Generally takes collaborations with other artists on a positive outlook, Syrian artist Sarbasst desires to collaborate with 4lfa from Tunisia and Afroto from Egypt at his utmost. "I understand from their songs that they have been through difficult situations and their words express to me a lot as a person." The first song he wrote is not on the internet. "I recorded it on tape, and it was about my family because there were a lot of problems at home, and about my journey that started at a young age," he recalls. "I left Syria when I was 17 years old and now I live in Greece," he shares with musivv.
A very simple person, Sarbasst discovered rap music as a teenager. At 19 years old, he decided to write his verses inspired by Bet El Hip Hop, a TV program. His love for the genre grew and believes he will continue to evolve around it in the future.
Waving the Drake-over-Kanye banner, Sarbasst's process evolved with every project he took his skills to use. When he first started making music, he writes the verses before the beat. Later on, he learned to write along with the beat, a method he uses to this day. "I usually write in the morning, I have to. I put the beat on my headphones and my mind starts working, along with the morning coffee." An interpreter by vocation, Sarbasst admits that after all that he witnessed and heard in his workplace, "I will crash exhausted."
His wide range of projects stemmed from the process. Ishbah Halak sits at the top of his list of beloved projects. "I was going through a difficult phase in my life, I had many mixed feelings, I had anger, optimism and many other feelings that I did not know how to name back then." These emotions were evident in the project. A perfectionist in his craft but believes he can do better.
The conversation took a deep turn when asked about world issues. "The truth is that I would like to take away many things but I have to say if there is only one, that would be poverty," he concludes.
The truth is that I would like to take away many things but I have to say if there is only one, that would be poverty
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ROOTS is musivv's segment featuring musical artists of Middle-Eastern descent residing in the UAE, Middle-East and around the world. Features under this segment are eligible for a nomination under this category on The musivv Awards (TMAs) annual recognition.
