The Egyptian rapper One Zizo, currently based in Italy, continues to develop his sound and narrative with his latest single ‘Sabah,’ drawing on one of Arabic music’s most recognizable classics.
Founder of the Milan-based rap collective Arab Milano, One Zizo has positioned his work between Egypt and Italy, reflecting the realities of diaspora life. His music blends Arabic, English, and Italian slang, mirroring his lived experience between cultures.
Produced by his frequent collaborator Youngking under the Arab Milano Records, ‘Sabah’ leans into hard-hitting drill production and aggressive flows commonly associated with the Milanese hip-hop scene. The track marks the closing chapter of One Zizo’s 2025 output within the Arab Milano framework, bridging between the cinematic storytelling found in earlier releases such as “Lo Straniero” and the more street-focused energy that defines his Arab Milano series.
Sampling Sabah’s classic song ‘Saat Saat’ by the Lebanese singer’s sound through a distorted, pitched-down vocal sample that anchors the track’s chorus. Against the slower, looping sample, One Zizo’s verses adopt a sharper, more rapid delivery, reflecting lyrical themes centered on survival, illegal migration, and the realities of diaspora life.
The accompanying music video is structured in two distinct parts. It opens with a slow-motion, nighttime cinematic sequence, showing One Zizo in a suit as he raps in Italian. In the second half, he switches to Egyptian Arabic, appearing in a more casual setting alongside his group, emphasizing contrast and cultural range. This visual division mirrors the duality present in both the track’s sound and subject matter.
In ‘Sabah’ One Zizo revisits his personal journey as an immigrant, rapping about the pressures he faced in Egypt, his ambitions, and the limited opportunities that ultimately led him to migrate by sea before completing his education.
One Zizo began his musical career in Italy in 2022 while working night shifts at a garage. During one shift, a Tupac Shakur track playing in the background sparked his passion in hip-hop, despite not fully understanding the English lyrics at the time. That moment led him to explore music as a form of expression. Later that year, he released his debut EP ‘Arab Milan,’ a four-track project that introduced his sound and identity. Since then, he has followed up with multiple singles and EPs, releasing six singles in 2025 alone, closing the year with this track.
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