Loading ..."I Wanted to Break the Rules": 40 Minutes with Raphique Barakat
By: Layan Srour / Arab America Contributing Writer
Rafique Barakat, like many musicians, began his journey with the guitar before discovering the rich sounds of the oud. His passion for Arabic music started at the age of ten, influenced by Arab pop icons like Amr Diab and Nancy Ajram, along with the music his parents listened to. Born in Fresno, California, Rafique now calls the Metro Detroit area home, where he teaches, composes, and performs music and stand-up comedy.
You mentioned you were born and raised in Fresno, California. Why did you move to Detroit, Michigan?
After I graduated college, I came here for my sister’s wedding. I didn’t feel like I had many ties in Fresno. Since I had a lot of family here, I figured it would be a good place to move to and get to know my mom and dad’s side of the family more.
Was Arabic music a big part of your musical influence?
I didn’t know who Fairouz was until I moved to Michigan, you know? And not even Umm Kalthoum, or anything like that. Whenever my grandparents would show me music, it was on a tape they made recording a radio station or something. So, I’d always hear these songs, but I wouldn’t know anything else other than the familiar sound.
My music journey began with playing death metal music after being in a worship band. I think a lot of death metal uses a lot of harmonic minors (which is basically the Nahawand (نهاوند) maqam), and in California, people really liked this ‘Eastern sound’.
As an Arab American musician, how did you connect your music with your identity?
It was a bit difficult having a name like Rafique in a majority white town. You just kind of get the “What kind of name is that?” “Where are you from?” “No, where were your parents from?” “Okay, what are you doing here?” I got into a routine of answering these questions and I just felt like I had no autonomy, but I felt like music kind of gave me autonomy, especially with how I want to connect with myself.
Even with starting with an acoustic and electric guitar, I didn’t play to get close to culture. I just thought it all sounded kind of cool. I wanted to play music, and I was having a lot of fun with it. I’m pretty emotional, but I felt like music was a way for me to articulate my emotions before I had the words for them. I started a healing journey before even knowing what that even was. I was already trying to feel connected with something by learning music to kind of pull me out of bad thoughts or even bad habits, I guess.
When I moved to Michigan, I would go to all the open mics in the area – I was trying to find other Arab musicians. I kept thinking to myself, “there has got to be an Arabic music scene out here, there’s no way!”
When did you start getting into oud?
I felt that my Arabic was so broken, so I couldn’t really practice it. I felt like practicing Arabic music would have been like another way for me to kind of learn the language. So I thought, “Let’s listen to these songs, try to sing them, and then try to see what the words mean.” Then I was thinking, “Well, I should get an oud.” They’re a very pretty instrument. I love the sound of them.
When I moved Michigan, I got to spend time with my grandfather, which I’m happy I did because he died, a year and a half after I moved. I was lucky to spend the last year of his life with him. If I’m over here on this journey trying to get to know my roots, maybe my guitar should be on that same journey. Someone once said to me, “Oud is the grandfather of the guitar.” So, I wanted to, in a very nerdy way, figure out, what are the similarities?
How do you incorporate the Arab culture, traditional music or even oud with your musical projects?
How do I not? It’s almost impossible not to.
Once I felt comfortable enough with the oud, I wanted to break the rules. Instead of only framing it with weddings, the Arab bourgeoisie, the rich, and the political figures in the Arab world, I started taking it to shows. I began to question, how does the oud sound in jazz? How does the oud sound with house music? With funk? With a Bee Gees song? How would the oud sound with the soundtrack from Pirates of the Caribbean? I guess I can play Western music with this thing!
I used to do singer-songwriter acoustic guitar stuff. There’s nothing’s wrong with that, I had some of the best years in my life playing that stuff! But, I wanted to kind of keep adding, adding, and adding. I got into live looping and layering just for guitar and that’s how I wrote my album, using the looper.
Being able to practice Arabic music makes me happy. Getting to understand and perform it has helped me figure out the different ways to approach composing Arabic music. Currently, I am in an Arabic band – Hamzet Wasel – with Farah Afra and Layan Srour.
I actually just finished an album under the name Shrinq Mountin, too.
What advice would you give to Arab Americans aspiring to enter the music world?
If you can’t climb the mountain take a step. Don’t get discouraged.
About the Article and Author: Layan Srour, a Lebanese musician based in Detroit, Michigan, is passionate about blending her culture with her music in the United States. She is dedicated to celebrating and connecting diverse communities through her work. 40 Minutes With is a weekly feature where Layan interviews an Arab American musician, exploring their journey through music and culture in America.
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Check out Arab America’s blog here!
