Chaotic Sound Of Egypt. Interview With Timmy Mowafi, MO4 Network

by Alexandra Mansilla

Chaotic Sound Of Egypt. Interview With Timmy Mowafi, MO4 Network

29 Nov 2024

Do you read Scene Noise? Most likely, yes. It is one of the key platforms for learning about the music industry in the Middle East and beyond.

We got the chance to talk to its co-founder — who, by the way, isn’t just behind Scene Noise but is also a co-founder of MO4 Network, one of the leading creative agencies and media networks in the Middle East — Timmy Mowafi.

In our chat, we found out how they built an entire empire of cool media, how the Egyptian music scene has grown, what Egypt sounds like, and what makes the DJ duo Horrible DJ so special.

— First off, huge thanks for Scene Noise! It is a great platform, and it helped us out so much when we were prepping for different interviews. So, thank you!

— I really appreciate your words! Scene Noise became like an archive of everything that has happened in the music scene over the last decade or so. And it is something I am really proud of. Especially that feeling where you’re like, “Oh, this artist is so cool, I want to know more about them.” Scene Noise usually has that.

Of course, we do bigger-scale stuff now, and we cover stories with more well-known artists, but it is the focus on the underground and emerging scenes, subcultures, and artists that we have always been proud of. That has always been, let’s say, our ethos.

— It is really cool how you pick talents for your articles — great job, and thank you again! So, you founded MO4 Network in 2012 — can you tell us more about it?

— MO4 Network was founded by me and my siblings! It all started on holiday in Egypt. I remember there was this big concert — Shakira was performing — and getting tickets was a nightmare. The only way was to go to a telecommunications store to pick them up. But then you would get there, and they would look at you like, “What the hell are you talking about? Shakira tickets?” So, you would end up meeting some random guys instead.

That is what led us to create the first online reservation system for ticketing and events in Egypt. From there, it evolved. We went from ticketing to covering the events themselves, wanting to show what was really happening at these events. That is when we launched Cairo Zoom, a photo coverage platform that still exists today. It was pretty revolutionary for Egypt at the time. Nobody had ever seen photos capturing what really went down at these parties. People were used to waiting until the end of the year for glossy magazines showing a few people in suits at events, which didn’t reflect reality at all. Cairo Zoom was super controversial at first, but it tapped into this voyeuristic zeitgeist — people were dying to see what really went on.

From there, we thought, “How do people even know about these events?” That is where Cairo Scene came in. It started as an event calendar covering everything happening in Egypt. Over time, it grew into one of our largest platforms, an Egyptian-based lifestyle publication. That was also when we started monetising with banner ads on the website. I remember selling ads for 2,000 Egyptian pounds and being so proud — it is probably worth about £1 now!

Selling ads led to clients asking, “Do you guys also do social media?” At the time, we had never spent a penny marketing our site. We were using Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms — back then, there weren’t even fan pages yet. But we said, “Sure, we can do that!” Slowly, we became one of the first social media agencies in the Middle East. Over time, that evolved into a creative agency, which still exists today, serving clients across the region.

Meanwhile, our media portfolio expanded over the last 10 years to include 13 publications. Scene Noise is one of them. I started it as a section in Cairo Scene because I have always been passionate about music and wanted to spotlight local Arab talent, especially since no one else was doing it.

— Which platform are you most involved with?

— As an owner and managing partner, I am involved in a little bit of everything, but Scene Noise is definitely my baby in this whole setup and situation.

Instagram: @timmymowafi

— Cairo has such bustling nightlife and incredible events. So, do you have any favourite spots in Cairo?

— That is a sensitive question because I have seen the rise and fall of some incredible underground spots over the years. Back in the day, there was a place called Vent, one of the first truly underground clubs in Egypt. It provided a platform for both international DJs and young Egyptian producers to perform.

Since then, other venues have come and gone. At one point, there was Unicorn Garden. Right now, there is Yellow Tape, a cultural space and record store that has become an established location hosting regular events.

On the other hand, there is Cairo Jazz Club, which has done an incredible job for over 20 years. Every night, they host live music, ranging from eclectic, experimental, underground events to pop and tech house. They have been a pillar of the scene.

But for a fresh, underground movement, going to the same established venue over and over can lose its charm. People crave that gritty, out-of-the-way warehouse vibe — the kind of raw, unconventional spaces we used to have.

— It seems like, over the past few years, we have been hearing more and more about the Egyptian scene. Maybe it is because we work in media, or maybe it is just that you are making a lot of noise! So, would you say that is true? Do you remember a specific tipping point when Egyptian music really started to boom?

— It is more genre-based rather than music as a whole. For example, there was a big boom in indie rock after the revolution when bands like Cairokee emerged and became huge. That opened the door for indie rock in Egypt and paved the way for acts like Massar Egbari and other major indie bands.

