Namber Reborn: A Musical Journey to Represent Amazigh Identity
After stepping away from rap in 2021 for personal reasons, he was unexpectedly thrust back into the spotlight when friends applied to Jamshow on his behalf. “I got the call to join the rap competition,” Namber recalls, and the experience felt transformative. He says, “I am reborn now after my comeback, with new vision, new style, and a new pen.” His televised run in Jamshow’s first season didn’t just revive his career; it crystallized his mission: to make Tamazight central to contemporary Moroccan rap and to do it with uncompromising originality.
This renewed sense of purpose became the foundation for his recent EP, Made in Tamazirt, a project that stands as a testament to his dedication to his culture and language. DimaTOP sat down with Moroccan rapper Namber to break down his musical journey, his powerful commitment to his roots, and the significance behind his latest project.
Watch Namber – Yat s Yat (Official Music Video) Prod by GuccianoBeatz (from MADE IN TAMAZIRT)
Who Is Namber? From Lakhssas to Jamshow, and Back to the Booth
Hailing from Lakhssas, a small town of under 10,000 people in Sidi Ifni Province, Samir Sakhi, better known as Namber, started his rap journey in 2012, dropping his first track on YouTube in 2013. Coming from Lakhssas, his trajectory was always intertwined with the south’s textures: rural grit and Amazigh pride.
The 2021 pause might have looked like a shutdown, but the Jamshow call in 2024 became a catalytic re-entry. He describes the experience as unique and satisfying, grateful to have been part of the show’s inaugural season. It put him back on a stage, but more importantly, it clarified what he needed to say and how he needed to say it.
Why Namber Chose to Rap in Tamazight
Namber’s decision to primarily rap in Tamazight, the native language of the Amazigh people, is a deliberate and deeply personal choice. He explained that although he had rapped in Darija (Moroccan Arabic) for years, he recognized a significant void in the Moroccan rap scene. “I see a wide gap in the Moroccan rap game when it comes to Amazigh rappers,” he states. For him, using his native language is a responsibility, a way to represent his people and their culture.
The Amazigh, or Imazighen (the plural term), are the indigenous people of North Africa, with a rich history spanning thousands of years. Their culture and language, Tamazight, have been foundational to the region’s identity. However, they have also faced centuries of marginalization and cultural erasure. Namber’s choice to rap in Tamazight is a direct response to this history, as he seeks to fill a space that he feels is “very underrepresented.”
Beyond cultural representation, Namber’s use of Tamazight gives his lyrics a unique depth. He revealed that he has a vast vocabulary, including words that are now rarely used, known only to older generations. He shared, “The new generation don’t know them, generally only grandmas and grandpas know them.” This linguistic privilege allows him to craft lyrics that are heavy with historical and cultural weight, creating a rich tapestry of meaning that transcends a simple song. For him, it’s not just about the words; it’s about their significance. As he puts it, “my words are heavy because they’re loaded with thousands of years of culture and legacy.”
Namber’s approach also prioritizes originality. He believes that being authentic to his identity is crucial. He emphasized that simply translating or imitating others would strip his music of its uniqueness, regardless of the language. “I’m just being me, I rap in Tamazight because I am Amazighi,” he affirms. This dedication to originality not only makes his art more genuine but also helps him stand out in a crowded scene, positioning him as a rare and valuable artist in the Moroccan hip-hop landscape.
Watch Namber – INIESTA (Official Music Video) Prod by GuccianoBeatz
The Profound Meaning Behind the EP Title: "Made in Tamazirt"
The title of Namber’s EP, Made in Tamazirt, is a clever play on words. It’s a double entendre that holds two distinct, powerful meanings, all based on how the “r” sound in the word is pronounced.
In one pronunciation, the word is said with a trilled “r” sound, and it refers to the land, the country, or the homeland itself. With a different pronunciation—a voiced “r” sound similar to a soft “gh” in Arabic—it signifies the Amazigh identity, the language and everything created by the Imazighen. This dual meaning reflects the EP’s core message: it is music from the land of the Amazigh and a declaration of Amazigh identity, made by an Amazigh artist.
