August 21, 2006
cellphone ring tones all the rage among young Iraqis
In a city bereft of entertainment, text messaging and swapping ringtones are all the rage for young Iraqis trying to lighten their lives and political ringtones are popular. USA Today reports.
"Cellphone shops, the only crowded stores these days, sell special CDs with ringtones at about $2 apiece. Collections of short jokes especially written for texters are best-sellers. "It's not like there's much to do around here," Abdul Kareem said. "It's perhaps the only venue to express ourselves."
A popular ringtone features the music from Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise. But the local version includes a voice similar to Saddam's rapping in English: "I'm Saddam, I don't have a bomb/Bush wants to kick me/I don't know why/smoking weed and getting high/I know the devil's by my side."
The song concludes with: "My days are over and I'm gonna die/all I need is chili fries" as a crowd yells "Goodbye forever, may God curse you."
Competing with Saddam for the most popular song in Iraq today is Iraqi pop star Hossam al-Rassam — "Ma, I've been stung by a scorpion." Its sensual lyrics challenge widespread conservatism in Iraq by talking about a girl's lips and perfume "that make you live longer."
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