Ramadan Kareem by Deen Squad (Video Review)
The Month of Ramadan may be the month of the Qur’an, but to celebrate our blessed visitor that comes once a year, it helps to have a festive mood and get in the Ramadan spirit however you can.
Our Christian brethren break out the Christmas songs for the entire month of December and even before the month to get people in the “Christmas Spirit”, but what about us Muslims? We also have our fair share of nasheeds that are dusted off when Ramadan arrives–from the traditional classics to more modern catchy tunes.
One song that is definitely worthy of adding to the playlist during the month is “Ramadan Kareem” by the hip-hop nasheed duo Deen Squad. Just give it one listen, and you’ll see why.
Background
“Ramadan Kareem” is performed by rappers Karter Zaher and Jae Deen, the now-defunct Canadian hip-hop duo known as Deen Squad. If you don’t know who Deen Squad is, you may had been under a rock during the mid-2010s because they were everywhere on social media at the time.
Formed in 2014, Deen Squad first started gaining popularity with the duo making Halal remix versions of hit songs that were topping the charts at the time. For instance, their song “Jannah” is a remix to the popular “Panda” song by Desiigner and “Allah’s Plan” being an Islamic take on Drake’s “God’s Plan”.
Deen Squad then ventured into making their own original music, coming out with an Album in 2017 entitled “Fajr”. The duo became so popular that they even opened for Justin Bieber when he toured Dubai.
Unfortunately, Karter Zaher and Jae Deen went their separate ways to pursue solo careers but during their short time together they brought upon a new generation of youth–lapsed Muslims and non-Muslims alike–to gain a greater appreciation to Islam and the culture with their unique sound.
Deen Squad left a huge impact with their unique knack for taking what was trending in the music world and combining it with Islamic messaging that made it cool to listen to a nasheed.
About The Video
From the moment you hit play, “Ramadan Kareem” sucks you in with an infectious beat that even the strictest uncles would be tapping their foot to. The video is colorful and festive as the group is wearing traditional dashikis and busting a move with their friends.
What stands out to me the most in the video is just how much diversity is embraced. From the group members themselves–Zaher of Labanese descent and Deen being Ghanian–to the dancers and friends they feature from different walks of life to universal lyrics like:
“It’s Ramadan again
And tonight iftar is at my crib
Marhaba
Akhi, bring the samosas in”
It really greatly illustrates and embraces all the different ethnic cultures that make up the patchwork of the global Muslm community. Another lyric that stands out is that “It doesn’t matter if your rich or no, we all doing it for the one Lord”. It just puts into perspective that the entire Ummah is in this together, fasting to gain Allah’s mercy and reward.
With the chorus of “Marhaban, Ramadan Kareem”, Deen Squad is welcoming in the blessed month and all the fun and festivities that come with it.
Final Verdict
“Ramadan Kareem” is a catchy song that should be a must on your Ramadan playlist. When it comes on, you can’t help but crack a smile and sing along. The video is fun but watching it now is almost bittersweet in a way since Deen Squad is no longer together. Maybe they’ll reunite down the road, InshaAllah. For now, we have their great tunes to enjoy and “Ramadan Kareem” is definitely a great staple to add to a crowd of great Ramadan-centered nasheeds.
