Taha El Roubi: Giving Voice to Sudan’s Youth

Image courtesy of Taha El Roubi

Sudan’s leading English radio station, Capital 91.6 FM reaches at least 1.9 million listeners through the airwaves on their radios and on their phones through applications.

‘Music is our core and with it, one is able to speak to all listeners,’ said founder Taha El Roubi. Today, Capital 91.6 FM has become more than an English radio station. Under El Roubi’s leadership, it has become a platform for creative expression to young local artists, starting their creative journeys.

El Roubi, an entrepreneur and pioneer in Sudan’s music and entertainment industry as well as a self-proclaimed ‘vinyl junkie’, was exposed to a diverse array of sounds ranging from underground house music to smooth reggae tones while growing up between Sudan, Egypt and the US. He founded Capital 91.6 FM in 2005 with a transparent agenda of recognising Sudanese talent, especially within Sudan, where opportunities are limited. Since it establishment, Capital 91.6 FM has evolved into a social hub that cultivates and empowers Sudanese youth. 

With several young Sudanese talents making waves in mainstream media, 500 Words Magazine spoke with the man behind the message, Taha El Roubi. 

Taha El Roubi at work. Image courtesy of Taha El Roubi

Tell us about yourself.

My father is Sudanese, my mother is Persian and I am a US citizen. I lived in Sudan until 1981 when I moved to Washington, DC. I returned to Sudan in 1991, got married and lived here for five years before moving back to DC. In 2005, upon the signing of the peace treaty ending the civil war, I made the conscious decision of moving back to Sudan in the hope that the country would be unified into one strong and powerful Sudan.

As a child, I was always interested in music and got my first taste of music after my mother bought me a record player at the age of five and two tapes, which I listened to for months. A visit to a club in Washington DC made me realise that the sound my soul yearned was Underground House Music and that’s when I decided to be a DJ. I started to DJ at the Fifth Column, one of the best nightclubs in DC and held a weekly residency there until I moved back to Sudan in 1991.

In 1999, I started to DJ once again, started a record label and got back into the underground music industry which I had left off in 1990. In 2000 I met my production partner, Nicolas Laget and together we formed T’Kolai. As T’Kolai, we produced a full-length album that was very well received in the industry and signed to a UK-based label called Chiilifunk.

As an entrepreneur, what other projects have you dabbled in?

Currently I am interested in establishing a proper music industry here in Sudan and by that I mean identifying, nurturing and promoting the talent until it takes off on its own. Another area that I am very interested in is Social Enterprise. This sparked the interest of the British Council who have since started lobbying for legislation to start it here in Sudan. Basically, my dream is something called Capital Institute for Music Film & Arts Development (CIMFAD), a hub to harbour the creative minds of all Sudanese youth. It’s a work in progress. If I am able to do it, the impact of it will be felt throughout the generations to come.

What inspired you to create Capital 91.6 FM?

It was triggered by a selfish desire of mine to be able to hear good music that I liked on a Sudanese radio station. I also thought that the youths of Sudan deserved to listen to other genres of music, music that has soul and carries a positive message. Until today, most of the kids refer to any reggae song or artist as Bob Marley, which means their knowledge of reggae is only built around one artist that has crossed over but they don’t know about the other reggae masters who happen to be as good as Bob Marley. Through Capital Radio, I was able to open their minds to other sounds from the rest of the world. These other sounds I am introducing resemble other cultures so ultimately it becomes a cultural exchange through music. These are some of the things that kept me pushing to get the broadcast license.

Capital 91.6 FM hosts Alsarah, Sudanese-American singer, songwriter and leader of the group Alsarah & the Nubatones. Image courtesy of Taha El Roubi

Who would you say are your largest listeners?

We have an average of about 1.9 million listeners who listen to us conventionally through the airwaves on their radios as well as on their phones through our applications that are available on both the Android and IOS platforms. Our fan base is basically everyone without regard to age, sex or ethnicity. Music is our core and with it, one is able to speak to all listeners. Since we are an English-speaking platform, expat communities constitute a significant percentage of our listening base.

What challenges did you face to start the channel? 

My challenges have always been purely economic challenges other than any. Our rate cards compared to radio stations in other countries similar to Sudan are a joke. We’re basically working for free and this is slowly destroying the industry in terms of quality.

Have you experienced any religious and political restrictions running Capital 91.6 FM?

I always emphasise that Capital Radio 91.6 FM is an entertainment channel, a community radio station that focuses on music, arts and culture with a strong focus on community-related activities and charities. We don’t talk about religion or politics because they are very personal subjects and each person has his own views so we have taken the conscious decision not to get into it. Our main objective is to empower the youth, tackle social problems through dialogue and use our platform to reflect a positive image of Sudan to the outside world.

In a world that’s continuously developing technically and digitally, how has Capital 91.6 FM adapted? 

Fortunately, I have a team of brilliant young men and women leading the development of Capital Radio. They’re basically taking Capital to new heights through developing our own online App which was released two years ago. They have also set up an online department that manages all our platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Soundcloud and Youtube.

Young Sudanese talents at work at Capital 91.6 FM. Image courtesy of Larissa Fuhrmann

Capital 91.6 FM supports many young talents entering the music scene. What motivates you to take on new projects such as these?

One of my key interests is providing a platform for artists such as Too Dope and the rest of his collective, Young JustUs. These are talented Sudanese kids who need a home where they can do their thing. I have provided that home for them coupled with my experience in the music business. There are also other groups doing amazing things such as the Nu Slang crew of Wadah, Saji, Rotation and Walid coming out of Omdurman, and the Dugar Music collective coming out of Bahri. They’re putting Sudan on the map with positive image when the whole world is thinking otherwise. They are committed to bringing back the love and dignity of their old Sudan through music, arts and culture. 

Do you have any advice for Sudanese youth?

Follow your dreams, don’t hold back. Success is not measured by money but by progressing in what you love to do and are passionate about.

What are your future goals or plans?

My dream project is CIMFAD. If there’s anyone out there with a few million dollars who wants to put it to good use then please get in touch with me. 

An aspiring peacemaker, Yousra Khalil graduated with an M.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in peace and conflict resolution from the George Washington University. When she’s not working on countering violent extremism, she enjoys trivia, naps, travelling, memes, and good food. Currently based in Washington, DC, Yousra splits her time between the US, Qatar and Sudan.