ISSAM
Artist
Issam Harris (Arabic عصام , born in 1993 in Casablanca, Morocco), known by his stage name Issam, is a Moroccan rapper and songwriter specialized in trap music. He became known in 2018 with his song and music video, “Trap Beldi”. This track allowed him to gain popularity being one of the first Moroccan trap songs to reach over 10 million views on YouTube.
What is particular of Issam’s music is the blending of auto-tuned vocals delivered in Darija, or Moroccan vernacular Arabic, and classic TR 808-generated beats with elements from traditional North African music. Many of Issam’s works are influenced by raï—specifically by Cheb Hasni.
In May 2019, Issam signed a contract with Universal Music France, in what was considered the biggest ever deal for Arab hip-hop. He released his debut album Crystal on May 7th, 2021.
