Rap or Die: Inside Egypt's Biggest Rap Battle Platform

Since its inception in 2017 by two Cairo native emcees, Lord and Farghaly, Rap or Die has cemented itself as Egypt's longest-running rap battle platform and a vital pillar of the country's underground hip-hop culture.

Born out of a disenfranchised youth movement, Rap or Die’s battles are ruthless. Two rappers would go head to head for three or five minutes, spitting gritty, unfiltered bars with unrestrained flow to both, exposing the worst about each other and turning them into a laughing stock. To participate in one of their rap battles isn’t an easy feat, even for veterans in the scene - it’s a true survival of the fittest kind of thing. 

Over time, the humble rap battle platform grew out of small venues and expanded into full-fledged tournaments, spanning Alexandria to Mansoura and beyond, with their videos on YouTube garnering over eight million views. While its core remained devoted to rap and spotlighting emerging talents, the platform has branched out with events, such as the ‘Beatmakers Battle’ between producers and a ‘Beatbox Battle’, broadening its reach without losing its raw edge.

At the ‘Rap or Die’ League finale, as part of Red Bull Mat Al Kalam, we jumped into the fray and risked life and limb to catch up with the key figures behind the battle. Once we caught up with them, we sat down to uncover how Rap or Die got its start, its evolution journey and how they got to be featured in the highly anticipated drama 'Hepta 2'.

Watch the full interview below: