They call HAKIM حكيم the Lion of Egypt. But he's a Lion with a musical roar. The star of the street pop called sha'bi is the man who's brought the music into the modern age, adding new rhythms and new sounds to the tradition. Born in Maghagha, a small town in Minya, Egypt, in 1962, Hakim grew up with the sound of sha'bi. "It was the only music," he recalls. "From being a kid, that was the sound for me. It's the root of Egyptian music, and comes from the south, where I grew up. So when I started singing, that was what I automatically started singing."

Hakim came to the attention of American audiences, which fell in love with his sha'bi sound, when he toured the U.S. in 2001, firing up audiences across the country with his lion's roar, and the rich, exciting textures and beat of his music. Audiences thrilled to the sound, and Hakim's performance in Brooklyn, with its rawness and power, was recorded for 'The Lion Roars- Live in America'. Following the release of the live disc, Hakim went back into the studio and in May of 2002, 'Talakik' was released.

Wanting to record something different for this new disc, Hakim hooked up with the Grammy Award winning, Merengue sensation, Olga Tanon on the breakout hit 'Ah Ya Albi.'

"What's great about Hakim is his infectious energy, vocally and rhythmically--with an undeniable joi de vivre pouring out of each track," notes Copeland. "Hakim is the real deal!" Hakim most certainly is the real deal. But success hasn't gone to his head. The man who's played to sell-out crowds in Europe, the Middle East, Australia, North America, and Africa remains humble, a man of the people, in touch with his origins, and his hopes for the future. "With God's will, I hope my music will go everywhere in the world. It won't happen overnight. It'll take time and patience. I'll have to experiment. But I've always done that."