Saudi Rapper Nashmi Raises the Bar with Sophisticated Single ‘Sunflower’

Straight outta Saudi, hip-hop artist Nashmi raises the bar with new track Sunflower. Beautifully produced, Sunflower offers up sensuous and sophisticated beats that underpin the rapper’s narrative on jealousy. “The single carries an emotional value with hype,” said Nashmi. “It feeds the jealousy in all of us – it’s loving, caring but manic.”

Based in Jeddah, Nashmi cites Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Motionless in White and J Cole among his influences. “My sound is a mixer of these artists with a flavour of my own,” said Nashmi. The rapper describes his sound as “unique, psychedelic, emotional, aggressive and new”.

Authentic

Nashmi’s lyrics come from his heart. “I write with the aim of showcasing emotion. Everything I write is based on my experience through my own struggles with mental health. My music is a reminder to everyone that we are not alone. It might sound sad, happy, hopeless or simply recall a life experience. I think of the value of each song emotionally, musically, and the structure of every part to make it memorable. And I try to keep as authentic to who I am throughout as humanly possible.”

Rising Star

Nashmi is a rising star. Under his Jai Nash moniker, he has collaborated with Morse, Dopy, Eon Sleth, Kidwizah and more. “There is so much more music in my arsenal but I’m always waiting for the right time to put it out to the public.”

The rapper admits his music is evolving. “The artists that influenced me throughout the years are different and unique in their own way. I had to find my own space and my own appeal. There are always more ways to grow sonically: it’s an exciting process.”

Reaching Ears

Out on Saudi’s Wall of Sound Records, Sunflower is reaching many ears on Anghami, racking up nearly 250,000 plays so far. Online hip-hop magazine Scene Noise listed it as one of the best releases of the week from the MENA and diaspora rap scene. Listen to the track on  streaming platform Anghami here or check out the official video below.

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