Saudi Arabia: Officials order arrest of a female rapper because of her song glorifying women

20 February: Governor of Mecca Prince Khaled bin Faisal ordered authorities to arrest a female rapper Asayel Slay for the rap song Mecca Girl, reported News.com.

It was announced on the Mecca Region’s official Twitter account on 20 February that Mecca Governor, Prince Khalid bin Faisal ordered the arrest of Asayel Slay and those responsible for the production, because the song “offends the customs and traditions of the people of Mecca and contradicts the identity and traditions of its esteemed population.”

أمير مكة #خالد_الفيصل يوجه بإيقاف المسؤولين عن إنتاج فيديو أغنية الراب ( بنت مكه ) الذي يسيء لعادات وتقاليد أهالي مكة ويتنافى مع هوية وتقاليد أبنائها الرفيعة.
.. تضمن توجيه سموه إحالتهم للجهات المختصه للتحقيق معهم وتطبيق العقوبات بحقهم.#لستن_بنات_مكه pic.twitter.com/zVqggEujfh

— إمارة منطقة مكة (@makkahregion) February 20, 2020

The song glorifying Saudi Arabian women in Mecca and describing them as “powerful and beautiful” was removed from Asayel Slay’s YouTube channel. The music video circulates on social media.

https://t.co/kHvCKzRJFN

— SomeCoder (@tullycraft) March 2, 2020