27 Best Arab Rappers

There are numerous great Arab rappers out there. If you look at Youtube view counts alone, you’ll likely think they’re not as influential as their western counterparts. But with a comparable shortage of Arab rappers, the fans some of the have are very hardcore.

Here are some of the best Arab rappers ever.

Too Dope

Internationally acclaimed Arab rapper Too Dope is a Sudanese rapper who grew up between Qatar, Sudan, Saudi, and Malaysia. He broke into the rap scene in 2017 when he released “Alright” alongside fellow Sudanese rapper MaMan.

Also known as Tayeb Hajo, Too Dope continues to release controversial yet empowering tunes like “Talk About It” and “Sabbinaha.” If his past work is anything to go by, Tayeb has a track record that has no intention of slowing down.

Shadia Mansour

Women haven’t fallen back in the Arab hip-hop world, and representing them is Shadia Mansour, a daring female rapper giving renowned male Arab rappers a run for their money. The British-Palestinian may speak English as her first language but raps mostly in Arabic.

In her music, she is keen to express her opinion about political issues like injustice against women and more that are ailing the Arab countries. Her non-violent rebellion cultivates togetherness in her homeland.

Issam

Trap rapper Issam is a leading Moroccan artist who wowed people with his masterpiece track, “Trap Beldi.” The song has incredible visuals that showcase a more modern Morocco. His distinctive tone and delivery could explain why the video has over 10 million views on YouTube.

He keeps listeners at the edges of their seats with his music which integrates Darija, a vernacular Arabic language used in Morocco. He’s currently signed to Universal Music France.

Freek

Formerly known as Mustafa Ismail, Freek has a distinct sound that crosses trap music and hip-hop. The 27-year-old rapper from Somalia grew up in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he honed his rapping skills.

“Wadha” and “Athadak” are his best-performing breakout singles that spread his name across the Arab world like wildfire. His most recent single, “Wala Kilma,” has caused an adrenalin rush in the hip-hop arena after a remix with grime artists Young Tribez and MCs Eyez.

Shayfeen

Shobee and Small X are the duo that make up Shayfeen. The Moroccan artists stepped into the music scene in 2013. However, it wasn’t until 2016 that they released “7it 3arefinni”, shocking everyone and garnering over 14 million views on YouTube.

Shayfeen is a revered player in the Moroccan Music industry with a strong connection to the young generation. They have a massive fan base that has helped propel them to stardom.

Abyusif

Abyusif from Cairo, Egypt, needs no introduction if you are familiar with Arab rap music. The rapper/producer has consistently released music since 2021 and has 12 albums and EPs.

People who label Abyusif a one-hit-wonder do not know that he put out truckloads of work before his hit songs “B7t 3aleiko” and “Azra2eel” hit the social media platforms. Regarding versatility, Abyusif has the best-sounding diss tracks to create a huge online frenzy.

Emsallam

Call Emsallam the proverbial Jack of All Rrades. Besides rapping, this Amman-based artist is also an actor born in Jordan to Palestinian refugee parents. His 2016 album, “The Last Step,” showcases his unwavering talent with hints of aggressiveness and growling that pack a punch with each bar he delivers.

His recent work, as portrayed in “Postcolonialism,” an LP released in 2018, takes a different route to incorporate mind-blowing beats and heartfelt lyrics.

roTation

roTation, also known as Tamer Siddig, grabbed listeners’ attention with singles like “Randaka,” “249’, and “Green.” This Sudanese rapper chucks out music that relates to his people by using a distinct style of slang language that only natives can understand.

While other rappers follow the western influences of trap rapping or Afro beats, roTation has carved a niche for himself by staying authentic to his Arabic roots. With mind-blowing ease, roTation merges English and Arabic to showcase his musical prowess.

Shabjdeed + Al Nather

Two heads are better than one is what Shabjdeed and Al Nather must have had in mind when they joined forces. The two created the BLTNM record label in 2017 and worked on their album “Sindibad El Ward” with Shabjeed as the rapper and Al Nather as the producer.

Upon the album’s release in 2019, the Palestinian duo introduced a new sound that gripped the airwaves from Ramallah to the international rap scene. Their music covers many topics that paint their country in a different yet positive light.

El Rass

El Rass is arguably the best rapper in Lebanon. He has four studio albums and has proven himself a worthy opponent in his quest to take over Arabic rap.

Also known as Mazen El Sayed, El Rass hails from Tripoli in North Lebanon, where he developed deep self-awareness. No wonder he can churn provoking lyrics that make people yearn to hear more. In the region, he has collaborated with fellow rappers like Mehrak, Synaptik, Sallam Naser, and Al Darwish.

Bu Kolthoum

He may not be top of this list but he can trample everyone if pitted in a rap battle. This rap giant, Syrian-born Bu Kolthoum, is a household name in the Arabic rap arena, making the earth shudder on the airwaves since 2015.

The German-based rapper released albums like “Inderal” and “Bo Bo,” showcasing his unparalleled talent. He continues to create amazing music experimenting with different sounds, as witnessed in his recent single release, “Walle.”

Chyno

It must be a good thing that, as a child, Chyno lived in many towns across the Middle East. He was able to pick different attributes from different cultures, which he now uses as fodder for his music. Chyno is a Syrian-Phillipino rapper officially known as Nasser Shorbaji, who practiced as a banker before taking up music full-time.

Didine Canon 16

Representing Algeria is the one and only, Didine, who is super street-smart and gifted. He released great tunes that resonated with a distinct style of rap known as Maghreb hip hop. His bet works include tracks like “Codeine” and “Codeine #2.” He’s also known for other bangers like “Aicha la Vie” and “Bella.”

