Loading ...The Emergence of Moroccan-Spanish Rapper: El Morad
By: Nissrine Bedda / Arab America Contributing Writer
Adjusting to life in a new country is always challenging, particularly when the new environment differs significantly in customs, religion, and language. Morad, an emerging singer, illustrates this struggle through his own experiences growing up in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. Raised by his mother, who hails from Larache, Morocco, Morad faced both classism and racism in one of the world’s top tourist destinations. He channeled his feelings into music, connecting with the Moroccan community in Spain and eventually reaching a global audience. Morad’s singles “Bzrp Music Sessions Vol. 47” (2021) and “Pelele” (2022) topped the PROMUSICAE singles charts, highlighting his impact on the music scene.
When listening to Morad’s songs, you’re truly enlightened and humbled with the reality of the immigrant experience, particularly for Gen Z Arabs around the world. While Morad shares his upbringing in Spain, it is true that a listener in the United States could connect on the same level. Being a Moroccan-Muslim in the Western world, particularly in Spain, with the exposure to drugs and alcohol, dating culture, and vibrant club scene; not being able to conform to the so-called “western standards” causes you to be left out like a sore thumb for people to pick on and question.
Navigating Spanish Society
A quarter of the infamous Catalonian city, Barcelona, is made up of immigrant population. In Morad’s recent song Casablanca, he mentions “ …he reaches Spain, where the first city he performed was in Barcelona, in search of money, starving in search of his moment, that later Allah would not forgive him for”. While this English translation doesn’t give these, originally Spanish, lyrics any justice, the message of having to give up a part of your identity in order to acclimate to a new society does. His turbulent discovery of identity in the Spanish world, with his descendent country 188 km away makes the experience seem like a disheartening blow. While Spain can seem like the land of opportunity for some Moroccans with better wages, job security, and economic independence, the reality of racism and classism can come as a shock, leaving you with a sense of unease.
How Language Inflicts Lyricism
With the Spanish language being classified as one of the Romance languages, romance isn’t the only thing getting into listeners’ hearts when listening to the rapper. “I see part of me in them, and when they come up to me, they mention how I have left them with good advice. That’s one of the best things that has left me satisfied with life: to take care of the young boys who have grown up in the neighborhood and faced the struggle.”Morad mentions in a recent documentary by El Mundo.
From feeling hopeless to facing the death of a loved one due to violence to being raised by an immigrant single mother trying to make ends meet for her family, Morad’s struggle is a sense of identification for any immigrant child who may have faced similar hardships or may have trouble channeling their inner thoughts whilst trying to assimilate to Western society. The goal, he mentions, is to connect with his raw sentiments through musical composure to be an outlet for many who have been in his shoes, on an international level.
Traditionalist Mindsets
While we can talk about the success story of a Moroccan trap-artist who defied all the obstacles that got in the way throughout his musical journey, the harsh reality for Moroccans living in Spain is a journey not told by many. While the subject remains taboo for the Moroccan diaspora to discuss, in Spanish society particularly, the reality to traditionalism and nationalistic viewpoints remains pronounced in the Spanish culture, making Moroccan assimilation a tough journey to navigate.
With Morocco conquering the Iberian Peninsula for almost 800 years until the fall of Granada in 1492, Spanish nationalist culture continues to pose challenges for North Africans to traverse. The preservation of Spanish tradition remains important to the Spanish people, especially the ones with more conservative attitudes. With Spain being a nation founded by Catholicism, the backlash for wearing a hijab, heading to the masjid, speaking Darija on the streets, etc. may seem absurd for some making the Moroccan identity seem shameful rather than looked up to.
It’s independent artists and rappers, like Morad, that have articulated the common struggle of adapting to western society or making economic ends meet, that attract the attention of so many, including Spaniards that understand the struggle in their own nation. Morad demonstrates life lessons through his form of musical performance and art to convey a message of hope to his listeners, there is a way out. For some, it may be a relief, for others, it may be a lifesaver.
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