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WORKSHOP AND CONCERT WITH SYRIAN-AMERICAN RAPPER OMAR OFFENDUM

October 27, 2021

SYRIAN-AMERICAN RAPPER

OMAR OFFENDUM  |  IN CONCERT

rapper Omar OffendumTUESDAY
NOVEMBER 16, 2021
MCCORMICK AUDITORIUM
NORRIS CENTER
1999 CAMPUS DRIVE
EVANSTON, IL 60208

3-4:00PM WORKSHOP
Register for workshop here.

5-6:30PM CONCERT
Register for concert here. 

We are inviting the Northwestern community to the workshop and concert by the world renowned spoken word artist Omar Offendum. He is a Syrian-American rapper / spoken word artist. Known for his unique blend of Hip-Hop & Arabic poetry, he’s been featured on prominent world news outlets, lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions, collaborated with major museums & cultural organizations, and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups. Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of both the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim narrative change & the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for immigrant narrative strategy. He currently resides in the great state of New York with his wife and two little children, while daydreaming about the jasmine tree-lined streets of Damascus. 


THE WORKSHOP
  "From Kabbani to Kendrick: Building Bridges Between Poetry & Hip-Hop in the Arabic Classroom"  Omar Offendum grew up studying Arabic poetry in school, while listening to Rap music on his bus rides home. By finding thematic connections between the two art forms, and eventually incorporating both of them into his own unique performance style, Offendum offers a unique perspective on how to bridge the two disciplines in ways that can keep students engaged & excited about learning the Arabic language.  The workshop is open to any faculty and student who would like to learn more about combining music and text.


THE CONCERT
Omar Offendum's performances consist of a blend of poetic recitation, storytelling, and music.  His friend and Oud player Ronnie Malley will join Omar's performance.  The concert includes a Q&A session.  

Questions? Contact mena-languages@northwestern.edu or  Rana.Raddawi@northwestern.edu or Ragy.Mikhaeel@northwestern.edu.
The workshop and the concert are cosponsored by the Council on Language Instruction, the Simeon E. Leland Forum,* and MENA Studies.

*The Simeon E. Leland Forum was established by members of the University community in grateful recognition of Simeon E. Leland’s outstanding contribution to the University’s cultural life while he was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1946 to 1966.