Marwan Pablo

Thanks to 21-year-old Marwan Pablo, trap music isn’t such a foreign phenomenon in Egypt. Also known as Marwan Ahmed Metaweh, Pablo is a celebrated producer and rapper starring in hip-hop documentaries like Rabka and the brains behind epic music like “Sinbad,” “Folklore,” and “Abu Meca.”

Pablo is pretty famous online, and it shows because each of his videos has millions of views. His success comes from his relentlessness and consistency in releasing hit after hit.

Wegz

Wegz made a grand entrance into the Arab music scene with his breakout single “TNT” released in 2018. His ability to weave lyrics into super complex yet captivating melodies will leave you wide-eyed with excitement.

Officially known as El Wardian, Wegz represents his hometown Alexandria, Egypt, collaborating with other artists like Mahraganat to create singles like “Kharban,” which has over 10 million YouTube views.

Felukahs

In a world dominated by male rappers, Felukah is a New York-based Egyptian rapper who’s super eloquent and intent on making good music that helps the otherwise reserved women back home embrace personal expression and uniqueness.

She is a master at stitching Arabic and English in her lyrics bringing forth a sense of multiculturalism showcasing the two cultures and traditions she has been exposed to.

Lil Eazy

Born and raised in Jeddah, Somalia, Abubakar Al Jilany, better known as Lil Eazy, came into the scene at a meager 17 years old, releasing his first single and working with big giants in the industry like Outlaw Productions and Jeddah Legends.

In 2017, Lil Eazy released his debut album based on contentious issues like race. His tracks have gathered quite a following to cement his presence locally and internationally.

Abdullah Trill

Abdullah Trill, from Kuwait, sings in a mix of Arab and English with great success. His greatest hits have hundreds of thousands of listeners on Spotify. And he has also achieved big numbers on Soundcloud.

His biggest hits are “Agdar,” “F N T S,” “VITAMINS,” and “Mal 7ali.”

Synaptik

Synaptik is plausibly Jordan’s most skillful wordsmith. This is evident in most of his most impressive works, as seen in his 2018 album, “Om Al Majwat” and “Terminal,” which Synaptic worked on in collaboration with Chyno.

This talented rapper has collaborated with renowned artists like Emsallam, Abyusif, and Bu Kolthoum, among others. What few know is that Synaptik is a qualified and practicing physician.

A.L.A

Also known as Ala Ferchichi, A.L.A started as the main act of a famous Tunisian rap group Zomra before producing solo singles like “U.Z.I,” “Maradona” and “MTA3CHNYA.” The sky is the limit for this young artist who shows no sign of slowing down.

A.L.A has mastered the art of gathering the crowds and holding their attention thanks to his ability to churn hit after hit; viral sensations that earn him millions of views across different media platforms.

4LFA

 “DIOUN” and “Beautiful” are recent paragons 4LFA has blessed his listeners with. Flaunting his capabilities and vast experience as a rapper worth international recognition, this Tunisian rapper has shone a light on Arab rap.

His music is so good that it can easily contend with other international works from world-renowned artists in the region and western arena.

Samara

For the longest time, Samara dominated underground rap in Tunisia but soon made it to the big screens with hits like “Lehy Bia,” “Menha Mechin,” “Me Dayem Welou,” “AMG,” and “Dellali.”

He’s had a few altercations with the law, which has ironically earned him more prominence and street credit, as with most rappers globally.

BLVXB

The hidden rivalry between old-school and new-school rappers in the Arab world may be taking the back burner after Lebanon’s Big Hass, a veteran, publicly praised BLVXB, a new-age rapper.

It may be a simple act that proved BLVXB’s influence in the East. His 2018 debut album Kwalees performed incredibly well, earning accolades from his massive followers and other respected artists.

Phobia Isaac

Phobia Isaac is the son of Bougara, Algeria, a reserved Arabic-speaking country where rap is now taking root. His songs “Poca,” “3;33,” and “Bouma” represent a unique street style of rap.

His bold lyrics and strong beats are what listeners find relatable, with millions of views on his latest releases “Nirvana” and “Mi Corazon.” One would guess that this is how and why Phobia’s popularity soars.

Sallam Naser

His bold introduction to rap was during rap battles in Norway, where Sallam Naser surprised many by spitting bars in his mother tongue. Sallam was born in Damascus’ Yarmouk refugee camp after fleeing Syria due to violence.

Sallam is fluent in Norwegian but prefers to rap in his native language to bring awareness to bring attention to different topics like apartheid and oppression in Syria and Palestine. Sallam has worked on music with artists like Ebn hawari, Synaptik, Smokable, Haykal, Al Nather, and El Rass.

NESSYOU

From EPs and mixtapes to singles, you name it, Nessyou has done it. The Moroccan rapper entered the rap playground in 2013, releasing captivating music like “Sekra,” “Sertraline” and “Ego” attracting millions of views and plays.

Officially known as Youness Taârabt, Nessyou is one of the few rappers who practice old-school rap, which he blends effortlessly well with Marrakshi, a local rap style.

KC HAMADA

Growing up multicultural contributed significantly to influencing KC Hamada’s trajectory in music. The Dubai native has released music like “Blocks,” “Iffy,” and “Sadoh,” exhibiting how he can gracefully switch between different rap styles and techniques.

Top Arab Rappers, Final Thoughts

Arab rap has helped give voice to topics that are palatable and a few that people consider controversial. Rap is a tool that has been used to unite the Eastern world earning international attention and acclamation from world-renowned artists.

Above are the best Arab rappers showing you the front liners good enough to market Arab rap and who boasts a massive following.