MC Abdul is the voice representing Palestinians struggling with displacement, injustice, and the devastation of the genocide in Gaza. Born Abdulrahman Al-Shantti in Gaza, the 18-year-old rapper developed an interest in hip-hop at a young age, teaching himself English through artists like Eminem and Tupac.
He originally gained widespread attention in 2021 through his song and music video “Shouting at the Wall”, which showed a young Abdul rapping about the bombings, destruction, and tragedies he had experienced, with piles of rubble behind him. The video was a striking introduction to an artist who was barely a teenager, yet already had a lifetime of experiences to speak about.
His growing popularity eventually caught the attention of Palestinian-American music executive Ghazi Shami, founder of the independent record label EMPIRE. Abdul signed with the company in 2020, before the release of “Shouting at the Wall”, and the label began working to bring him to the United States.
However, his plans changed following the events of October 7, 2023. Abdul found himself thousands of miles away from his family, uncertain whether they were safe. For five months, he worked to bring his mother and siblings out of Gaza, eventually reuniting with them in the United States. He also lost numerous relatives to the genocide, later revealing that 81 members of his extended family had been killed in a single day.
His journey from the rubble of Gaza to the recording studios of San Francisco is a unique one, especially considering how quickly his life changed. It’s also the foundation of his debut album, Day by Day, Shway Shway, released on October 16, 2026.
Across nine tracks, Abdul reflects on the experiences that shaped his childhood, his departure from Gaza, and the complicated emotions of building a new life in America while watching his homeland suffer.
The album’s central narrative unfolds through the three-part “Is It Real?” series, which documents different stages of his journey. The first part focuses on leaving Gaza, the second explores the uncertainty and emotional weight of being stranded in America while his family remained in danger, and the third reflects on finally reuniting with them and adjusting to his new reality.
Shway shway is an Arabic expression meaning “little by little” or “step by step,” which perfectly describes Abdul’s patient and resilient journey. It also reflects the album’s larger message of moving forward despite circumstances that often feel impossible to overcome.
His use of Arabic is scattered throughout the project, incorporating familiar words and phrases that personalize his storytelling and maintain a connection to his Palestinian identity.
His debut album represents a new chapter in that journey, one where he is no longer solely defined by the suffering that introduced him to the world, but also by his growth, ambition, and resilience. While his sound continues to evolve, the purpose behind his music remains the same: to make sure the stories of Gaza and its people continue to be heard.
By Ed Roobi