In the early 1990s, at the end of the Lebanese Civil War, a young Rabih Hamad broke into a vacant music studio with his friends. The kids weren’t planning to vandalize or steal; they just wanted to play music. After their first illicit jam session, the group returned to the studio often. They even managed to befriend the studio’s staff, who would leave the windows cracked open just enough for the boys to scramble through. Their secret musical rendezvous continued this way for nearly two years. But aside from the studio’s staff, no one knew about the talent burgeoning behind closed doors.

Twenty-some years later, Hamad is no longer unknown. Better recognized by the moniker, Soapbass, he is at the forefront of the Lebanese dance music scene. His resume boasts bonafide producer status symbols, like his own record label, Polite as Fck, event management company, Lucidwave, and an enviable roster of performances at venues like the famed KitKatClub in Berlin.

His techno-driven beats weave together elements from each phase of his life, creating a sonic tapestry that pays homage to rock, blues, jazz, and his Lebanese heritage. Although he’s clearly on his way, Soapbass’s path to producing room was far from linear.

After picking up the drums during those jam sessions in the vacant studio, Hamad moved on to bass guitar when he was 16. He quickly became fascinated by everything to do with music and began to study in earnest, taking classes in everything from jazz to blues, funk to rock. He dreamed of making music his life. Each day, he saved up the pocket money his father gave him. And after a long two years, he finally had enough to buy a bass guitar.

New bass in hand, Hamad formed his own rock band, Soul Active, with a group of musicians he met online. Gigs picked up quickly for the group, and soon, Hamad said, they were making good money playing all over the country. The group’s accomplishments came to a crescendo with a big win: first place in Pick FM’s Best Rock Song contest. Their triumph resulted in national media coverage as well as an album deal sponsored by Radio One.

The band members parted ways in 2007, but Hamad wasn’t done with music yet.

There was always something about dance music that struck a chord with Hamad. He first became interested in the genre as a teenager through listening to bands who incorporated electronic music into their songs, like Radiohead. When the dance and electronic wave hit Lebanon, the young musician was practically swept off his feet.