Then came the rise of mahraganat and shaabi music, which garnered a lot of attention, even internationally. It became this fascinating, street-driven genre that inspired underground culture in Egypt and captured a Western gaze intrigued by its raw authenticity. It is still influential in many ways, but unfortunately, Egypt hasn’t supported its own street music in the way it deserves. Mahraganat had its moment, but it hasn’t been sustained or nurtured to its full potential.

Then, the rap scene came along, and it was a game-changer. At first, rap in Egypt wasn’t mainstream at all — it wasn’t played on the radio and was more of a niche hobby. But it built this massive following online, fueled by youth culture and deep engagement. About seven years ago, when one of the first big rap concerts happened, they brought in Abyusif, one of the prominent rappers at the time. He was just the opening act for a Cairokee show, but the crowd knew every single word of his songs. That moment showed how rap had tapped into the pulse of youth culture, and it exploded from there. It is now a massive movement in terms of fandom and online engagement.

So, it is less about a single overarching music scene and more about these waves of genre-specific booms. And when you combine that with Egypt’s highly social-media-driven culture and a population of over 100 million, it creates this natural amplification where Egyptian music, in all its forms, reaches a lot of people — locally and beyond.

— There also seems to be a growing Western interest in Eastern sounds, especially with things like IMS coming to Dubai. Why do you think that is?

— Let’s call it “oriental fetishism”, haha! It is an interesting phenomenon, and I’ll say, in some ways, it is actually a good thing. For example, DJs like Saliah are now getting booked globally and in Egypt, where they are absolutely blowing people’s minds.

Globally, you are also seeing Amapiano and Afro House becoming part of the club experience. These styles started somewhere specific and have travelled elsewhere, showing how people are really craving something authentic and different in their nightlife.

It is all about authenticity, and I think that is the current trend. Honestly, what is the difference between listening to techno in Cairo and listening to it in Kuala Lumpur? It is the same vibe. But when you hear something unique that connects to the space, the culture, or the artists themselves, it creates a more powerful and memorable experience.

When an artist expresses something personal and rooted in where they are from, it elevates the experience. You feel like you are in that moment, in that specific place, and it becomes special. Maybe that is why this kind of authenticity is becoming a trend, and honestly, it is a good thing. It is bringing something fresh and meaningful to the club scene.

Instagram: @timmymowafi

— I have a fun question: What is happening in this photo? And what is Robert Pattinson like as a person?

— Haha, that is so wild! I was actually at the Soundstorm Festival in Saudi. I had to go back to Cairo as we were doing the coverage for the Dior fashion show at the Pyramids for MO4. After not sleeping for three days straight at Soundstorm, I jumped on a plane and landed just in time for the fashion show. I went into the bathroom, and Robert Pattinson was just there.

— So it is a picture from the toilet, right?

— Haha, yes, it was literally inside the toilet. Amazing, right? And I am standing there thinking, “Is this really the best place to strike up a conversation about Twilight?” But then I was like, “Eh, it is what it is.” He was super nice, though! It was just one of those bizarre encounters.

— Was there any conversation?

— Yeah, exactly. I literally just asked him, “Hey, how’s it going?” And he goes, “This is really wild, being at the Pyramids.”

It was such a surreal moment — the Pyramids, a Dior fashion show, and then just casually running into Robert Pattinson… in the toilet. What even is life sometimes?

— One of IMS’s topics is “Defining A Sound: The Sound Of A Region”. How would you describe the sound of Egypt? Whatever feels right to you.

— Crunchy, loud, polluted, noisy. Chaotic. But somehow, all of those things together create something really beautiful. Especially for someone who has grown up surrounded by that level of sound — it becomes part of your subconscious, part of who you are.

It is not clean, it is not polished, but that rawness and chaos — the essence of Egypt’s streets — seeps into the music. And in a way, it connects with you on a deeper emotional level. It is not perfect, but maybe that is exactly why it resonates so powerfully.

You have to find a way to make it all work and synchronise with your thoughts. The constant beeping, the loud street noises, the shouting — it is relentless. And then there is your own internal dialogue, your daily thoughts.

— You are also a “horrible DJ” — I mean, part of the duo “Horrible DJs”. Tell us about that!

— It all started as a joke. Back then, we were just bad DJs. Now, we are decent DJs but probably horrible people.

It began as a parody that spiralled way out of control. We produced a couple of mockumentaries about horrible DJs, roping in some celebrity friends to play along. The line between parody and reality blurred, and suddenly, we were getting booked at every single venue in Egypt. Before we knew it, we were on tour, even playing in Europe. The joke just took on a life of its own.

The name worked perfectly, though. If you are terrible, it is fine — it is what people expect. But if you are actually good, it’s a pleasant surprise. So, it was basically fail-safe. Then, one day, my brother and I were at a gig — I can’t even remember what was happening around us — and we just looked at each other and realised, “This isn’t a joke anymore. We’re actual DJs now.”

Then we retired. But last year, we came back and played at Sandbox, which was a lot of fun. And now we are starting to play around a bit more. Who knows where the joke will take us next?

by Alexandra Mansilla