By: Jude Kouassi
Timmy is an Egyptian rapper who unlike his native counterparts, chooses to rap in English and not the usual Arabic. In Egypt, the rap scene began to really ramp up around 1988, with artists such as Omar Boflot and Taki. Both spent time in Ghana though, getting integrated with the rap game there, thats why they rapped in English. Although this is true for many MC’s in Egypt, Timmy’s story is a little different. Timmy’s decision to remain an English-speaking rapper was tied to his personal identity. In an interview Timmy described how he has lived in both Egypt and California for both halves of his life, describing that “Expressing myself in English is just a product of what I’ve been through in life”. In his single “YAYO” you can hear the combination of both cultures in his flow and rapping style. The quick tempo and the heavy drum hitting beat combine to make a really solid song. I listened to it a few times and the prologue is what really struck me most. In the prologue you hear an officer speak to Timmy and NOVO, the artist featured on the track. In it the officer essentially gives a description of Timmy. How he is the founder of a agency called Nomad Entertainment. I really like this addition cause he speaks about how he chooses not to follow trends or do what’s “right” as far as the game goes. I think thats what rap is all about and I respect his passion and drive to do it his way. He clearly has every intention to make his own path in rap, just like so many other greats have before him. Taking 5 years off, he comes back with a powerful slam dunk of a song called “YAYO” and hits us again with “AYBYCYD”. His growth from the previous to the latter can be seen in his increased confidence. Rapping at the listener with strong punctuation and a flow that is not easy to forget.
Sources:
https://scenenoise.com/Features/delving-into-egypts-english-rap-scene