On NAFIDA, Moroccan Rapper Small X Rises Above the Noise and Into Underexplored Musical Territory

One of his favorite artists isSaib, a well-known name in the genre. "I like this way of producing, mixing jazzy melodies and funk with hip hop," Small X tells OkayAfrica in a Zoom call alongside his manager, OthmaneBellamine. "When Othmane told me that Saib is a Moroccan guy, I said, 'We are two Moroccans. Two different types of music, and we both love hip-hop. Why not? Why not work together?'"

Small X and Bellamine are in good spirits, making jokes, breaking into laughter, and completing each other's sentences. They're refreshingly humble, considering that Small X is one of Morocco's most influential rappers and has been in the game for nearly two decades.

He first made waves as part of the rap duo Shayfeen. His lyrics and catchy flows earned him a loyal fan base across North Africa and beyond. In 2021, they decided to pursue solo careers, which led Small X to Mass Appeal, the revered New York City hip-hop label founded byNas.

"When I started making music at 12, Nas was, for me, the greatest artist of all time, "he says with a smile. "In Morocco, it's really hard to get to this level of success because we work independently. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be signed to Mass Appeal."

Is he worried that non-Arabic speaking audiences will not understand his lyrics? "When I was young, I listened to U.S. hip-hop music and I didn't understand nothing," he laughs. "I just felt the vibe."

"I hope that the other side feels the same and catches the rhythms, the groove, and the harmonies in my music," he continues, then pauses. "Wait, wait, wait! How do you find my English? I'm freestyling right now, but I hope the communication's going great."

One certainly doesn't need to understand Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect, to appreciate Small X's new EP,NAFIDA, a collaboration with Saib that was born in October 2024. For its recording, the pair invited a group of artists to a chalet in Asilah on the northwest tip of Morocco's Atlantic coast.

"We talked about the sound frequency the hip hop scene in Morocco needs," says Small X. "Not what people need from us. Most young artists create what is mainstream; if it's trap, they do trap. If it's drill, they do drill. Everybody sounds like everybody. We don't need that right now."

Ahead of NAFIDA, Mass Appeal releasedAbove the Noise, an intimate documentary that invites listeners into the making of the EP. "A lot is happening in the world at this time: wars, social media, so much stress, and negative energy," says Small X. "We needed to go to a place where we could just connect with our souls, feel free, and stay away from this negative energy."

The residency's introspective atmosphere sets the EP's tone: playful, nostalgic, sonic minimalism. Having rapped about money and ambition in his early career, Small X strikes a different tune on NAFIDA, tapping into a creative process that intentionally secludes itself from the world.

NAFIDA is conceptually meant to be listened to from start to finish in the order of the tracklist. It begins with a looping electric guitar and lush synths on "Nebula," a wistful return to Small X's childhood.

"It's about how I first started making music, "he says. "Going to the streets and playing games. Right now, kids are just on their phones." Bellamine adds, "He's using old names and was worried that nobody would even understand the references anymore."

In Above the Noise, Small X asserts his desire for listeners to experience his music on his own terms, rather than through algorithms or promotional content. "Social media pushes you to do things you don't want to do," he says. "It's not about artists who make good music or have a vision. It's just the pressure of the apps. I want to make music and be successful without making noise and doing stupid shit."

The EP's lead track, "Albi," thematizes the pressure young people face online, having to pretend that their lives are perfect to impress an abstract viewership. "I just want to seem like I'm drowning in blessing/ but here I am, drowning in my room, watching the world from it/ a world that's not fair, a world that's fake," Small X raps over detuned synth pads, carried by a syncopated drum.

On track five, "Shine," Moroccan singer Rhita Nattah asks, "Who's gonna save us?" over the now familiar electric guitar and alarmist synths. The energetic song is a collaboration with Black Milk, an American rapper signed to Mass Appeal, whom Small X has been a fan of since 2014.

"Rhita Nattah is one of the best Moroccan artists of all time. And we really respect Black Milk's work; he's one of the greatest alternative rappers in the U.S.," says Small X. "Collaborating with alternative artists gives another angle of the alternative roads that artists can take to arrive in the mainstream," adds Bellamine.

Joining Mass Appeal is only the beginning for Small X, who sees NAFIDA as an introduction to his new sound. "Mass Appeal is special; it's not like other labels. They sign great, alternative rappers and lyricists," he says. "Being part of that vision makes me feel grateful and at home with another language. I represent North Africa in this label, at the heart of hip-hop history."