Collaborations of the Year Middle East & North Africa 2025

The regional music scene has been moving deeper into an era characterised by collaboration and creative exchange. Across the Arab world, the boundaries that once separated genres and generations are dissolving, giving way to a new synergy that feels both regional in its reach and local in its flavour. Artists are increasingly looking toward one another to build expansive music worlds, moving beyond solo success to explore what is possible when distinct perspectives collide.

This shift has resulted in a series of landmark releases that bridge the gap between street-level energy and polished pop sophistication. Whether through orchestral fusions that unite icons of different eras or experimental dialogues between electronic producers and soulful vocalists, 2025 shows a collective desire to innovate.

These tracks are snapshots of a scene in constant motion, where one of the main drives is to redefine the sounds of the Middle East and North Africa.

Ahmed Saad x Afroto x Marwan Moussa - Habibi Ya Ya

When Ahmed Saad dropped ‘Habibi Yah Yah’ as a B-side on his summer project ‘Beyestahbel,’ it felt like one of the year's most audacious crossovers. Produced by Ahmed Tarek Yehia, the track brings Marwan Moussa and Afroto carefree into Saad’s playful world for a collision of pop and rap that created a summer anthem.

Ash x Felukah - On My Mind

After premiering the track at Ash’s Pyramids of Giza concert late last year, ‘On My Mind’ finally took its place as one of 2025’s most seamless cross-continental collaborations. The track is a masterclass in atmospheric fusion, blending Ash’s signature Middle Eastern-tinged deep house with Felukah’s soulful, bilingual urban pop sensibilities. It’s a record that feels equally at home on a sunset dancefloor and a late-night playlist, thanks to the duo’s effortless chemistry.

Bayou x DJmubarak - Ya Zeina

Marking a shift for the Egyptian R&B artist, ‘Ya Zeina’ saw Bayou stepping outside his comfort zone to embrace a more expansive sound. While the track retained his signature R&B vulnerability, the addition of Saudi rapper DJmubarak introduced a commanding Khaleeji rhythm that redefined the song’s energy, made all the richer by the surrealist Sharjah-shot video.

Damost x Shobee - Stuntman

As the lead track on Damsot’s Tinnitus EP, ‘Stuntman’ lands as a heavyweight collaboration in Moroccan hip-hop. Built on unmistakable chemistry, the track thrives on sharp back-and-forth exchanges, tightly locked flows, and pristine pocket control. When Shobee steps in, the energy spikes instantly—his verse hitting with precision, confidence, and undeniable fire.

Dystinct x French Montana - Ya Baba

One of the year’s most significant cross-border link-ups, ‘Ya Baba’ saw Belgium-based DYSTINCT team up with the US-based own French Montana for a track that was a shared cultural statement on their Moroccan heritage. Built on the infectious, high-energy North African rhythms, the track provided a polished bridge between the sounds of Maghreb and the global hip-hop stage.

Gorillaz x Omar Souleyman x Yasiin Bey - Damascus

Arriving in mid-December like an end-of-year lightning bolt, ‘Damascus’ is a monumental collision of three musical titans. Damon Albarn’s signature melancholic pop is shaped into the high-octane world of Syrian dabke, with Omar Souleyman’s frantic, electronic energy providing the backbone, while Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) contributes some of his sharpest, most focused verses in years.

Khaled Essam x Hamza Namira x Ziad Zaza - Zaman

Marking his return after a four-year hiatus, Khaled Essam assembled an unlikely trio for ‘Zaman,’ the lead single from his upcoming ten-track album. The record serves as a daydreamy intersection of styles, blending Essam’s melodic sensibilities with Hamza Namira’s signature folk-pop warmth and Ziad Zaza’s gritty rap energy. Produced by Essam himself, it’s a bold comeback signaling a more experimental direction for Essam’s new era.

LAÏ x Liliane Chlela - Mesh S7ab

Debuting through the SuperBored collective, ‘Mesh S7ab’ captures the instability of a not-quite relationship through a volatile, late-night lens. Liliane Chlela avoids traditional structures, opting for a cinematic vibe where deconstructed drum’n’bass collisions meet the heavy, rhythmic pressure of drill. LAÏ’s vocals provide the emotional anchor, her delivery drifting between delicate introspection and processed, glitch-heavy segments that integrate directly into the track’s architecture.

Marwan Moussa x Lege-Cy - Kalemeny Belel

A top-performing, high-rotation collaboration, Marwan Moussa and Lege-Cy’s ‘Kalemeny Belel’ is one of the key moments in the Egyptian rap scene in 2025. The track is an addictive fusion of stripped-down melodies, pop-leaning textures and infectious hooks that combine Lege-Cy’s sonic experimentation and ideas that hover on the edge of surrealism with Moussa’s raw vulnerability.

Moscow x Nasser - Meen Ytafy Nary

The duet strikes a finely tuned balance — from KAY’s sleek production to the seamless interplay of flows, vocals, and mood. On ‘Meen Ytafy Nary’, Moscow trades his punchy rap delivery for a melodic turn, revealing a natural chemistry with Nasser that feels both effortless and emotionally grounded.

Nada Nader x Le Mhllwes - WAYAK

Egyptian artist Nada Nader and Moroccan rapper Lemhallwess delivered one of the year’s most ethereal collaborations with ‘WAYAK’, a Floating between melodic trap and alternative R&B fusion, born from late-night sessions that bridged Cairo and Casablanca. Produced by WARDENCLYPH, it’s a raw, vulnerable exploration of long-distance connection told through a hazy atmosphere.

