Lascivious Egyptian urban folksinger Shaaban Abdel-Rehim gained notoriety through a series of pop songs that issued brazen political statements as manifestos, while deftly avoiding any truly pointed criticism of his own government or those of the United States or Israel. Songs such as 2001's "Ana Bakrah Israel (I Hate Israel)" and 2003's "Hitting Iraq" were embraced by the lower and middle classes of Egypt even as critics and intellectuals argued over Abdel-Rehim's relevance. (Meanwhile, it was generally accepted that his slapdash amalgam of folk, pop, and hip-hop wasn't a musical triumph.) In a curious twist, Abdel-Rehim sang to the tune of his hit "I Hate Israel" for a late 2001 McDonald's ad campaign promoting its McFalafel sandwich. Protest from Jewish advocacy groups followed, and the spots were pulled after only three weeks on the air. At the time, it was unclear whether McDonald's had given in to pressure from groups such as the American Jewish Committee, or if the ads had simply run their course. But Abdel-Rehim was unfazed, and continued to release politically provocative singles of dubious musical quality. By the time he released "Hitting Iraq" in early 2003 to coincide with America's military action against Saddam Hussein, Abdel-Rehim seemed to have lost some of his public favor. Some viewed the singer as a clown, full of hot air and not to be taken seriously. Others said the song was an attempt to cash in on the heightened emotions in the region; still others derided the folk performer's apparent embrace of nouveau riche culture. Islam Khalid, the songwriter responsible for "Hitting Iraq" and other politically contentious songs by the performer, said he had to teach Abdel-Rehim the meaning behind some of the ideas he espoused in the ditties. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide