ISSAM

Issam is a Moroccan rapper and songwriter from Casablanca who helped pioneer trap music in the Arab world. He broke through in 2018 with «Trap Beldi», one of the first Moroccan trap songs to reach a mass audience online, establishing him as a leading voice of the country's new generation of urban artists.

His music is defined by heavily auto-tuned vocals delivered in Darija (Moroccan Arabic), layered over classic 808-driven trap production infused with elements of traditional North African sound, particularly raï — a debt he has acknowledged to artists like Cheb Hasni. This fusion gave his tracks, including «Bavra», «Nike» and «Babylone», a distinctly regional identity within the global trap sound.

In 2019 Issam signed with Universal Music France in what was reported as a landmark deal for Arab hip-hop, underscoring his crossover appeal beyond Morocco. He followed with his debut album Crystal in 2021, further cementing his role in bringing Moroccan street music to international attention.