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Rising Spanish Rap Star Morad Breaks Barriers with Street-Inspired Success
Monday 27 September 2021, by
Morad, 22, has managed to find his way in the Spanish urban music scene. He is now the first Spanish artist of Moroccan origin to achieve success. His songs are listened to in both working-class and upscale neighborhoods. But his past as a street child sticks to him.
This "street kid" has forged an artistic identity. He usually wears a cap and a shoulder bag, but what never fails is the tracksuit. He has also made the acronym MDLR, meaning "Guy from the street", his registered trademark. His fame has crossed Spanish borders. The young artist of Moroccan origin has fans all over Europe: in France, Portugal, Italy or England. He is preparing a European tour for next year, reports El Pais.
For his admirers, Morad is an example of success for the boy from La Florida who, thanks to his talent and hard work, has overcome many trials to realize his dream. For his detractors, he is a delinquent who takes advantage of his fame to dictate his law in a neighborhood transformed into an outdoor pilgrimage and filming site.
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Morad released his first single titled "Lo que quiera" in January 2019, which recorded 11.5 million views on YouTube. The Moroccan-origin artist sings about the difficulties of life abroad, drug trafficking, police violence, institutional racism, etc. "The police think I’m against them, but no. I’m against the black sheep of the police. I sing what my friends and I have experienced. In Spain, music is free," Morad explained in an interview with a local radio station. The young rapper has already written 65 songs (practically one per month), with a rather particular method. "When he is inspired, he goes to the studio, chooses the sound, writes the lyrics on the mobile notepad and records," his manager says.
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"The truth is that children have few opportunities here. For many, Morad is their hero and they imitate him because they see that music can be a source of income," said Lluís Esteve, coordinator of the city of L’Hospitalet’s global plan. The Moroccan-origin artist has involuntarily made famous the children of the neighborhood who appear in his videos. At his last concert at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona (2,000 tickets sold), he brought the children on stage.