Even before his unexpected hiatus and subsequent triumphant return at the start of the year with blockbuster EP, Plan B, many on Egypt’s rap scene had marked Lege-Cy as a star for the future - something that Cairo-based label, El Batron, caught on with quickly. Now signed to the Tarek Nojara-founded label, the Tanta native is poised to take that next big step.
Having headlined the debut of new rap gig series, El Batron Nights - a lineup that included Jordanian-Palestinian heavyweight, Thr Synaptik - you can argue that he’s already on his way, and his latest release only strengthens that argument.
‘Arafa’ premiered at the gig, and while The Synaptik as well as Dareen and Arsenik left their marks on the night, Lege-Cy certainly stole the show. The video features Egyptian actor, Ali Kassem, and stands out among Lege-Cy’s largely more modest, straightforward videos. A cinematic piece of storytelling directed by Eslam Abo Elenein, ‘Arafa’ tells of a man played by Kassem seeking vengeance, after a deal went sour with what looks like a shifty businessman played. The hero of the video haunts his employees after the double-cross till he finally gets his hands on the villain.As a track, ‘Arafa’ sees Lege-Cy, who also produced it, blends East and West with the percussion utilising a fusion of hard-tight kicks with an Eastern-sounding snare and Darbuka drum. A reverberated loose-melody glues the elements together along with a body-heavy sub-bass that fills up the space between the tight kicks.
We can sit and dissect the video all day, but it represents something much bigger in Lege-Cy’s journey. Now backed by El Batron, a progressive label that does things differently, he sits on the cusp of breaking into an elite level of rap occupied by the likes of Abyusif, Wegz and Marwan Pablo. Everyone knows he has the talent and tools to make it - now he has the resources and the momentum.
