Dabbling in the post-new wave hip-hop realm, underground all-Egyptian collective and label hybrid ‘Ka2en’ is brewing up a new, unorthodox style of music completely free of the shackles of modern trap. This up-and-coming artistic collective is made up of brother duo Kamikazem and Ge11o, Lil Abad, Sudma, and Ma-Beyn. Young, youthful and hungry for a taste of the main stage, the electric five-member team all bring wildly different talents, styles and visions to the table, putting them in a unique position to cultivate an eclectic sound that not only pushes the limits of modern hip-hop/rap but ventures into uncharted cross-genre territories for the region.
Born and bred in Egypt, Ka2en is a microcosmic representation of the burgeoning experimental hip-hop scene brewing below the surface of Cairo’s streets. The experimental daydreaming kicked off when Lil Abad’s production prowess and KamiKazem’s trap musings came together in early 2021, setting the creative foundations of the collective. Layering experimental beats and fusing new sounds together, the duo recognized the ingenuity of what they were doing and set forth on curating a team of multi-talented, young artists who shared the same vision. And so Ka2en was born.
The independent label uses their music as platform to take a deep dive into a number of societal issues, tackling everything from mental health to women’s rights with a distinctly youthful voice. Ka2en amplifies the voice of the new generation, making music that speaks to the deepest of their fears, demands, desires and hopes. Each of the artists has their own individual philosophy and sound, yet they all work together harmoniously to create music that transcends the boundaries of any genre or style. Their tracks ‘Dawama’, ‘Matara’ and ‘Masa2altesh’ all feel distinctly Egyptian in their message and relatability while bringing an entirely new spectrum of sound to a musical world ripe for experimentation.
