A chance encounter got Nooriyah into the world of radio hosting from which she began to DJ and curate music mixes. Her visually rich music compilations were unique, highlighting how some of the most iconic Western pop songs sampled Arabic melodies. When she started posting them on Instagram and Twitter, they quickly went viral.  Growing up between Saudi Arabia, Japan and the UK, Nooriyah is now known for her vividly diverse music sets that blend music from around the globe. At the end of...

There wasn’t a huge emphasis on music education when Majid Al Maskati was growing up in his home country of Bahrain. But an unlikely chain of events would somehow lead this young man with big dreams from a small Gulf island to co-create a hit single for Drake and get signed under his label. In this episode, Majid speaks to Hebah Fisher about his musical awakening that started with him and his producing partner Jordan Ullman making songs together from a dorm room and a basement. Eventually the...

Young Maha Abouelenein was always full of confidence. It was a trait her dad instilled in her from a very young age and she carried it with her throughout her life. It helped her launch her career in Egypt in the late 90s, starting in the telecoms business and later navigating several industries to become the renowned communications superstar she is today.  In this inspiring conversation, Maha speaks to Dana Ballout about how a little Egyptian girl raised in a small Minnesota town goes on to...

Hassan Hajjaj is known as the “Andy Warhol of Marrakech” - but his style transcends that comparison. His work lives in the intersection of fashion, pop culture, Moroccan heritage, Afro influence, orientalist critique, and many other disciplines, truly placing it in a league of its own. In this episode of al empire, the British-Moroccan photographer and artist sits down with Dana Ballout to talk about what it was like moving from Morocco to the UK in the 1970s, his journey to calling himself...

In 2008, Hassan Ahmad Dennaoui, a Jeddawi with a larger-than-life personality, came upon a mixtape with music from Arab hip hop artists like Narcy, Lowkey, Shadia Mansour, and Omar Offendum. What he heard changed his life. Hassan - better known by his radio host and MC name Big Hass - is an authority when it comes to hip hop music in the region. From launching an Arab hip hop culture blog, to hosting the very first radio show playing hip hop music in Saudi Arabia, to even becoming a music...

When Khaled Kteily told his colleagues he was quitting his job to get into the sperm business, he raised a few eyebrows. But in his words, the idea to launch a digital male fertility clinic was his “one hit wonder” and he never looked back ever since.  In this episode of al empire, Khaled chats with Dana Ballout about the misconception of fertility being exclusively a woman’s responsibility and why every man should consider investing a small price to freeze their sperm. They get into it all:...

In ninth grade, Palestinian-American stand-up comedian and actor Mo Amer struck a deal. If he recited a monologue from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in front of class, his English teacher would let him do a stand-up set and help him pass. Mo killed it. Mo always knew he wanted to be a comedian, and he has turned that life-long passion into an incredible career in stand-up, TV, film, and many other mediums. The star of Mo, Ramy, DC’s Black Adam, and many Netflix specials like The Vagabond sits down...

al empire returns for Season 3 with more stories of exceptional Arabs from around the world and their journey to the top, from comedians and entrepreneurs to musicians and media mavericks. This season of al empire, we’re also releasing the full uncut video episodes online.  Subscribe on Youtube through this link to learn more. al empire is hosted by Dana Ballout and Hebah Fisher. Produced by Alex Atack, Ahmed Ashour, Al Shaibani, Ban Barkawi, Finbar Anderson, and Hager Eldaas. Edited by...

We’re thrilled to share another podcast from Kerning Cultures Network with you: “Beyond the Raging Sea: State of Mind”. In 2016, Omar Samra called Omar Nour with a life-changing idea: “How about we row across the Atlantic Ocean?” Within hours, the two were registered to compete in the world’s toughest race: a 3,000-mile unsupported row across the mighty Atlantic Ocean, in a seven-meter rowing boat. However, nine days into their journey, when their boat capsized in a severe storm and the life...

If you have been enjoying this podcast, we want to hear from you! ⁠ ⁠Understanding who you, our dear listeners, are helps us make decisions as we continue to grow at the Kerning Cultures Network. Help us understand you better by filling the short survey linked in the description of this episode, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a cookie next we see you. Thank you! https://tinyurl.com/ysyf8977

Cofounder of first venture-backed podcast company in the Middle East

The first Egyptian to summit Mt Everest

The first online luxury site for modest fashion.

Award-winning architect

Founder of Mumzworld

The Godfather of podcasting.

The first Lebanese woman in history to be nominated for an Academy Award

al empire Season 2 trailer

Today on al empire, our season finale and last episode. So who better to end it with than the person who made this all possible?  Hebah Fisher, KC Network’s co-founder and CEO, demystifies her name, shares beautiful family stories, and reveals a love for kickboxing. Through the highs and lows of building KC Network, Hebah tells us what kept her going.  Although al empire is coming to an end, we continue to believe in the importance of celebrating our community’s accomplishments. Search...

  Omar went from being an investment banker to adventuring around the world. He’s been on adventures climbing the highest mountains in the world, attempting to row across the Atlantic Ocean, skiing in the North and South Poles, and a lot more, like starting his travel and adventure business, Wild Guanabana. Omar walks us through life’s eccentric highs, literally, and mournful lows. This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Tamara Rasamny with editorial support by Dana Ballout and Alex...

Ghizlan Guenez always loved fashion. But, as she entered the corporate world, Ghizlan could never find modest yet fashionable clothing to suit her style and the women around her. In 2017, she founded The Modist, the first online luxury site for modest fashion. This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Alex Atack with editorial support by Dana Ballout and Tamara Rasamny.  Sound design by Alex Atack, and mixing by Mohamad Khreizat, fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar. The original sting for al...

You may know Bernard Khoury from Johnnie Walker advertisements. He is the man behind some of Lebanon’s most iconic structures. Bernard takes us back to his childhood and the beginning of his architecture career, with his first major project, BO18, an underground nightclub that made global headlines, and tells us the impact that fame had on his work today. This episode was produced by Tamara Rasamny, Dana Ballout, Hebah Fisher and Alex Atack. Sound design by Alex Atack and fact-checking by...

Mona Ataya, a serial entrepreneur, started early by selling chewing gum in grade school. Now, she runs the region’s largest online baby store, Mumzworld. She talks about the balancing act of being a mom and running a leading e-commerce company and how her Palestinian background contributed to her entrepreneurial spirit.  This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Tamara Rasamny, with editorial support by Dana Ballout and Alex Atack.  Sound design and mixing by Mohamad Khreizat,...

  Host and co-creator of Radiolab, More Perfect, Dolly Parton’s America, and more, Jad Abumrad has inspired the sounds of thousands of podcasts and radio shows around the world (Kerning Cultures Network shows included). In this episode, he opens up about being raised in a Lebanese household in Tennessee, curious about the intersection of music and stories. He shares with us his journey towards developing the craft of storytelling through sound, including how he was ignored and (literally)...