Narcy x Dave Chappelle x Mo Amer x Niko Is x Talib Kweli x Donnell Rawlings x Issa Ali - Community

A high-energy cut from NARCY’s To Be An (Arab), ‘Community’ as a lyrical time capsule of the makeshift Summer Camp shows held during the pandemic. Produced by 2oolman and NARCY, the track foregoes a traditional structure for a relentless stream of bars and commentary. It brings together veteran lyricists like Talib Kweli and Niko Is with the sharp wit of Dave Chappelle and Mo Amer, resulting in a bar-heavy celebration of creative resilience.

Nourine x Ramez Naguib - Bassa Meny

The combination of Nourine AbouSeada’s tongue-in-cheek delivery and Ramez Naguib’s slick, house-infused production created quite the storm for a summer anthem. With Marwan Imam’s casual, studio-hangout visual, the track spent the better part of the year proving that not taking yourself too seriously can work in music.

Parallelle x Fulltone - Shining in the Dark

Fulltone’s collaboration with Amsterdam duo Parallelle is a departure from his usual production style, leaning instead into a thick, nostalgic palette of 80s and 90s house. The track is anchored by bumpy basslines and heavy, funky lead lines that channel the synth-pop DNA of bands like Depeche Mode, yet it feels entirely untethered from any single era. The blend of analog-effected loops with a sophisticated rhythmic pivot creates an experimental study in sound and a peak-time essential.

Small X x Saib - BGHIT

A standout from their collaborative NAFIDA EP, ‘BGHIT’ finds a middle ground between the street-level grit of Moroccan rap and the hazy, sun-drenched textures of lo-fi beats. Saib’s production is a blend of warm guitar licks and jazz-infused synths that produces a different kind of vocal presence from Small X. It’s a record that feels less like a calculated hit and more like a natural byproduct of their creative retreat in Asilah, standing out for its restraint and its ability to capture a specific, laid-back regional mood.

Tamer Hosny x Karim Osama x El Waili - Howa Dah Ba'a

A playful collision of drastically different musical worlds that almost feels like a fever dream, Tamer Hosny, Karim Osama and El Waili’s ‘How Dah Ba’a’ became a mega hit across the region. The track blends playful, almost teasing verses with moments of vulnerability, as the artists question the authenticity of attraction and confidence in modern romance. Minimalist melodies underpin the catchy hook, while pop-leaning textures give the track an accessible, radio-ready appeal, making it a standout example of contemporary Egyptian pop-rap collaboration.

Tamer Nafar, Rasha Nahas, Nasir AlBashir - Rock it Like a Palestinian

Released as a central anthem for the ‘Global Week of Action for Palestine’, this record thrives on the friction between its three artists. Nasir al Bashir’s production is sharp and industrial, providing a driving canvas for Tamer Nafar’s biting verses and Rasha Nahas’s commanding vocals. The track bypasses the tropes of a protest song by leaning into a relentless energy that feels as urgent as the moment it documents.

Thawra x Ebaa Monther x Noise Diva - 3antar

Few collaborations this year managed to be as intellectually sharp as they are sonically abrasive. On ‘3antar’, producer Noise Diva opts for a dark, hypnotic arrangement of raw noise textures and low-intensity tension that serve as a backdrop for Thawra and Ebaa Monther to fire back against censorship, using satirical verses and biting double entendres to critique the passive ‘3antar’ figure often found in media echo chambers.

TIF x ElGrandeToto - Kafini

On ‘Kafini’, two of North Africa’s most dominant voices trade high-octane anthems for a moment of stark, cinematic vulnerability. The track centers on the heavy, ironic refrain as TIF and Toto weigh the scars of their ascent, with TIF leading with a sharp, poetic introspection, and ElGrandeToto providing a detached, multilingual counterpoint that bristles with a quiet, hard-earned defiance.

Wegz x Mohamed Mounir - Kalam Forsan

The lead single from Aqareb Side B marked a unique meeting of eras, bringing together the legendary Mohamed Mounir and the modern force of Wegz. Produced by Tudor Munroe and Hussein Gamal, the track weaves Wegz’s melodic flows into Mounir’s harmonies to deliver a series of life lessons on survival and resilience.

Wegz x Tayc - Girlfriend

In joining forces with French R&B luminary Tayc, Wegz showcases his melodic versatility in ‘Girlfriend’. Produced by Tudor Monroe, the track finds a midpoint between Tayc’s signature Afrolov grooves and the emotive vocals of Wegz, resulting in a seamless cross-cultural exchange that reinforces Wegz's status as an artist capable of moving effortlessly beyond sonic and regional boundaries.

Ziad Zaza x Lege-Cy - Wala Meen

Co-produced by Kingoo and Ismail Nosrat, ‘Wala Meen’ blurs the boundaries between trap and Arabic pop, and serves as a playground for Ziad Zaza and Lege-Cy to showcase their vocal range and versatility. For Lege-Cy, the track continued a year of melodic expansion, while for Zaza, it marked another successful chapter in a series of stylistic experiments.

Ziad Zaza x FLEX - Sebny Ala Dool

Following a three-year feud,, Zaza and FLEX officially settled their differences with a La Sauce-produced record that sees the duo to trade sharp, cheeky verses packed with streetwise wordplay. This collaboration came after FLEX’s departure from M Town Mafia, with a Sobhy-directed visual filmed in Zaza’s home of Fayoum.