Hamza

Born in Laeken near Brussels on August 1, 1994, Belgian rapper Hamza Al-Farissi—known simply as Hamza—is of Moroccan descent. As a teenager, he formed the group Kilogramme Gang and recorded the mixtape Gotham City, Vol. 1with two fellow members before launching his solo career. After releasing his first mixtape Recto Verso in 2013, he stepped away from music for a time, until meeting his future manager Darkose, who encouraged him to create a new project. The result was H-24, released online in 2015, followed by the Casanova EP and two more mixtapes, Zombie Lifeand Santa Sauce, in 2016.

In 2017, a string of singles followed—including collaborations with German rappers Summer Cem and KC Rebell—leading up to his fifth mixtape, 1994, which earned him his first gold certification. That same year, he appeared on Disiz La Peste’s album Pacifique before turning his focus to his debut studio album.

Released in 2019, Paradise reached #2 on the charts. The album reflects on the passing of Hamza’s father and features collaborations with SCH, Aya Nakamura, Oxmo Puccino, and Christine and the Queens. Later that year, he dropped the mixtape Santa Sauce 2, featuring guest appearances by Young Adz, Gambi, and Koba LaD. The track “God Bless” with Damso became a hit, peaking at #5.

Preceded by the EP 140 BPM (2020), Hamza’s third album 140 BPM 2 arrived in 2021 with thirteen charting tracks, including “Réel” with Zed (#8), alongside collaborations with UK rapper Headie One, as well as Kaaris, Gazo, and Guy2Bezbar.