| A brilliant first album by Moroccan artist ISSAM. It is quite the revolutionary record in the Moroccan rap scene, as it merges modern trap elements with more traditional 'rai' schemes reminiscent of late 90s/early 00s Morocco, dominated by Cheb Khaled, Bilal, Mami, Hassni, etc. This new genre is referred to by ISSAM as 'Trai'.rThe idea of duality is a recurring theme in the album, as he often likes to juxtapose Rai and Rap, Devils and Angels (see 'Wra Tabi3a'), Light and Darkness (in 'Drakula'), and the most interesting of all: Derb Sultan (the neighborhood where he grew in Casablanca) and America (aka. "blad dial Frank Ocean"). ISSAM is making the statement that, contrarily to the vast majority of Moroccan artists, who like to imitate American rappers, he is preserving his Moroccan identity, he is, and always will be, from Derb Sultan.r91/100 |
