Spotify said it is “committed to amplifying” Moroccan rap and hip-hop with the overhaul of a hit playlist featuring musical talent from the North African country.

The “ABATERA” playlist – whose name translates to “emperors” – includes around 300 Moroccan artists, such as rappers ElGrandeToto and Tagne, and mainly offers songs in the Arabic language.

The overhaul of the playlist, which was previously called “Rap Maroc”, follows a 523% increase in listeners from April 2020 to September 2021 on Spotify, meaning that Moroccan hip hop is fast becoming one of the most consumed genres on the streaming platform.

“ABATERA reflects the diversity of the Moroccan rap scene,” said Spotify.

“Check out the stats, then stream these masters of hip-hop. ”

Our RapMaroc playlist is now called ABATERA, “emperors” in Arabic. The revisited playlist reflects the diversity of the Moroccan rap scene, with more than 300 artists, including @elgrandetoto and @stormylevrai. Check out the stats, then stream these masters of hip-hop. https://t.co/9lVDPlMKFv pic.twitter.com/GLa14oVOhP

– Spotify News (@SpotifyNews) September 20, 2021

The growing audience for Moroccan rap and hip-hop flowing to Spotify includes loyal fans as well as new listeners in the United States and France.

Fans have listened to ‘ABATERA’ tracks for over 829,000 hours since last April, the equivalent of 35,000 days of streaming.

As part of the redesign, Spotify is also launching a new visual marketing campaign, featuring the iconic Casa tram in Casablanca.

It is hoped that this promotion will break down language and cultural barriers to ensure international recognition for Moroccan talent, the newspaper said. News from the world of Morocco.