The Father of Libyan Reggae

Often artists may be hailed as originators of a certain musical style when actually, it’s a matter of taste and/or press agent acuity as to whether they are only one of the contenders or truly the key figure. But guitarist/vocalist/composer Ibrahim Hesnawi is widely regarded as founder of reggae in Libya and the Arab world. It dates from later on in the 1970s when he heard the music of Bob Marley in particular and it became a driving force in his life. He believes that Libyans are particularly attracted to reggae because of its close rhythmic relationship with their “traditional musical rhythm known as darbuka, Libyan drum or kaska.”

And then there’s the righteous lyrics of reggae. Quoting Ibrahim from the album booklet, “They deal with issues that resonate with me such as the call for liberation and freedom and the people’s struggles and how to overcome them.” It would be great if future reprints included a lyric translation sheet.

After some years of painstaking research, Habibi Funk have gathered together some of the highlights of the 15 or so cassettes he has recorded since his first album, recorded in Italy in the early 1980s. His voice often has some of Marley’s stylings, his rhythms are totally roots reggae and the arrangements across the decades reference Arabic modulations, funk and 90s synth patterns. It’s an addictive collection… and has been a constant companion over the last week. Each track opens into a deep groove, often from an extremely un-reggae introduction. ‘Kesati’, from his first album, is a great lead into his musical world, where other treasures lie in wait for the listener, like the anthemic ‘Enti’ or ‘Watany al Kabir’, with its ‘Exodus’ style double-time rhythm.