London, Ont. 'dabke' dance group performs for rapper Drake's birthday
A Middle Eastern 'dabke' dance group landed a gig of a lifetime when they were asked to perform at a birthday bash for a multi-platinum, award-winning artist in Toronto.
“I was just like 'Oh my God, this is insane,'” Omar Hassouneh says as he recalls his reaction when he found out he’d be performing for a high-profile celebrity.
Omar is a member of the Palestinian-Canadian Al-Asala Dabke Group based in London, Ont..
The group was is well-known for performing traditional Arab Dabkeh and Zaffeh, a combination of singing and drumming, at large events and weddings.
Last weekend, five of their members had the chance to showcase their talent at a private birthday party for Canadian rapper Drake.
The group was contacted and booked through Instagram to perform at Drake’s home in Toronto.
“So we walk in and we all kind of got shook for a second, we just stood there, and we said well Drake is right in front us, let’s try to remember what we came up with and so we performed right there, in his kitchen in his house,” said Hassouneh.
"It was pretty awesome, he was a very genuine and humble guy,” said group member Wasef Yasin.
Although this was their first celebrity gig, the Al-Asala Dabke Group, which has more than 25 members, has been performing various events and weddings for the past 14 years.
“It’s been passed down through different generations of guys -- and now it’s us, it’s our time to shine,” said Al-Asala Dabke Group Manager Omar Barzak.
And shine they did. The video of their performance for ‘Champagne Papi’s’ 35th birthday went viral on social media, with over 3.9-million views on TikTok.
“It was really awesome to meet him, especially growing up we all listened to his music. I still remember walking to school just and jamming out to Drake, and being able to actually meet him and sing him happy birthday -- it was just an amazing experience,” said Yasin.
Although most of the group members grew up in Canada, they enjoy going back to their Arab roots and mixing the two cultures together in some of their performances.
“We like to do it with a little bit of a twist, we like to mesh both cultures together and almost, you know, create a new culture. That North American-Arab identity, which we love, and it’s something that we love expressing,” said Yasin.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly US$17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.