Click on the picture below to hear the mp3. Lyrics can be found at the bottom.

Narcy Photo credits: Tamara AbdulHadi

Artist Statement

Having lived in Canada and the UAE, Narcy found a bridge in his leap from a Middle Eastern teenager to a Westernized adult through his culture-away from home: Hip Hop. More specifically, rapping. With searing lyrical content and relentless Kalashnikov delivery, Narcy became one of the founding members of conscious Arab Hip Hop, having established underground heroes Euphrates with his best friends and producers Nofy Fannan (R.I.P) and Habillis. 'The Letter' was their first production, a hair-raising anthem for Iraqis written in the form of a letter to the US government that quickly spread across the World Wide Web and to stereos across the globe. The track would set the tone for Euphrates' distinctive sound and subject matter: Imagine Oum Kulthum, Public Enemy and Edward Said stuck in a sound studio.

In 2001, the group's first independent release came as humanity was facing the coming of the New World Order. Euphrates released A Bend in the River as the voice of young Arabs in the West seeking understanding of their experience through immigration, decolonization and reintegration into Western life and media. The album represented the rage and resentment in the hearts of many at the state of the Middle East as well as the confusion and dichotomizing relationship between 2 clashing cultures in one person. The album received acclaim all over Canada and thanks to the internet, across the underground Hip Hop globe. The album was a precursor to their highly anticipated second release in 2004: Stereotypes Incorporated.

Over the years, Narcy has shared stages solo and with Euphrates opening for the likes of Talib Kweli, Kanye West, Non-Phixion, Madlib, A-Trak and DJ Vadim to name a few.

The Narcicyst is currently recording a triple LP tentatively titled The Illuminarcy Trilogy whilst writing a Masters thesis on Hip Hop and Identity in Montreal, Canada. www.iraqisthebomb.com / www.narcy.net

Q: What is your basic philosophy and how is it reflected in your music?

A: I guess I would say my basic philosophy musically is that I am searching for one individually. I can't really give you a truthful conversion on that in written form. I think my music entirely reflects my search for where I come from and why it has been destroyed beyond politically. What are the historical, religious, spiritual, ancient roots to our present demise as a society, population, and how is this shaping where my tribe (people of the same experience) is going. So, what I attempt to reflect upon is the uncommon Arab denominators' experience...

Q: What are you currently working on, and what trends or styles are you developing?

A: I just re-released the two Euphrates releases as a double CD. Both A Bend in the River and Stereotypes Incorporated as in the package. That was to close the Euphrates chapter and start the next one. Now that I am working on music alone I had to reflect that through the name and the creative movement itself. I'm currently recording for my next release THE ILLUMINARCY TRILOGY. It is roughly based on the Illuminati Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson but takes place somewhere in the future. I just am for the first time allowing myself to freely record songs and not really think about where it's going. I think the process of writing will shape the overall package. I wanted to bring something new and relevant but more personal compared to the Euphrates projects. Those albums were well through out from beginning to end and reflected on the overall experience of a people, the next one is more about my surroundings, what I see daily.

Q: What moves you to sing out your message(s)?

A: Family, Love, Passion, Hip-Hop, Records, Beats, Producers, MCs, DJs, Breakdancers, Sisters, Brothers, Community, Thought and Change. To name a few.

Q: How do you find your audiences react to your songs and lyrics?

A: The audiences I have performed to or for have been very receptive to my music. I have had positive and negative conversations at or after shows regarding content of my lyrics to the origin of our music. I get both spectrums of reaction and I think that creates dialogue. Without dialogue there is no progression.

Q: Where are you planning to go from this point?

A: Right now, To bed. But overall, I hope to be able to project my music out to the world and that it receives open ears and just keep on moving with it. One thing about this music, when you do it independently you realize you have to hit EACH and EVERY head with it.

Q: If you had the power, what would you do to change the political situation here in Montreal?

A: There is definitely things that need to be changed in the political sphere of our city. A lot of internal racism, things that were brushed under the carpet so to speak. I don't see myself as a politician, I'm just not that cold. I don't have to motivation to run amidst snakes. But I do hope to see change come out of movements in the hip-hop community outwards.

Q: Given any musician (alive or not), who would you want to jam with?

A: I would have loved to be able to work with someone as prolific as J Dilla. So many...I would just like to meet a lot of the people I grew up listening to, or see them perform. Jumping on a track with them would be an honor, but I am a fan of this music before anything. I would love to collaborate on some bananas throwback to the future music with Abdel Halim. Like take it back THERE! wow..

Q: Which song track would you want to be put on our site alongside this interview and why?

A: I chose a track of my upcoming project. It's called 'Headwraps', loosely based on an experience I had at a show with some activist that came up to me and started asking me about my 'utopian view'. Basically attempting to dissect my character...so I dissected my character down in these verses.

Peace to Serai! Please visit www.myspace.com/Euphrates and copp the album! Tell your friend that iraqisthebomb.com! One Love to my family and peoples internationally!

Narcy!

Lyrics

Headwraps

This one is about those cats that wanna be arab

Verse 1:

Never barter less. Hit the Hardest test,

One with this modern mess Son of an Architext

Told me compositiion isbigger when you arch ya text

Competitions tradition so better guard your flesh

The nerve to ask where (Im from)

Mind numb wheres your heart? I bet haters wanna target death

Im tring to breed life in these mics feed my future seeds right but

(I never had)

The slight chance to let it see light, feels right

Thats how it be akh the More power to you

Im tryna battle the system sinking like tower 2 duke

So we can rave and rant braggadocious save your chant

Idd rather build then destroy a braver man boy

Standing where (Im from)

We let the peace voodoo, zone in and let the beat reach speak through you,

And thats to each pupil seeking truth through eastern roots that

(never had)

The chance to reach the fruit,

so...Dont preach me truth

Chorus: (X2)

False Idols (I dont believe in em)

Forced Rivals (Them receive venom)

Cause Fighters (bless the seed woman)

Lost writers (I dont b elieve in em)

False Idols (I dont believe in em)

Forced Rivals (Them receive venom)

Cause Fighters (bless the seed women)

You Lost Writers? I cant believe you said that, man

Leave your Headwraps at Home.

Verse 2:

Yeah, the vision is clear indecision and fear but when the image is blinded,

Were imprisoned with beards,

huh, whats the mission this year?

Officially steer sheep make your eyes deaf cant hear your ears weep,

sleep

if youdve been where (Im from)

you would have been scared Dead Fat and alone

or at home strapped to the bone

So when you roll to the show leaves ya headwraps in your homes,

Ya (never had)

The pain to lose your kin to radiation choose your friends

I guess we meant to be challenged

Thats why I dont play drama like the documentary channel

Push your power button riddes I Pause ya Games,

Ive always Bin in the middle like Osamas name

See where Im from

Theres no left or right, Our eagle soars with no wings

But flies best at night,

Pollytricking that a walk with that, no time to stop and chat

I never had to defend my penmanship thats some pretentious shit

Verse 3:

So.. so don yalk in my ear this year im buggin out

Phone taping my snares,

Hip-Hop Thuggin out, soul clapping your fears

What happens to a culture when the trap disappears?

If I really knew where (Im From)

I prolly be there, dead fat or alone

At home strapped to the bone

Thats why when I roll to a show I got a headwrap on my dome

I ( never had)

The chance to kiss earth, touch home, this verse

Produced by 7D