Reservoir Media’s Acquisition of Omar Kamal’s Catalog
Reservoir Media, in collaboration with the Mena Poparabia musical company, has acquired the catalog of the Egyptian star Omar Kamal.
The transaction encompasses both the publication and master rights to his catalog.
This acquisition marks the latest initiative for the Mena region by Reservoir and its partner, Poparabia. Last year, the company announced a new musical publication in partnership with In2musica, the publisher and production house of the Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram.
The deal included the entire catalog of Ajram, along with any future works.
The founder and CEO of Reservoir, Golnar Khosrovshahi, previously declared her intention to transform the company into “the largest copyright owner of Arab music.”
Omar Kamal’s Rise to Fame
Over the past decade, Egyptian artist Omar Kamal has gained significant fame in the Mena region. He is credited with introducing a genre called macronate, which blends Egyptian rhythms, electronic music, and rap, to audiences outside Egypt.
Kamal is best known for his 2020 hit Macragan bent El Geran, featuring Hassan Shakosh. The song is noted for its “controversial yet captivating lyrics” that resonated with audiences across the Arab world, earning it widespread international attention.
The track was listed among Rolling Stone’s 50 best Arab pop songs of the 21st century and currently boasts 700 million views on YouTube.
Other popular tracks by Kamal, including UD al battal and LGHBTITA, have achieved 500 million and 300 million views on YouTube, respectively.
Furthermore, in 2021, he ventured into acting with his debut in the television series Bayn El-Samaa Wa El-Ard.
“I am excited to conclude this deal with Reservoir and Poparabia, a company built for artists and controlled by artists.”
Omar Kamal
Expressing his enthusiasm for this new chapter, Kamal stated, “I am glad to conclude this deal with Reservoir and Poparabia, a company built for artists and controlled by artists. I believe this partnership will serve as a powerful motivation for us to collaborate effectively.”
The vice president of Poparabia in A&R and acquisitions, Vissam Khodur, remarked: “Omar is one of the hottest Shabi artists in Egypt and throughout Mena, successfully incorporating Makhranat with his unique style.”
Vissam Khodur, Poparabia
Khodur added, “We are thrilled to bring his music to Poparabia and look forward to helping him achieve new international heights with his catalog.”
Credit: Becky Yi
“Acquiring the influential catalog of Omar is a pivotal moment for both Reservoir and the expanding Tarabian market in Egypt, which remains the central hub for Arab music.”
Golnar Khosrovshahi, Reservoir
Khosrovshahi further elaborated, “This acquisition represents another key advancement for Reservoir and Poparabia in the Egyptian market, reinforcing our commitment to becoming a dominant force in the region.”
In May 2022, Reservoir and Poparabia acquired an Egyptian label called 100-kop and established a joint venture aimed at signing and developing Egyptian talents.
Then, in June 2023, Reservoir and Poparabia acquired a catalog and initiated a joint venture with the Saudi Arabian hip-hop label Mashrex.
Tank signed SP with Plasty in 2020. As part of the deal, Poparabia assumed responsibility for managing all copyright actions for Reservoir within the region, including royalty collection and licensing for sync use of music.
Lucas focuses on the interaction between music and society. He specializes in how music influences and reflects cultures, analyzing the role of sound in social, political, and cultural events around the world.
