Contributing WriterThe sound of traditional Arabic music filled Kice‘s Chicago home long before he ever set foot behind DJ decks. Growing up Jordanian-American, the producer absorbed the emotional depth of legends like Umm Kulthum and Fairuz while simultaneously discovering the raw energy of Chicago’s legendary house scene. Two decades later, those seemingly separate musical worlds have finally converged.
With his latest single “Al Ain” marking a permanent shift toward Arabic house, Kice represents something unique in electronic music: an artist whose cultural authenticity drives innovation rather than following trends. His journey from spinning typical club records to reimagining Samira Tawfiq classics reflects a deeper artistic evolution, one where his Jordanian heritage provides the melodic foundation for his Chicago house framework.
This isn’t fusion for fusion’s sake. Kice’s approach draws from a lifetime of understanding both musical traditions intimately – from the hypnotic patterns of traditional percussion that soundtracked family gatherings to the disco-rooted foundations that built his city’s electronic legacy. The result feels both ancient and futuristic, honoring the emotional storytelling of Arabic music while serving modern dancefloors.
As contemporary artists like Elyanna and Valeron prove that Middle Eastern and Mediterranean sounds can reshape global music, Kice positions himself at the forefront of this cultural movement, using his entrepreneurial background and deep musical knowledge to build something entirely his own.
We spoke with Kice about his musical influences, the artists who shaped his sound, and how growing up between cultures ultimately led to his most authentic creative expression.
Growing up as a Jordanian-American in Chicago, which Arabic artists first captured your imagination, and how do their sounds influence your production today?
Growing up, my home was always filled with music. The artists who truly captured my imagination were the legends of the Arab Golden Age – figures like Amr Diab, Omar Abdullat, Najwa Karam, Umm Kulthum, Fairuz, and Samira Tawfiq, whose “Al Ain” we just reimagined. Their music doubled as storytelling, poetry, and raw emotion.
Today, their influence is fundamental to my production. It’s not about directly sampling, but understanding the soul of their music. They taught me about the power of a single, expressive vocal line, the emotional depth of maqams, and the hypnotic nature of Arabic rhythmic patterns. You’ll hear it in how I approach melodies, often building them with a more fluid, almost improvisational feel, and in the intricate layering of percussion that nods to traditional tabla rhythms. It’s about channeling that rich, timeless emotionality into a modern electronic context.
Can you name some contemporary Arabic or Middle Eastern artists who inspire your current direction? What draws you to their work?
Absolutely. It’s a new scene with incredible talent. Currently, I’m really inspired by artists like Elyanna. Her ability to effortlessly blend Arabic language and melodies with modern pop, R&B, and even hip-hop elements is truly inspiring. She’s carving out a path for Arabic music on a global scale, breaking barriers and showing how authentic cultural expression can resonate with mainstream audiences without compromise. Her voice and her vision are incredibly powerful. On the electronic side, Valeron from Mykonos is another major inspiration. He masterfully integrates traditional Greek and Mediterranean instrumentation with deep and organic house. What draws me to his work is how seamlessly he weaves those organic instruments into a modern electronic baseline, creating something truly unique and deep. They’re not just creating music; they’re crafting new sonic identities that challenge perceptions of what “Middle Eastern” or “Mediterranean” music can be, and their willingness to experiment inspires me to continuously innovate within the Arabic House space.
How did your family’s relationship with traditional Arabic music shape your understanding of melody and rhythm before you discovered house music?
My family’s relationship with Arabic music was incredibly present: gatherings, celebrations, even car ride dances! So, long before I ever heard a typical house song, my ears were drawn to sounds from instruments like the oud and violin and layered drumming of traditional percussion. This upbringing gave me a unique foundation. I learned to feel the deep emotions of Arabic music, with its special “in-between” notes. It also taught me that rhythm is more than a steady pulse, it’s about patterns that create a hypnotic groove. This ingrained understanding now gives my house music a distinct flavor that is filled with richness and complexity and feels universal.
Chicago’s house scene is legendary, but how did your cultural background help you approach the genre differently than other producers in the city?
Chicago is the birthplace of house, and I owe so much to its raw energy and disco foundations. But while many producers here were drawing from disco, funk, and R&B, my cultural background allowed me to approach house from an additional, unique angle. I saw house as a framework onto which I could layer the emotional depth and melodic beauty of Arabic music. It wasn’t about reinventing the Chicago sound, but enriching it and crossing seas. My ear was already tuned to these non-Western beats growing on hiphop and rap, so when I heard a house beat, my mind would instinctively reach for a nay flute melody or a dabke rhythm rather than a typical synth line. This allowed me to infuse a different kind of sound into the genre, making my tracks stand out and offering a fresh perspective on what house music could embody culturally.
When you first started DJing two decades ago, did you ever imagine you’d eventually blend your heritage with electronic music, or was that always part of the long-term vision?
Honestly, not at all! I was immersed in the pure energy of hiphop and then dance music, DJing the records that moved me. The idea of blending my Arabic heritage was a slow burn, more of a subconscious pull initially. It started with subtle hints in my sets, maybe dropping a track with an exotic flair, or incorporating a melody that felt familiar to my ear but foreign to the typical dancefloor. I just wanted to play something different that no one else has, to make my sonic brand stand out. It evolved organically and authentically. The more I refined my production skills and the more confident I became as an artist, the stronger that internal voice became, urging me to explore this cultural new born. It wasn’t a pre-planned “long-term vision” from day one, but rather an authentic journey of self-discovery, where my identity as a Jordanian-American artist and my passion for electronic music naturally molded to become the true KICE sound.
What role did your upbringing play in your entrepreneurial mindset – from building Treblemonsters to launching Treble Recordings?
My upbringing definitely instilled a strong entrepreneurial mindset. My family always emphasized hard work, resourcefulness, and creating your own path. Between running their real estate or becoming doctors, my large family saw it all! There’s a certain resilience and adaptability that comes from navigating different cultures and figuring out how to make things work, which translates perfectly into entrepreneurship. When I started Treblemonsters, it wasn’t just about business; it was about identifying a gap in the market and building solutions. I saw the need for professional sonic branding and talent management that truly understood the nuances of nightlife and hospitality between artists and venue owners. Launching Treble Recordings was a natural extension of that, building our legacy! Creating a platform not just for my music, but for other artists who share a similar vision of pushing boundaries. My background taught me to be proactive, to build infrastructure, and to foster communities – whether that’s on a dancefloor or within a business.
Are there specific Arabic musical elements (instruments, scales, vocal styles) that you’re most excited to explore in future productions?
Absolutely! I feel like I’m just scratching the surface. I’m incredibly excited to dive deeper into: maqams, percussion, traditional instruments (nay, qanun, oud), and different vocal styles. My goal is to continuously evolve the sound, ensuring it remains fresh and exciting while always honoring the rich tapestry of Arabic music.
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