7liwa

7liwa
Also known as7liwa, Wa7li
Born
Ihab Ikbal

(1996-01-19) January 19, 1996
Casablanca
GenresRap . Trap . Rage
OccupationRapper . songwriter
Years active2011-present

Ihab Ikbal (Arabic: إيهاب إقبال; born January 19, 1996), better known by his stage name 7liwa (Arabic: حليوة), is a Moroccan rapper and songwriter from Casablanca. Widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in Moroccan rap history, he is credited with pioneering the popularization of trap and rage music in the region.[1][2] His distinctive fast-flowing style, use of auto-tune, and provocative lyrics have inspired a generation of artists.[3][4]

7liwa's influence on Moroccan hip-hop is profound, as his music has inspired many and paved the way for emerging rap stars such as Inkonnu, ElGrandeToto, and Ily. Some refer to him as "the Lil Wayne of Morocco,"[5] 7liwa draws a parallel to Lil Wayne's role in launching the careers of global icons like Drake, Tyga, and Nicki Minaj.[6]

Biography

7liwa was born in 1996 in Casablanca, Morocco.[7]

Career

7liwa began his musical career around 2011-2012, initially releasing his music on YouTube.[8][9] His early tracks, such as "Da7k T9ada" (2013) and the ten-minute chorus-less song "Batal L3alam" (2013), were pivotal in building his reputation for sharp lyricism and establishing his early fame.[10][11] In 2014, 7liwa collaborated with French rapper Soolking on the track "Bilal" to great success.[12][13] He gained significant mainstream recognition in 2016 with the music video for "NIK DT", which amassed millions of views, followed by other popular tracks like "Adidas" and "Haribo".[14] That same year, he performed a concert at Oukacha Prison, the largest penitentiary in Casablanca.[15][16]

The year 2017 marked a period of intense activity with the release of three music videos in three months, including "Mimi", which garnered over 22 million views on YouTube.[17] A major milestone in his career was signing with Sony Music Entertainment Middle East in 2019.[18][19] In 2022, he signed a worldwide publishing deal with PopArabia and Reservoir Media, covering his existing catalog and future works.[20]

In 2025, 7liwa announced that he is working on his "retirement album".[21]

Artistic style and influences

7liwa is regularly listed in rankings of top Moroccan rappers.[22][23][24] DimaTop Magazine’s “Top 10 Moroccan Rappers” includes him 4th, noting that modern Moroccan rap is built in large part upon his influence.[2] He is listed among the top five most notable Moroccan rappers by Pan African Music,[25] as well as 5th best Moroccan rapper by Kulture Vulturez.[23]

7liwa primarily raps in Darija, while also incorporating French and English.[26] He is known for his fast-paced vocal delivery, biting lyrics, and a provocative approach that often explores themes of personal struggle, societal issues, and darker subjects.[2]

His influence extends beyond his own music; through his Zawa City collective, he has been instrumental in launching the careers of now-superstar Moroccan rappers such as ElGrandeToto and Inkonnu.[5]

His 2014 horror-inspired music video for "Mosi9t Chitan" ("Music of the Devil") was a revolutionary moment in Morocco's music scene, pushing visual and thematic boundaries in a way that had not been seen before.[27]

Discography

Albums

  • La Street (2019)
  • Weld Fatima II (2021)
  • Champion (2024)[28]

Mixtapes

  • Ktabi Baki (2014)
  • #WF (2017)

References

  1. ^ "7liwa and Shayfeen are now leading the wave". Rwipa.com. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Moujahid, Ben Tarki. "Top 10 Moroccan Rappers Of All Time | Voted By 300+ Insiders". Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  3. ^ "Morocco: ElGrandeToto, 7liwa, Naar… Rap in Darija goes international". The Africa Report.com. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  4. ^ "7liwa Reinforce His Signature Trap Sound on 'Champion'". SecneNow. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  5. ^ a b Moujahid, Ben Tarki. "7liwa: Morocco's Lil Wayne | Parallels Of Two Hip-Hop Icons". Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  6. ^ Terrell, Dontaira. "5 ways Lil Wayne redefined the art of hip hop". REVOLT. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  7. ^ "7liwa sur le site nrjmaroc". nrjmaroc (in French). Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  8. ^ Generations (2023-02-05). "Generations". Generations (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  9. ^ Elmaleh, Khen. "You need to get to know Moroccan hip-hop: it's original, independent and female". Haaretz.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  10. ^ "7liwa". Portail de L'Opinion des jeunes marocains - l'Opinion DJ (in French). Retrieved 2025-04-02.
  11. ^ "Hip Hop Corner Les 20 rappeurs marocains". lodj. Retrieved 2023-05-20..
  12. ^ "la rade de 7liwa". abcdrduson (in French). 16 October 2017. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  13. ^ "Rencontre avec le rappeur marocain soolking". moroccanhiphop (in French). Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  14. ^ "7liwa Archives". Sony Music Middle East. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  15. ^ "Le rappeur 7liwa chante à la prison d'Oukacha".
  16. ^ "Casablanca: 7liwa enflamme la prison d'Oukacha".
  17. ^ Bouzaroita, Majda (2024-06-13). "Total Banger Moroccan Rap Tracks to Add to Your Summertime Playlist". Morocco World News. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  18. ^ April.Perez (2019-04-08). "CHECK OUT '7LIWA' DEBUT SINGLE WITH SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT MIDDLE EAST "OHLALA"". Sony Music ME. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  19. ^ Alaoui, Zineb (2019-03-23). "7liwa signe avec un grand label..." Welovebuzz (in French). Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  20. ^ "PopArabia, In Conjunction with Reservoir, Signs Moroccan Hip-Hop Star 7liwa – PopArabia". Retrieved 2025-04-02.
  21. ^ "الرابر المغربي حليوة يعلن: ألبوم أخير ثم اعتزال!". billboard (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  22. ^ "7liwa". Reservoir Media. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  23. ^ a b Vulturez, Kulture (2024-03-08). "Top 20 Moroccan Rappers: 2024's Best Rappers from Morocco". Kulture Vulturez. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  24. ^ "7liwa: Building a New Era in Moroccan Rap". Newartz Magazine. 2025-03-28. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  25. ^ "Cinq rappeurs marocains à suivre". Pan African Music (in French). 2017-08-28. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  26. ^ "Maroc : ElGrandeToto, 7liwa, Naar… Le rap en darija s'exporte – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  27. ^ "Moroccan Rap, a Booming and Dynamic Scene". The MENA Chronicle | Fanack. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  28. ^ "الرابور حليوة يطلق 18 أغنية بألبومه الجديد من كازابلانكا". دنا بريس (in Arabic). 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
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