al empire

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 ...

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 litt...

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 Mo...

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 playin...

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 investin...

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 Ad...

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...

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 o...

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...

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...

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, B 018, 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 A...

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 Ata...

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 thr...

Nadine chats with us about how her love for film began, the years of preparation and work for her 2018 film Capernaum, and her journey to becoming the first Lebanese woman in history to be nominated for an Academy Award. 

Note: The first airing of this episode mistakenly claimed Nadine was the first Arab woman to be nominated for an Academy Award. That distinction...

In our season finale, Hatoon talks about the video that accidentally went viral and made her famous. From being named as BBC’s 100 Women in 2014 to dealing with trolls, this is the journey of Saudi’s first female comedian.

Follow Hatoon Kadi on social media: @hatoonkadi. This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Dana Ballout, with editorial support by Linah Mohammad and Alex Atack. Sound design by Mohamad Khreizat, and fact-chec...

Andre talks about growing up during the Lebanese civil war and how discovering The Economist at age 13 inspired a spirit of entrepreneurship in him early in his life. Fleeing the violence of Beirut, Andre moves to France where his love of music led him to build his first company. From there, his journey towards success had only just begun.

Update: As of October 2019, Turo raised upwards of $450 million in funding, has 350,000 cars l...

Dina, now an acclaimed actress with shows on Amazon and Hulu, initially set out to become a professional dancer, despite trying to quit ballet as a child. In this episode, she talks about the critical moments that propelled her acting career forward and the rewards of pushing the envelope.

This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Dana Ballout, with editorial support by Alex Atack. Sound design by Mohamed Khreizat, and fact-chec...

Bassem reflects on the moments that inspired him to leave behind 19 years in medicine for political satire, a show that was watched by 40 million people every week. Now, he tells us about what it’s like reinventing a career for himself in the US, and about the time long ago when he raised baby chicks.

This episode was produced by Hebah Fisher and Dana Ballout, with editorial support by Alex Atack. Sound design by Mohamad Khreizat, a...