| | | Date: Nov 4, 2019 | | Source: The Daily Star |  |  |  |
| | Tripoli goes viral: ‘Revolution DJ’ helps put city back on top | Ghinwa Obeid| The Daily Star
BEIRUT: With their raucous energy, protesters in Tripoli’s Al-Nour Square have captured the imagination not only of their compatriots, but of the world.
Come rain or shine, the city’s demonstrators have turned out day after day to take part in an uprising that aims to sweep away decades of political and economic stagnation.
One of the main highlights of the protests has been a video showing DJ Madi Karimeh lighting up Tripoli's central square, which quickly went viral.
Karimeh turned a balcony overlooking the square into a DJ booth, playing revolutionary songs and helping change perceptions of Tripoli, a city that has long been marred by political stagnation and security problems.
The video showed him jumping up and down, pumping up the crowd, many of whom held their phones in the air, with their flashlights on.
The memorable scene has become one of most talked about moments of the recent uprising, and has led to Karimeh being dubbed the “Revolution DJ.”
“The true image of Tripoli was displayed to the world, and this is enough for me,” Karimeh told The Daily Star. “Each and every one of us has a different approach to the revolution, and I expressed my way through music.”
Talking about the events leading to the viral video, Karimeh said the the decision to start DJing at the protests was a last-minute thing.
“When you see the video, you would think that it is easy, but it’s not. It was a very difficult to do, especially with the large crowds,” he said.
In addition to difficulties in bringing in equipment, Karimeh said he had to find a strategic place to set up.
“When the man let me use his home’s balcony, I told him, ‘It will become a famous,’” Karimeh said. “At the time he didn’t fully understand what I said, but after the video went viral he did.”
He added that his aim wasn’t just to get people dancing, but to make sure they didn’t forget the main reason they were there.
Karimeh repeated the performance this week, once again thrilling the crowd in Al-Nour Square and winning their city adoration across Lebanon.
“The people of Tripoli were shown that they are loved, and they saw peace in what was being done,” he said. |
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