American rappers have it easy. Rapping about life in the ghetto, police harassment and living in constant fear of being shot was part of daily life for N.W.A. If Dr Dre and Ice Cube needed more material, looking to the street corner and watching the police brutality was enough to fill an entire album.

They were just keeping it real.

Keeping it real, however, is not something Dubai does well.

Unless, of course, your version of real involves rotating skyscrapers and dragon-shaped shopping malls.

I used to feel a bit sorry for rappers in Dubai because they have nothing to rap about.

Until I heard Desert Heat that is. Keeping it real, they say, means being true to where you live.

So if you don’t have violence and swearing and shooting you don’t have to rap about it.

What do you do instead? Keep it desert of course!

Check out the video here:

If you like what you see and hear check out the band at Chi on Tuesday.

Read Time Out’s interview with Desert Heat here.  

Mariah Carey and Fergie have canceled their Dubai dates.

The concert was announced so suddenly and the event was so quick to turn around it seems the promoters behind the gig faced problems. This announcement came to Time Out Towers this afternoon.

 Midas Promotions along with Blue Giraffe Entertainment and On Golden Pond Films regret to announce the “Divas in Dubai” concert event is being rescheduled to a later date in the Fall 2008.

 ”Mariah and Fergie are disappointed that they won’t be able to perform,” commented a producer for the first time ever, back to back event. “They had scheduled this one special event in their calendars and were looking forward to performing for the Dubai fans.

Mel Tyler, of Midas Promotions , stated that “the extremely compressed time frame along with unforeseen logistical complications compelled us to move the event later in the year to ensure a show commensurate with the level of success of these world class artists and the people of Dubai”

All ticket purchasers should contact their respective on-line ticket outlet for a full refund.

So fans will have to wait until the autumn of this year for this event.

Until then, enjoy these videos courtesy of Time Out:

Mariah Carey

Fergie

Clannad perform at the Irish Village in Dubai on Friday.

Amid all the talk of Mariah Carey, Fergie and Bon Jovi coming to Dubai it would be easy to overlook these genuine music legends. But legends they are. Particularly in spiritual Irish folk and flute communities.

With more than 15million records sold worldwide, a Grammy award and collaborations with the likes of Led Zeppelin and U2 they deserve some of the attention other tours in Dubai are getting.

So, it is a great honour to present a look back on Clannad’s greatest musical achievement. The theme tune to the early 1980s TV show, Robin of Sherwood:

Read Time Out’s music editor James Wilkinson’s interview with lead singer Moya Brennan here.

The UAE has Bon Jovi mania at the moment.

News about the band is in newspapers and magazines, the music is getting more airplay than ever before and I am pretty sure it is only a matter of time before leather pants and bouffant rocker wigs appear in shop windows.

The rumours of a Bon Jovi concert in Dubai seem to have been around since we started Time Out magazine more than five years ago.

And now its official. They’re coming. Not to Dubai, but neighbouring Abu Dhabi. But this is one of those events it is worth making the drive across the country for.
Like Elton John and JustinTimberlake before them, Bon Jovi will be playing at the Emirates Palace.

I chatted to Tico Torres and Richie Sambora from the band on the phone the other night and these guys are very excited about the gig. Their first in the Middle East. See more extracts from that interview over on Ahlanlive right now.

As ever Time Out will be bringing you the best coverage of the event in the run up to the gig.

But you have got to get your tickets quick.

I’ve just put my head around the door of a very busy ticket office at Time Out towers. My colleagues there started selling tickets at noon today and they tell me the demand is very high.

My advice is to snap them up while you still can to avoid disappointment.

There are less than four weeks to go, but until then enjoy the video below. Bon Jovi in all their hairspray glory:

Quiz question: Which of the top 25 best-selling recording artists of all time is performing in the UAE this weekend?

Not Elvis Presley, The Beatles or Michael Jackson.

The answer is, music fans, A.R. Rahman.I admit that I am ashamed to say I have never heard of him. But, considering his last UAE performance is rumoured to be the country’s biggest ever gig (with more than 40,000 in attendance) it is obvious this is going to be hugely popular.

The Indian film composer, once dubbed the “Mozart from Madras”, has sold more than 100million records and will be performing at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday night.

My friends at www.masala.com gave me the tip off. See their full story and preview here.

As a composer of film scores for some of Bollywood’s, and now Hollywood,s, biggest hits Rahman has amassed a worldwide following.

This is a great chance to see a world class artist. If, like me, you have admired Bollywood style from afar but never seen its hit numbers performed live this could be well worth a visit. If you are already a Bollywood fan then Rahman’s tunes will need no introduction whatsoever.

Check out the video below to hear A.R. Rahman’s reinvention of one of India’s most popular national songs: