Depression to Therapy: Loun Transformed His Struggle Into a Debut Album
In a candid conversation, Moroccan rapper Loun opens up about his debut album 'Therapy,' the healing power of music, his independent journey, and his mission to spread positivity in hip-hop culture.
Moroccan rapper Young Loun, born Hamza Kablani in 1993, has been a growing force in the North African hip-hop scene for over a decade. Starting his journey in 2012 as Mr Lawni, the Casablanca native has built a reputation for his lighthearted personality, smooth flows, catchy hooks, and a positive, motivational lyrical style.
Following the success of his singles ‘Ain’t Nothing Can Put Me Back’ (Dec, 2019) and ‘Tnakt’ (June, 2020), which helped popularize his name across Morocco, Loun has delivered his most authentic work to date: Therapy. “This album is for me before anyone else,” he says, describing a process grounded in intuition rather than market timing. “Tune in with your music so that others can tune in with it,” he adds. Therapy is a textbook on emotions crafted by a student of hip-hop who aims to pass on not just bars, but also energy.
In a wide-ranging conversation with DimaTOP, Loun discussed his album’s journey, from its creative influences and process to the specific choices behind its name, cover art, beats, and features. He also opens up about the profound personal growth he experienced along the way.
Therapy: From Mood Swings to Melodies
Loun’s path to his debut album was anything but linear. While fans celebrated a series of successful releases, from his well-received 2021 EP ‘L&M‘ (with its breakout hits “Tnakt” and “Ain’t Nothing Can Put Me Back”) to 2024’s ‘Apollo‘ EP and his contribution to the major Norf Tape compilation, the artist was navigating a turbulent internal landscape.
“Since 2021, I’ve been trying to release an album, but every time something happened,” Loun reveals. He doesn’t label it depression, but admits to “losing all moods and motivation” at points. “Just some toxic stuff, you know life, it’s not always bees and flowers.”
This emotional struggle became the album’s foundation. The title Therapy was chosen with intent. “This album is for me before anyone else,” Loun states emphatically. “I rap about positivity because I myself need it. I rap to myself first, then I hope to inspire others as well.” The start of 2024 marked a turning point. He made a conscious decision to be mentally stronger, using a clear artistic direction as his “compass” to ground the project and finally channel his experiences into a body of work.
Watch W/ LOUN – ALBUM THERAPY-: سمعنا أحسن ألبوم في الراب المغربي هاد العام | Loun discussing his album ‘Therapy’ with streamer Raw Soueelt. The conversation, held in Moroccan Darija, was uploaded on September 3, 2025.
Studio: A One-Man Army
To bring his vision to life, Loun adopted a fiercely independent approach. Based in Marrakech, he transformed into a one-man production house, handling the producing, toplining (crafting the main melody and harmony of a track), and mixing himself, often working in solitude at a studio belonging to his friend, Idlane.
This hands-on method is a creed he lives by. “Since 2016, I’ve been mixing my music by myself, with or without budget, because no one can give me what I want except myself,” he explains. For Therapy, this meant obsessing over every detail, from the source of a reverb to the perfect ad-lib. “I could spend hours on just the adlibs. I need to feel satisfied with my music… what matters are the feelings, the sound has to feel real.”
He wasn’t entirely alone, however. He credits Algerian producer and multi-hyphenate Fares LÜNN, based in Marrakech, as a key inspiration and collaborator. “He is my G and an inspiration. He comes by from time to time, helping with producing and music in general.” This partnership underscores a core belief of Loun’s: “I work with those who feel me.”
Recovery: Melancholic Trap and Timeless Beats
Therapy is not a party record. Loun describes it as “a melancholic album, just me lost and wounded, but getting better track by track.” He is quick to note that recovery isn’t a linear ascent. “It’s up and down too. Some think recovery is always up, it’s not really like that.” This nuanced perspective is captured in tracks like ‘Hadra Ri Kolha’, 6th on the track list, which deals directly with self-struggle.
Sonically, he gravitated toward a specific palette. “I went with trap, but not the dirty type, it annoys me,” he says with a laugh. Instead, he crafted a sound of “trap melancholic, chilla and light,” drawing inspiration from the timeless production of Kanye West and The Neptunes. “They inspire my beat selection ‘cuz their beats are timeless,” he notes. He also incorporated West Coast grooves and modern boom-bap, creating a versatile yet cohesive backdrop for his introspective lyrics.
For Loun, the magic formula for a lasting track is undeniable: “Melodies are universal. People should give a lot of attention to melodies and keys of their beats plus the delivery of the rapper. That’s the combo of a hit.” It’s a formula proven by his own juggernaut single ‘Tnakt’, which continues to “shake stages” five years after its release. Loun wants frequencies that encourage motion, music that motivates. “If you listen to the album in order, you will feel a push to do something,” he promises. “Music is not just beats and words; it’s frequencies.”
Watch LOUN – Tnaket (Official Video Clip) ProdBy.Showtime | Uploaded on June 6, 2020, ‘Tnakt’ is Loun’s most-viewed YouTube video, with over 2.8 million views as of September 2025.
Featurings: Energy and Mutual Respect
The album features a carefully curated set of collaborators, each chosen for their synergistic energy. YP, an American rapper with Moroccan-Filipino roots, features on a track from the early 2024 archives. “When he heard it, he really messed with it,” Loun recalls. “He came prepared, got into the booth and started spittin’. He scared the crap out of me with that energy.”
Loun praises the work of his longtime friend Fares LÜNN, a 40-year-old Algerian artist based in Marrakech who serves as both a collaborator and an inspiration. The two co-produced the track “Come Ca La Vie,” as well as “Khaliha Ela Lah” featuring the talented Raste.
