Oct 11, 2019 by Ola Khalil -

10 Sudanese Rappers that Are Changing the Game

Hip-hop music was always meant to act as a vessel of self-expression. Some of the most successful and well-known rappers such as Afrika Bambataa, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas and Tupac used rap music as a reflection of the world they come from. Fast forward to today, what was once considered a ‘fad’ by critics during its formative years has now become a global phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. In recent years, that storm hit Sudan.

Sudanese rappers, whether based in Sudan or the diaspora, have started to make their mark in the scene, whether globally such as Bas’ Dreamville, or regionally such as AKA Keyz and its time you get acquainted.

With that being said, here are ten Sudanese rappers that should definitely be on your radar:

Bas

Boasting more than six million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Sudanese-American rapper, Abbas Hamad, known by his stage name, Bas, is arguably the most popular Sudanese rapper. His musical career began in 2010 and he was later signed to American rapper J Cole’s Dreamville Records and Interscope Records in 2013. He dropped his first album, Last Winter, in April 2014. His latest full-length album, Milky Way, was released in 2018 and spawned the hit song “Tribe” featuring J Cole. He was also recently featured on the label’s collaboration project, ‘Revenge of the Dreamers 3’, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. Bas recently showcased his bars on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert.

Oddisee

Born Amir Mohamed El Khalifa to a Sudanese father and an African American mother, Oddisee has never shied away from embracing his Sudanese identity along with his American identity. As a member of the Arizonan record label, Mello Music Group, Oddisee has been making his mark in the conscious rap scene for more than ten years. He was able to showcase his talents on ‘COLORSXSTUDIO’ and NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert, where he gained a lot of praise for his immaculate delivery and witty bars. His most popular track is “Own Appeal”, which has garnered more than eight million views on Youtube. With 11 albums under his belt, it is clear that Oddisee train is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Flippter

In the aftermath of the Sudanese revolution, many Sudanese rappers have made it a point to voice their strong opinions about the exiled government through their rhymes, and Flippter is no exception. Loay Karim, known as Flippter, was one of three Sudanese music artists to be featured in COLORSXSTUDIO’s Sudan-focused project and wowed international audiences with his poignant yet witty wordplay. On 30 July 2019, COLORS released a politically charged performance of Flippter’s previously unreleased single, “BLUE”. In addition, he released hit songs such as “Shafata”, “Gorasa”, and most recently featured in YouTuber Maha AJ’s 2019 hit song, “Salimmik – A Love Letter to Sudan“. Based between Saudi Arabia and Sudan, the Sudanese rapper knows how to make a strong statement, like in his track “Hatred”, but make no mistake, he could also spit some comedic bars like in “Salimmik”.

Tayeb Hajo (TooDope)

*Image credit: TooDope’s Instagram @249toodope*

Also known as TooDope, Tayeb Hajo is one of the most prominent voices in the Sudanese rap community. You may have first heard of him when his 2017 smash hit, “Alright”, featuring MaMan, garnered millions of listeners and views worldwide. Lately, his music has revolved around bringing attention to the Sudanese revolution and its aftermath with tracks such as “Sabbinaha” and “KTMT”.

Ramey Dawoud

Sudanese-American rapper Ramey Dawoud first entered the music scene more than 10 years ago when he released his project, ‘Diary of A Menace’. He then turned to acting, starring in the Bentley Brown’s short film, Faisal Goes West (2012). However, he has made his return to music in 2017 with his EP, Kashta. Ramey’s music mainly centres around his love for Nubia and Sudan as whole. His latest project is his full-length album, I Am Because We Are, which was released in 2018.

MaMan

As a singer, songwriter, producer and rapper, you could say that Mahdi Nourie, known as MaMan, is a man of many talents. The Khartoum-based rapper’s debut solo track “Grow Fast” was released in 2018, and ever since then, it has become clear that MaMan is definitely making his mark in the emerging Sudanese rap scene. Much like other artists on this list, MaMan also is using his music as a tool to spark dialogue about the current Sudanese political climate. He has collaborated with other Sudanese rappers on tracks such as Lil Freeny’s “Sam7a” and TooDope’s “Alright”.

Lil Freeny

Originally known as Ramy, Lil Freeny is a Sudanese-American rapper based in the US. If you’re on the popular app TikTok, you’ve probably come across Lil Freeny’s recent hit, “Sam7a”. The rapper has been on our radars for a few years now, but he’s definitely starting to establish himself on the scene as a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps what is most impressive about him is, although he has lighthearted tracks such as “Sam7a”, he doesn’t shy away from making political statements with his rhymes such as in the recent Sudan revolution-inspired track, “Nile Blues”, featuring Indi-West.

AKA Keyz

Elfatih Shami, better known as AKA Keyz, first rose to prominence with his 2018 single, “No Options Left”, which showcased his raw talent to the world and proved him to be unstoppable. The UK-based Sudanese rapper has continued to make waves since then, collaborating with fellow Sudanese rappers such as G-SALIH on A 249 Experience Vol. 1, Omar Majid on “Sudania”, and Bas on “Dead Body”.

T.A

*Image credit: Taher Elias’ Instagram :@taher.elias*

Taher Elias (T.A) is a Sudanese rapper and producer residing in Al Ain, UAE. In addition to his playful rhymes and infectious beats, he stands out to audiences because of his colourful and eccentric music videos. His most popular tracks are “ما تشتبك/Ma Teshtabek” and “مية/Hunnid”, and he plans to start working on his debut album in 2020.

G-SALIH

Gihad Salih, known as G-SALIH, is a Sudanese-American rapper that has been making waves in the Sudanese rap scene for quite some time now. His freestyles caught the attention of many, and songs such as “Bloom” and “4AM Flows”, he has proved his knack for lyricism and impeccable flow. This year, he was featured on the collaborative project, A 249 Experience, Vol. 1 by Aidyproof, on tracks such as “Sudania” and his debut single, “On the Way!”

Ola Khalil is a 24-year-old public relations professional currently based between Abu Dhabi, UAE and Australia. When she’s not working on a PR campaign, Ola enjoys writing, meeting new people and listening to old school hip-hop which she considers her first love. She is proudly Sudanese and hopes to one day go back to the motherland to make a change.

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10 Sudanese Rappers that Are Changing the Game

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