Meet Moroccan trap artistes changing the Arab aesthetic with music

Some may wonder what it means to say Arab aesthetic, but for Moroccan trap artistes it is telling their authentic Moroccan story their way not through the lens of the mainstream Western media. Trap music is steadily gaining grounds among millennials in Morocco.

It is a creative outlet they now use to speak their truth about everything ranging from politics to international diplomacy to just about everything concerning their way of life and calling out injustices in their communities.

“It’s always the same narrative, it consists of a fashion company or a magazine who want to shoot in Morocco for a North African vibe, going to Marrakesh for like, two days. They come back with shots of palm trees and red soil – they always export the same postcard vision,” explained Paris-based music video producer Mohamed Sqalli.

This genre of music can be said to be an internet-era way of rapping that is gritty and Auto-tuned and is loved the world over. The Arabic trap has been reshaped and made to suit the aesthetics of Moroccans with their unique twist.

“It’s not only people from New York or London or Paris who are complex, but us Moroccans too,” he added. “Everyone in Morocco has their own reality.”

Although there is no concrete structure for trap music in Morocco, their tap scene is very robust because it has a wide reach with the help of the internet and social media.

“A growing number of artists have taken to Youtube and Soundcloud to show off their distinctly homegrown sound, characterised by its classic TR 808-generated beats, Autotune vocals, and the sampling of traditional raiï music samples.”

Here are some trap musicians in Morocco worth knowing.