Narcy (rapper)

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Narcy

| background = solo_singer

| image =

| image_size = 150

| caption =

| birth_name = Yassin Alsalman

| alias = The Narcicyst

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|5|26}}

| birth_place = Dubai, United Arab Emirates

| origin = Basra, Iraq

| death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}

| genre = Alternative hip hop

| occupation = Rapper

| instrument =

| years_active = 2000–present

| label =

| associated_acts = Nomadic Massive, Yasiin Bey, A Tribe Called Red, Marcel Cartier

| website = [http://www.wearethemedium.com/narcy www.wearethemedium.com/narcy]

}}

File:Narcy in Babylone.jpg

Yassin Alsalman, better known by his stage name Narcy (formerly The Narcicyst), is an Iraqi-Canadian rapper, author, university instructor and actor. He currently resides in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is the founder of Wearethemedium and the co-founder of Montreal’s Old Port cultural hub Maktaba Bookshop, alongside Sundus Abdul-Hadi.{{Cite web |last=brittanyhenriques |date=2022-06-18 |title=Old Montreal bookstore inspired by Middle East, promotes inclusion |url=https://montreal.citynews.ca/2022/06/18/bookstore-cultural-experience-inclusion/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=CityNews Montreal |language=en}}

Biography

Alsalman's parents are originally from Basra, Iraq, but emigrated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 1970s.{{cite web|title=Arab Hip Hop and Revolution: The Narcicyst on Music, Politics, and the Art of Resistance|website=Democracy Now! |url=http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2011/3/2/arab_hip_hop_and_revolution_the_narcicyst_on_music_politics_and_the_art_of_resistance}} Yassin was born in Dubai in 1982. In 1987, at the age of five, he and his family moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada.{{cite web|title=Mapping Memories: Experiences of Refugee Youth-- Yassin Al Salman aka the Narcicyst|url=http://storytelling.concordia.ca/refugeeyouth/making-difference-interviews-artists-refugee-experience/video/yassin-alsalman-aka-narcicyst}} Yassin spent much of his youth moving back and forth between Canada and the UAE, spending his high school years receiving an education in Dubai.

Career

=Music=

In 2000 Yassin moved back to Montreal and started working on his music production in a local recording studio.{{cite web|title=Arab Hip Hop and Revolution: The Narcicyst on Music (as of late 2016, he is known as "Narcy"), Politics, and the Art of Resistance|website=Democracy Now! |url=http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2011/3/2/arab_hip_hop_and_revolution_the_narcicyst_on_music_politics_and_the_art_of_resistance}} He was a part of Iraqi Canadian Trio Euphrates, but later moved on to be a solo artist as of 2005. He has released ten albums and EPs as a solo artist and collaborated with Mashrou' Leila, A Tribe Called Red, Yasiin Bey.

Released in November 2024, NARCY's newest project, To Be An (Arab) (TBA(A)), explores identity, storytelling, and medium.{{Cite web |title=NARCY – To Be An (Arab) |url=https://richmix.org.uk/music/narcy-to-be-an-arab/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=Rich Mix |language=en-GB}} The double LP follows an emotional man in artificial times, guided by an AI therapy bot (DJ Nooriyah). It was produced by Alsalman, Thanks Joey, Sandhill, Nicholas Craven, and more.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TamgGNPgaD0 |title=Decolonize Music l NARCY |date=2025-02-11 |last=Yalla! Let's Talk. |access-date=2025-02-20 |via=YouTube}}

Narcy's album, 2020's Love & Chaos, was made over a five-week period during the coronavirus pandemic.Montreal's Narcy Lives in the Now on New Album "Love & Chaos" | Complex https://www.complex.com/music/2020/05/narcy-love-and-chaos-interview

During a performance at 2019's Sole DXB Festival in Dubai, where he performed alongside Blackstar and Wu-Tang, Narcy stated that there "are not many people from Iraq in the rap game in North America, so I take my space with a great sense of responsibility."Rapper Narcy to honor Iraq with ‘special set’ at Dubai's Sole DXB https://www.arabnews.com/node/1592276/lifestyle

