Isam Bachiri
Encyclopedia
Isam Bachiri is a Danish vocalist, rapper and songwriter
for the multi-award winning hip hop group Outlandish
. His family hails from Nador in the north-eastern part of Morocco
.
of Moroccan
descent born in 1977 in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. He was raised in Brøndby Strand
, where he currently resides. He went to the Islands Brygge
School in Copenhagen, where he graduated as a mathematical student and went on to study at Odense University
.
Bachiri came into contact with music in his youth through the developing hip hop
scene and subculture in America. At the time, the hip hop
scene and underground music
subculture had become popular in Denmark and the rest of the world. Bachiri, influenced by this, began amateur-rapping
and breakdancing
. He soon realized that breakdancing was not for him and started focussing mainly on rapping instead.
and Lenny Martinez in the creation of Outlandish
, a group that takes influences from the three members' various backgrounds (Moroccan
/Arab
/Amazigh, Pakistani/Punjabi
and Latin American). Together, they recorded their first single, "Pacific to Pacific," which was used in connection with an Amnesty International
charity event. They went on to record five albums and several singles, achieving international success.
Having released three albums with Outlandish
, which were mainly recorded in English and Spanish, Bachiri released his first solo album in 2007, titled Institution, which was recorded entirely in Danish. The single "I Danmark Er Jeg Født" was the most popular song from the album, produced and co-written by Mintman aka Carsten Mortensen.
Bachiri mainly writes his own lyrics. The two notable exceptions to this rule are Rene Camboni who has co-written most of his Danish tracks, and Omar Shah who has written/cowritten several tracks on the third Outlandish
album, Closer Than Veins
. Bachiri has also collaborated with fellow Muslim artists such as Majid, Sami Yusuf
and Native Deen
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
for the multi-award winning hip hop group Outlandish
Outlandish
Outlandish is a multi-award–winning hip-hop group based in Denmark. Formed in 1997, it consists of Isam Bachiri , Waqas Ali Qadri , and Lenny Martinez . All three members are religious, with Isam and Waqas being Muslims and Lenny being Catholic...
. His family hails from Nador in the north-eastern part of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
Early life
Isam Bachiri is a MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
of Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
descent born in 1977 in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He was raised in Brøndby Strand
Brøndby Strand
Brøndby Strand is a suburb in Brøndby Municipality, approximately 13 km south-west of central Copenhagen, Denmark-Overview:...
, where he currently resides. He went to the Islands Brygge
Islands Brygge
Islands Brygge is a harbourfront area in central Copenhagen, Denmark, located on the north-western coast of Amager. The neighbourhood is noted for its waterfront park Havneparken, which is one of the most popular areas along the Copenhagen harbourfront and the location of one of the Copenhagen...
School in Copenhagen, where he graduated as a mathematical student and went on to study at Odense University
Odense University
Odense University, now Syddansk Universitet Odense , has been part of the University of Southern Denmark since 1998 of which it forms the biggest campus. It is the university of Odense, Denmark's third largest city, and the island of Funen. When abbreviated, the university motto becomes FIONIA, the...
.
Bachiri came into contact with music in his youth through the developing hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
scene and subculture in America. At the time, the hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
scene and underground music
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
subculture had become popular in Denmark and the rest of the world. Bachiri, influenced by this, began amateur-rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
and breakdancing
B-boying
B-boying, often called "breakdancing", is a popular style of street dance that was created and developed as part of hip-hop culture among African Americans and Latino youths in New York City. The dance consists of four primary elements: toprock, downrock, power moves and freezes...
. He soon realized that breakdancing was not for him and started focussing mainly on rapping instead.
Career
In 1997, Bachiri joined Waqas Ali QadriWaqas Ali Qadri
Waqas Ali Qadri is a Danish singer with Pakistani roots. He is a singer in the vocal group Outlandish, along with Isam Bachiri and Lenny Martinez.- Early life :...
and Lenny Martinez in the creation of Outlandish
Outlandish
Outlandish is a multi-award–winning hip-hop group based in Denmark. Formed in 1997, it consists of Isam Bachiri , Waqas Ali Qadri , and Lenny Martinez . All three members are religious, with Isam and Waqas being Muslims and Lenny being Catholic...
, a group that takes influences from the three members' various backgrounds (Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
/Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
/Amazigh, Pakistani/Punjabi
Punjabi Culture
Punjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjab region. It is one of the oldest in world history, dating from ancient antiquity to the modern era. The Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjabi people who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of...
and Latin American). Together, they recorded their first single, "Pacific to Pacific," which was used in connection with an Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
charity event. They went on to record five albums and several singles, achieving international success.
Having released three albums with Outlandish
Outlandish
Outlandish is a multi-award–winning hip-hop group based in Denmark. Formed in 1997, it consists of Isam Bachiri , Waqas Ali Qadri , and Lenny Martinez . All three members are religious, with Isam and Waqas being Muslims and Lenny being Catholic...
, which were mainly recorded in English and Spanish, Bachiri released his first solo album in 2007, titled Institution, which was recorded entirely in Danish. The single "I Danmark Er Jeg Født" was the most popular song from the album, produced and co-written by Mintman aka Carsten Mortensen.
Bachiri mainly writes his own lyrics. The two notable exceptions to this rule are Rene Camboni who has co-written most of his Danish tracks, and Omar Shah who has written/cowritten several tracks on the third Outlandish
Outlandish
Outlandish is a multi-award–winning hip-hop group based in Denmark. Formed in 1997, it consists of Isam Bachiri , Waqas Ali Qadri , and Lenny Martinez . All three members are religious, with Isam and Waqas being Muslims and Lenny being Catholic...
album, Closer Than Veins
Closer Than Veins
Closer Than Veins is the third album by the Danish hip-hop group Outlandish, released in 2005.-Track listing:#Introspective#Any Given Time#Look Into My Eyes #Just Me#Kom Igen #Nothing Left To Do...
. Bachiri has also collaborated with fellow Muslim artists such as Majid, Sami Yusuf
Sami Yusuf
Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist musician of Azeri origin.In 2003 Yusuf released his first album "Al-Mu`allim" at the age of 23, selling over two million copies...
and Native Deen
Native Deen
Native Deen is an Islamic musical group from the Washington, D.C. area. Native Deen's music combines a hip-hop style with lyrical themes grounded in Islam.The group uses percussion instruments and synthetic sounds...