Loun also worked with Moroccan rapper Damost, the only feature not done face-to-face. Loun recalls when he heard the beat’s triplet rhythm, he knew instantly that it was a perfect fit for Damost, who sent his verse back within a week. “I like working with people who are quick. He sent me a dope verse, not some half-baked one.”
While a planned feature with Moroccan rap icon Dizzy DROS didn’t materialize due to scheduling conflicts, Loun is philosophical. “He and others will be on my upcoming project. This is just me warming up.”
Allies: Producers Who Match the Vibe
Loun is intentional about who he invites into his sonic world. “I work with those who feel me, who understand why I do what I do,” he says, pointing to a tight-knit circle:
- Showtime, a longtime collaborator and the architect behind the banger “Tnakt.”
- Khazzi, a frequent collaborator who produced the hit “Ain’t Nothin Can Put Me Back.”
- Gustavo, a new partner whose beat instantly clicked.
- AFK Beats, the producer with tens of names, his beats “always slap”.
- Vivien (from Algeria), delivering “viby and dope” beats.
Beat selection is slow-cooked. He sits with instrumentals until the motivation arrives, then toplines when the feeling snaps into place. If Loun hates anything, it’s hasty music.
Watch LOUN – NAPOLI (Official Music Video) | Serving as the lead single for his debut album Therapy, Loun released ‘Napoli’ on February 22, 2025.
Release: Festivals, Stages, and the Independent Push
The run-up to Therapy was as strategic as it was organic. He wanted the release to be purely independent, no label interference, 100% his, and waited for the right moment to surface. Egregore, a festival marking 40 years of Moroccan hip-hop with a 40-artist lineup that included icons like ElGrandeToto and Shobee, arrived like a green light.
Post-Egregore, he leveraged stages across the country: YoFest, RabaFrica with DJ BigKid, to seed anticipation. “I promoted the album on all of these stages,” he says. Next up is a debut at the storied L’Boulevard festival and a circuit of other dates that feel like a grassroots tour: no private buses, just sweat and shared energy.
He’s known to hop on Instagram Live and rap along to classic American records out of pure fandom. The point isn’t performance perfection; it’s communion. He knows his history, studies the lineage, and wears that scholarship like a badge.
Watch Loun, 4LFA, Norfafrica – Deebo | On April 16, 2024, Loun released ‘Deebo,’ a collaboration with Tunisian artist 4LFA, as part of the Norf Tape—a compilation album featuring artists from across North Africa.
Foundation: Family, Faith, and Frequencies
Behind the artist is a support system he is profoundly grateful for. He cites his friend Idlane for giving him “a big push,” and his life partner for her concrete sacrifices. But his most heartfelt praise is reserved for his mother. “She was there in my real therapy,” he shares.
“She was patient, compassionate, and supportive. She allowed me the freedom to turn the house into a studio, to be loud, to be myself.” His final advice to listeners is simple yet profound: “Parents are so important, take care of your parents people. And of course God above all, al hamdulillah (all praise be to God) for everything.”
This gratitude feeds directly into his artistic philosophy. “For me, positivity is all. Listeners have souls, I want to reach that… to purify them with good energy, to open their musical chakras.”
Craft: From Handmade Covers to Well-made Music Videos
Every aspect of Therapy is a cooked on real, slow fire. The cover art, a striking series of low-shutter speed shots of his face in various emotional states, was a conscious rejection of over-production. “We just color graded it. I love natural album covers… It’s like a handmade cover, not machine made,” he says, citing the iconic, straightforward covers of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN.
He promises high-quality, cinematic music videos are on the way, intended to prove that “people don’t necessarily need labels or big budgets.” His next step is to master the business of music, citing the masterful rollout of Clipse’s latest album as a strategy he intends to study. Furthermore, he plans to start streaming in the winter, creating a space to discuss music, legacy, and positive energy with his fans directly.
Watch LOUN – BONDAGANI ( Official Music Video ) | Another one of Loun’s viral hits is ‘Bondagani,’ released on June 20, 2023. The track gained popularity thanks to its comedic lyrics, humorous theme, and entertaining music video.
Strategy: Positive Frequencies and Cultural Respect
Loun’s philosophy toggles between personal repair and community uplift. He doesn’t preach so much as he orients. “I rap to myself first, then I hope to inspire others as well,” he says. He draws a line between artists who build and those who extract. “Don’t be a culture vulture,” he warns.
Hip-hop, for him, is a spirit and a covenant: respect it, and it will sustain you. He admires figures like Michael Jackson who is “always positive, chill and hella vibes”, and cites records like Heal the World, Earth Song, and Man in the Mirror as templates for art that elevates listeners. Conversely, he critiques what he calls “negative frequencies,” invoking the polarities of groups like N.W.A. versus the soulful grounding associated with J Dilla.
This ethics of energy pays practical dividends. “Being positive pays off,” he notes, pointing to collaborations and brand interest. “OGs like Caprice love my stuff, it’s an honor.” When fans notice that “Loun love hip-hop”, he feels flattered.
Conclusion: The Warm-Up Is Over
“This experience taught me how to make an album… I feel confident about my next album,” he says, looking toward a future of festival stages like L’Boulevard and new projects. Loun talks about MF DOOM not as a reference, but as a compass. “Think of MF DOOM… you think he bothered by thinking ‘would the fans like this music?’… No. He just did his thing and his music still lives till today.” Therapy follows those steps.
With the therapeutic process complete, Loun is no longer the wounded artist seeking solace. He is confident of his craft, ready to build his legacy, on his own terms, with love for the culture as his guiding force. The therapy session is over. The main event is just beginning.