On Sept. 8, 2020, musician Todd Rundgren released his new single, "Espionage," a collaboration with Narcy that features his lead vocals.{{cite web|title=Hear Todd Rundgren's 'Espionage' From New 'Space Force' Album|date=8 September 2020 |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/todd-rundgren-espionage}}

Narcy's performances and lyrics are often political. In 2017, he joined Jeremy Scahill, Desmond Cole and Naomi Klein for a taping of The Intercept podcast, during which he performed a spoken word poem.HIP HOP ARTIST NARCY RAPS ABOUT YEMEN, NETFLIX, AND ERIK PRINCE https://theintercept.com/2017/10/22/hip-hop-artist-narcy-raps-about-yemen-netflix-and-erik-prince/

He has also directed many of his own music videos, and those of frequent collaborators. His video for A Tribe Called Red ft Yaasiin Bey's R.E.D. won the 2017 "Video of the Year" at the Juno awards.

=Acting=

As an actor, he appeared in the movie City of Life which revolves around life in Dubai in 2009. In the movie, he played the role of Khalfan, a conflicted yet loyal Emirati teenager caught in a class struggle with his best friends. He has also starred in short Gemini-nominated series Verte, a musical short on the Green Line in Montreal's Metro system, directed by his sister Hala Al-Salman.{{Citation |title=Bêtes Humaines |type=Court-métrage, Comédie, Drame |url=https://www.imdb.com/fr/title/tt3512610/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |others=Yassin Alsalman, Monique Mercure, Ben Shaouli}} He also is known to act in his music videos, both as Jamal in self-written RISE as well as Jassem in his latest release "Makoo", off World War Free Now!. He also voiced the playable character of Darius I, who speaks Aramaic, in the video game Sid Meier's Civilization V.

=Academic=

Since 2011, Alsalman has taught a course at Concordia University, in conjunction with Marc Peters, titled "Hip Hop: Past, Present, and Future".{{cite web|title=The Power of Hip Hop In Today's World|url=https://www.concordia.ca/now/what-we-do/teaching/20110321/louder-than-a-bomb.php|accessdate=7 March 2012}} He has also taught a course on seeing current events through the lens of cultural frameworks. These classes are recorded as part of We Are The Medium's flagship podcast and have included guests such as Mochilla, A Tribe Called Red, Chance The Rapper, Lowkey, Dounia, Mashrou' Leila and many more.

=Literature=

Narcy had released Diatribe of a Dying Tribe{{Cite web |last=جدلية |first=Jadaliyya- |title=Prose of a Growing Movement |url=https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/24039 |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=Jadaliyya - جدلية |language=en}} in 2011, a book about the role of hip hop as a voice for Arab youth. It explored the chaotic reality of life in North America, the clash of cultures, the rise of immigrant identity, and the powerful art born from struggle and oppression. It serves as Alsalman’s personal reflection on his first decade as an Iraqi MC in North America. This one-of-a-kind book is a collector’s item, paired with the free collaborative album Fear of an Arab Planet by NARCY, Offendum, Ragtop, and Excentrik.

In October 2020, Alsalman released his first multi-genre collection titled Text Messages or How I Found Myself Time Traveling, published by Haymarket Books. It has been called "an ambitious and bold time capsule capturing the insane times we're living through" by Hasan Minhaj and "a necessary read" by Talib Kweli.Reviews Section https://www.amazon.co.uk/Text-Messages-Speak-Oneself-Traveling/dp/1642591505 In 2015 Alsalman collaborated with renowned artist Ashraf Ghori to create a groundbreaking mixed-media project called World War Free Now which combined music, video, and comics together.{{cite magazine|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/05/middle-east-film-comic-con-dubai-the-worlds-most-science-fictional-city-hosts-a-nerd-convention.html |title=Sci-Fi City |work=Slate |date=May 2015 |publisher=Slate |last1=Adams |first1=Gaar }} A limited edition comic was released as a companion piece to Narcy's album. {{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/689q74/yassin-alsalman-the-narcicyst-interview-2015 |title=The Narcicyst Is a Citizen of the World |date=20 May 2015 |publisher=Vice}}

