From Ramallah and Amman to Tunis and Casablanca, hip hop has grown to become quite a prominent genre in the regional music scene.
With the most prevalent Arab musicians sticking to more Eastern sounds, rappers from the region have struggled to make their way to the top, but despite the lack of music industry infrastructure, thanks to platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube, a new generation of talent has found new ways to showcase their work.
Thanks in large to the internet, rappers have weaved their way into society, creating a scene that hadn’t existed before—with many taking cues from the already-huge industry in the West with its heavily auto-tuned sounds.
But local roots also remain a clear influence, culminating in a hip-hop scene that perfectly combines regional contexts with global sounds. To give you an introduction into the scene, MILLE rounds up 10 Arab rap songs you need to listen to.
Shab Jedid – Aady
MBS – Enfant Innocents
SHOBEE (Shayfeen), LAYLOW, MADD – Money Call
ISSAM – Caviar
Ghali – Wily Wily
ShiBoBa – Al Wazan Al Thaqeel
Soolking – Dalida
Manal ft. Shayfeen – Nah
El Castro – Manhirech
