We’ve said it more times than we can count but we’ll say it again just in case: North Africa’s rap scene is, by a mile, one of the most exciting and consistently overlooked ecosystems in the world right now. Brimming with talent on all fronts— be it production, writing, or delivery— it continues to operate just slightly out of reach of the global spotlight, often relegated to the niche corners of the internet when it should be sitting front and center in any conversation about where rap is heading next.
Luckily for you, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to keep tabs on the scene, monitoring releases that deserve far more noise than they’re getting. Keep scrolling to discover, in no particular order, eight EPs dropped by North African artists since the start of the year that you soon won’t be able to take off your rotation.
ONZY — ‘MOVETA’ (MAR)
To hit play to: UBER DRIVER / NSAK? / CITY ROCHS
NADA NADER — ‘NAR BARDA’ (EGY)
To hit play to: MASHY / DAWSHA
ADOX — ‘TO9OS’ (ALG)
To hit play to: CHABIBA / L’INFINIE / CAPTITE
249CVRTI — ‘MKTB’ (SUD)
To hit play out: SARAB / SOBA
MOVII — ‘4×4’ (EGY)
To hit play to: SEED ELNAS / S3EDY
TOGOMORI x MUZZZ — ‘FOVEA’ (MAR)
To hit play to: NOT ONE STEP BACK / SPZ / MI AMORE
MARWAN PABLO — ‘5 NZAM’ (EGY)
To hit play to: FLEXIN / KHATR
YUNIVSTAR — ‘SAIDA’ (MAR)
To hit play to: SAIDA / MASAR / BA9I
ELHAFIDY — ‘SILENT BATTLES’ (MAR)
To hit play to: T3EQDNA / 2022 / DEAR GOD