Sudanese rapper Onlyone, born Mazen in Khartoum in 1999, introduces himself through a tight three-track EP that reads like a personal document. Following the outbreak of war in Sudan, his journey has been shaped by movement, displacement, and survival, forcing him to leave the country and relocate to Egypt, where he is currently based.
Spanning just over six minutes, the EP documents disillusionment, broken trust, and gradual self-recognition. The writing grounds the project firmly in autobiography, shifting it away from standard rap conventions and toward a conceptual narrative that reflects on age, memory, and hardship.
The EP leans toward Sudanese drill and trap in a restrained form, favoring atmosphere and leaving ample space for the vocals to sit clearly in the mix. There is a consistent use of low-end pressure, sparse melodies, echoing ad-libs, and ambient background textures that reinforce the project’s reflective tone.
The project opens with ‘XXV’, named after the Roman numeral for 25 and built around echoing vocals, melancholic violin phrases, and layered ambient sounds, the track establishes the emotional foundation of the EP. Accompanied by a music video directed by Mohamed Mansour (XO), Onlyone is shown lying in bed surrounded by scattered papers, symbolizing discarded drafts and the frustration of trying to articulate experiences that resist being neatly put into words.
The second track, ‘AWASIK’, is where Onlyone showcases his strongest lyrical performance. The self-produced track features sharp snares and heavy bass, placing it firmly in a trap-drill space as he focuses on themes of betrayal, false loyalty, and internal conflict. His wordplay stands out, particularly in the line:
“في الوقعة قفلو البيبان / في الحارة كلو بيبان”
Where the repeated word (biban) shifts meaning from “doors” to “things being revealed,” capturing how hardship exposes people’s true intentions. Another line contrasts external normalcy with internal chaos:
“سامع اصوات بتقول wagwan / في راسي في مية شيطان / ملاك على هيئة انسان”\
This juxtaposition places casual street language alongside imagery of mental unrest and moral duality, making the track the EP’s thematic core.
The EP closes with ‘Ya Laly’, featuring fellow Sudanese rapper Soulja, shifting focus from survival and friendship to romance, memory, and emotional loss. The production begins minimally, carried by both artists’ vocals through autotune and subtle edits that follow the melody. As the track progresses, the beat drops out and the tempo halves, with pitched-down vocals creating a slowed, almost intoxicated outro. The song fades into contemplation, leaving a sense of openness and emotional incompleteness.
Taken as a whole, 25 moves through a clear emotional arc, presenting a brief and focused snapshot of a young artist documenting his environment and inner state. As an introductory release, it presents an artist more concerned with honesty and direct expression than excess.
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