Moriphon gave platform to regional and international artists, including Yemenis and Libyans.
Sout El Hob launched Ahmed Adaweya, a working-class hero whose shaabi sound would soon eclipse even Oum Kalthoum in sales.
Nefertiti embraced Egypt's proto-shaabi underground.
Across the
board, these labels employed outrageous, humorous cover designs that
thumbed their nose at the majors’ stately restraint.
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