Nashi44, photo credit: Lenny Rothenberg
Want to feel old? Back in January, Berlin rapper Zah1de played her first ever concert at the Uber Eats Music Hall, selling out both nights, at just 15 years old. The young superstar already has a record deal with Universal and over eight million TikTok followers. Believe it or not, she’s just the latest prodigal talent coming off a production line of young female rap rappers emanating from the streets of Kreuzberg. So how did the city become such a powerhouse for hip hop and rap?
Most people associate Berlin with its thriving techno scene and nightlife, but looking beyond Berghain, the city’s hip hop musicians are crushing it commercially. From dominating the charts to selling out arenas, Berlin’s rap talent is constantly innovating and reshaping the genre, producing an endless stream of talented artists who represent the city’s multicultural and international communities.
Leading the pack is breakout star Zah1de. Born Zahide Kayaci, the young rapper and video producer can be seen living a life of luxury in her music videos, buying designer clothes, driving Ferraris and riding jet skis along the Havel. Yet her beginnings are far more humble. She has Turkish roots and grew up on the streets of Kreuzberg, where her parents still run a health food store. Some of her tracks, like ‘Kotti d’Azur’ and ‘Zahide did it Better’ reference her upbringing in a playful and authentic way. It’s that kind of deep-rooted credibility that actively adds to the city’s music scene. Berlin’s rap scene champions its diversity, and the success of so many of its artists comes from a celebration of community and identity, while fighting against racist tropes and sexist attitudes.
Nashi44, photo credit: Hai Anh Pham
Nashi44, for instance, got into rap music to stamp out the stigmatisation and hypersexualisation she received as a young woman. With Vietnamese and Chinese roots, the rapper released her first single, ‘Aus der Pussy’, back in 2021. The song serves as a universal retort to people who keep asking her where she’s from. Her reply? “From the pussy.” Strongly anti-racist and driven by empowerment, Nashi44 also confronts racism in her tracks ‘Suck on my Spring Roll’ and ‘Nails, Lashes, Bubble Tea’.
Nashi44’s success was also around the same time that Berlin rapper Wa22ermann burst onto the scene. At just 22 years old, the female rapper, originally from Pakistan, started dropping blunt beats about cultural assimilation, rapping about what it feels like being an outsider. Her singles ‘Maybachufer’ and ‘Naan & Lassi’ pay homage to life in Kreuzberg and catapulted her onto big stages and into festival lineups.
Nina Chuba, photo credit: IMAGO/Carmele/tmc-fotografie.de
Berlin’s Nina Chuba, arguably one of the biggest artists in Germany at the moment, took the scene to the next level with her chart-topping hit in 2023, ‘Wildberry Lillet’. The single featured local rap talent Juju, who had originally found success as part of the provocative rap duo SXTN alongside her former musical partner, Nura. Reflecting on their lived experiences outside of the white German mainstream, both rappers were only in their early 20s when they started stirring the rap scene up with their controversial lyrics about drugs and sex. Both artists are successful in their own right, but Chuba notably now has her own island on Fortnite and a headlining slot at Wuhlheide later on this year.
Ikkimel, photo credit: Janina Wagner
The city’s penchant for blowing up multilingual and mic-ready talent is to be lauded. Alongside the likes of Ikkimel, Yetundey, Sorah and Layla, Berlin has a nearly endless supply of rap prodigies it’s ready to unleash on the world. So next time you’re going to listen to a Berlin-based talent, take some time to check out some of the city’s vibrant rap queens.