For Namber, this title is a form of resistance against historical and cultural marginalization. He spoke passionately about the importance of being proud of one’s origins, referencing cultures that have been lost through forced assimilation or, tragically, because the natives themselves became ashamed of their heritage. He says, “I am fighting against that history of marginalization, fighting for myself and my people through art.” The EP, therefore, is not just a collection of songs but a statement, a powerful affirmation that Moroccan music has deep, indigenous roots.
Namber believes it is crucial to challenge the pervasive notion that Morocco is solely an Arab country. He acknowledged that Arabic is an important part of modern Moroccan culture, but insisted that the foundation of the culture is Amazigh. His music aims to make this reality visible and to encourage his people to express themselves proudly in their language and with their unique cultural markers. “This is a statement meant to say that this is Moroccan music by Moroccans,” Namber expresses.
Watch the Jamshow soundtrack performance by the semi-finalists. Note Namber, the only artist rapping in Tamazight.
The Sound of Morap: Blending Rap and Traditional Instruments
Namber’s artistic vision extends to the sound of his music itself. He explained that his approach to music is more about feeling than just listening. This led him to focus on originality in every element, from the lyrics to the beats. His chosen genre is Morap, a style of Moroccan hip-hop that is an “original piece of our connection to hip-hop”, as he puts it.
A perfect example of this is his song “Yat s Yat,” which features the rebab, a traditional Amazigh string instrument. Namber described the profound connection he feels to this sound, saying, “Every time I hear the rebab instrument in the beginning of the song, I get goosebumps, that instrument speaks to me.”
By blending traditional instruments like the rebab and the gimbri with a modern rap like a boom-bap beat, he creates a unique fusion that acknowledges the past while moving into the future, which is the backbone of the Morap genre. This sonic tapestry is a reflection of his message: that it is possible to revive and celebrate history in a modern, relevant way.
Watch Jam Show: Prime 3 PLUME vs NAMBER | From the “rap battle” episode, Namber won this round as all the 3 jury members (ElGrandeToto, Dizzy DROS & Small X) found his performance and confident delivery superior to his opponent, Plum.
A Breakdown of the Made in Tamazirt Tracklist
The titles of the songs on the EP each carry a significant meaning, further cementing the album’s thematic depth.
Tamazgha: This track, titled “The Land of the Amazigh,” is a tribute to the vast historical and geographical significance of the Amazigh people. This track is the intro to the EP; it talks about what Nambr wants to do and the reasons why.
Tudart I Tmazight: Meaning “Long Live Tamazight,” this song is an optimistic ode to a proud identity. In it, Namber raps about being proud of his roots and finding a modern way to revive his history.
Tagout: This title is another double entendre. “Tagout” can mean either “fog” or “west.” The song’s hook, which translates to “A fog came from the west and brought misery,” is a powerful line that uses the dual meaning to evoke a sense of external hardships and pain.
Yat s Yat: “One by One” is a deeply personal track in which Namber reflects on his personal struggles with life, finances, and everything in between. The song is a testament to resilience, a declaration that he is “still standing up to life, never giving up.”
Tawda: Meaning “fear,” this is the most aggressive track on the EP. Namber uses braggadocio not to boast about himself, but to highlight the resilience of his people who have survived centuries of persecution. He sees this survival as proof of their strength and enduring cultural significance.
As Namber discovered while trying to translate his lyrics for a wider audience (into French and English), the depth and nuance of the Tamazight language are almost impossible to capture in other languages. He described the immense difficulty of translating even a single verse, highlighting how much meaning is embedded in the language itself, explaining “imagine I spent hours translating one verse to find myself with a whole page full of lines of translation but the meaning is still not complete”.
Conclusion: The Voice of Artists is a Cultural Archive
For Namber, Made in Tamazirt is more than just a rap EP; it is an artistic statement. Through his use of Morap throughout the whole EP, he has not only created music but also ignited a crucial conversation about identity, history, and pride.
By using his art to challenge cultural cringe and honor his heritage, Namber is carving out a new space in the Moroccan music scene. His work is a powerful reminder that an artist’s voice can be a tool for cultural preservation and a beacon for future generations, encouraging them to be proud of who they are and where they come from.
