Saudi officials have demanded the arrest of a female rapper for her reference to women from Mecca as ‘sugar candy.’ The controversial music video, titled ‘Girl from Mecca,’ led to this demand. In the video, the Saudi rapper Ayasel Slay praised women from Mecca, describing them as powerful and beautiful. She sang about their superiority in beauty and strength compared to other Saudi women.
The video garnered mixed reactions online, with some praising the government for taking it down and calling for her arrest, while others opposed the move. The video’s removal from Ayasel’s YouTube channel and the order for her arrest came after officials claimed that it “insults the customs of Mecca.”
Mecca Governor Khalid al-Faisal ordered the arrest of Ayasel and those responsible for producing the “insulting” song. Amid the controversy, various individuals expressed their opinions, with some calling for her imprisonment and deportation, while others supported her artistic expression. The song’s removal and the call for Ayasel’s arrest prompted debates about cultural expression and freedom of speech.
The incident reignited discussions about the treatment of Saudi women in the entertainment industry and the extent of artistic freedom in the country. Mecca, being Islam’s holiest site and a place of pilgrimage for millions of Muslims, adds a layer of sensitivity to the controversy.