Discography

=Albums=

Euphrates

A Bend In The River (2003)
Stereotypes Incorporated (2004)

The Narcicyst

Fear of an Arab Planet (2007)
The Narcicyst (2009)
Mr. Asthmatic (2010)
Warchestra (2010) (a Sundus Abdul Hadi album in collaboration with The Narcicyst)

Narcy

Leap Of Faith EP (2013)
El Nargisee Project (2014) - All Arabic project
WeAreTheMedium EP (2014)
World War Free Now! (2015)[http://www.narcy.bigcartel.com/product/world-war-free-now-cd/ Narcy - World War Free Now CD].
SPACETIME (2018)
Love & Chaos (SpaceTime Vol 2) (2020)Erik Leijon: [https://www.complex.com/music/2020/05/narcy-love-and-chaos-interview Montreal's Narcy Lives in the Now on New Album 'Love & Chaos'], May 25, 2020, accessed on May 29, 2020.

To Be An (Arab) - TBA(A) (2024){{Cite web |title=To Be An (Arab): NARCY {{!}} Album Experience |url=https://phi.ca/en/events/to-be-an-arab-narcy/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=PHI Centre |language=en}}

= Singles =

"#Jan25" (2011) – Produced by Sami Matar, this song features Syrian MC Omar Offendum, The Narcicyst, Freeway, Amir Sulaiman & Ayah.{{cite web|title=#Jan25 (single track)| website=YouTube | date=7 February 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjp1VbuqiDc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Vjp1VbuqiDc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} The hashtag is an ode to Twitter, which has been credited by many as playing an influential role in the Egyptian revolution.
"Fly Over Egypt" (2012){{cite web|title=Fly over Egypt (single track)| website=YouTube | date=25 January 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqBt2vkVO5I |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/tqBt2vkVO5I |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}
"Leap of Faith" (EP, 2012) [http://thefindmag.com/downloads/free-download-the-narcicyst-leap-of-faith-ep/ Free Download: The Narcicyst – Leap Of Faith EP]. Recovered April 2, 2014.
"Fake News" (2017)
"Chobi Bryant" (2017)
"Time" (2018)
"Space" (2018)
"Superhero" (2018)
"Thoughts and Prayers" (2018)

Filmography

= Film =

City Of Life (2009)
Verte
PHATWA
RISE
"Makoo" (Music video)

= Voice Over =

Civilization V - King Darius
The Secret World - Black Pharaoh Zombies

Publications

Diatribes of a Dying Tribe. Write or Wrong/Paranoid Arab Boy, 2011. {{OCLC|727946616}}.{{cite web|title=The Book- The Narcicyst|url=http://narcicyst.derivedthread.com/?page_id=1234}}
World War Free Now. Self published, 2015. {{cite magazine|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/05/middle-east-film-comic-con-dubai-the-worlds-most-science-fictional-city-hosts-a-nerd-convention.html |title=Sci-Fi City |work=Slate |date=May 2015 |publisher=Slate |last1=Adams |first1=Gaar }}
Text Messages or How I Found Myself Time Traveling. Haymarket Books, 2020.

References

External links

{{IMDb name|3000844}}
[http://www.montrealmirror.com/2006/102606/cover_music.html Article by Rupert Bottenberg], Montreal Mirror
[https://www.straight.com/article/euphrates-keeps-it-positive Euphrates Keeps it Positive] by Tara Henley
[http://www.orlandoweekly.com/music/review.asp?rid=3141 Stereotypes Incorporated review]
[http://bitchmagazine.org/post/for-the-narcicyst-iraq-is-the-bomb/ For The Narcicyst, Iraq is the Bomb] article by Mandy Van Deven in Bitch (magazine) published May 21, 2009
[http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2011/3/2/arab_hip_hop_and_revolution_the_narcicyst_on_music_politics_and_the_art_of_resistance Arab Hip-Hop and Revolution: The Narcicyst on Music, Politics, and the Art of Resistance]
[http://www.pri.org/stories/2011-09-19/iraqi-canadian-hip-hop-artist-narcicyst Iraqi-Canadian Hip-Hop Artist The Narcicyst]