Egyptian musician and head of the Egyptian Musician Union, Mustafa Kamel, has addressed the controversy surrounding his refusal to accept a tribute for the late musician Hani Shaker. In a lengthy statement, Kamel explained the circumstances surrounding the incident and reasons behind his decision. He stated that he had been performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia and chose not to engage with the matter to avoid escalating the situation. Kamel expressed his respect for those who had attempted to clarify the situation.
Kamel revealed that in early 2023, he received an invitation from the Tunisian Ministry of Culture to attend a festival in Tunisia. During his visit, he met a person who claimed to be the head of the Tunisian musicians' union. However, upon his return to Egypt, Kamel received calls from Tunisian musicians and artists who informed him that the individual was not the legitimate head of the union. Kamel chose not to pursue the matter to maintain his relationship with the Tunisian music community.
The controversy also involved the Egyptian musician Ahmed Saad, who had faced issues in Tunisia. Kamel stated that he had helped resolve the issue in collaboration with the Tunisian Ministry of Culture. He also mentioned that another dispute involving a member of the vocal performance section was resolved through coordination with the relevant authorities. Kamel criticized what he described as attempts to create noise and seek attention.
Kamel discussed a series of posts on the individual's social media page, which he claimed contained insults and racist remarks against Egyptian musicians and Lebanese artists. Kamel stated that he and Lebanese musician Fريد بو سعيد had addressed the issue with the individual, who had promised to remove some of the posts. Kamel also questioned the individual's claim to be the head of the Arab unions, citing that union leaders in Arab countries are elected according to their respective laws.
Kamel explained that he had largely severed ties with the individual after discovering the discrepancies. He then addressed the issue of the tribute to Hani Shaker, stating that he had received a call from director Ashraf Fayek, informing him that someone wanted to present a certificate in Shaker's name. Kamel claimed he was unavailable due to prior commitments and preparations to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Kamel revealed that he had spoken with artist Nadira Mustafa, who informed him that the same individual had contacted her about delivering a certificate in Shaker's name to his family. Kamel stated that the timing was not suitable, and he would not be present at the union's headquarters due to his health and prior commitments. He emphasized that the tribute to Hani Shaker had been available at the union's headquarters for months.
Kamel concluded his statement by addressing the individual at the center of the controversy, stating that if he had wanted to take a photo with the tribute, he should have approached the situation differently. Kamel hinted that more information would be revealed in the future. The tribute to Hani Shaker remains at the Egyptian Musician Union headquarters, awaiting a suitable opportunity to present it to his family.
Key points
- Mustafa Kamel refuses to accept tribute for Hani Shaker due to controversy surrounding a person claiming to be head of Tunisian musicians' union
- Kamel clarifies that tribute to Hani Shaker has been available at union headquarters for months
- Dispute involves issues of identity, cultural exchange, and union leadership between Egypt and Tunisia
