From Egypt to Milan: One Zizo's Journey of Survival & Hip-Hop

I remember watching ‘Voy! Voy! Voy!’ in theaters, a film that was based on the incredible true story of a man who fakes blindness to leave his home in Egypt and live out his dream of moving to Europe. When the credits rolled, I was left with a single question: why would anyone take such a risk? Illegal migration was something I first learned about through films depicting the harrowing realities - men dying in pursuit of a better life, risking everything with little chance of success. I understood the desperation, but the thought of gambling with one's life, where death is more likely than safe arrival, seemed unfathomable to me.

Recently, I discovered the music of One Zizo, a rapper who speaks from the other side of that journey. Creating songs in Arabic, English and Italian, Zizo shares his experiences as someone who made it across the sea, recounting the trauma, alienation and struggles of being in a society that may never fully accept him. “I was already dying, exposed to violence and addiction. So for me, the sea was the final option. Either way, it was a death sentence,” Zizo tells SceneNoise. “Since I’ve arrived, I’ve been aware of how people look at me as a refugee, an escapee seeking their help. I had no idea what lay beyond the sea. I knew people went, but I didn’t know what was on the other side.” For the first time, I heard someone who survived this life-altering experience tell his story, representing the often-overlooked Egyptian community in Italy, which has existed since the early '70s.One Zizo’s music sparked a deep curiosity in me - I wanted to understand his journey and experiences on a personal level. I reached out and, to my excitement, managed to get in touch with him. Armed with only his lyrics and a few insights from one of his associates, I crafted questions that would allow me to dive into his story. As One Zizo’s answers came in, I began piecing together his story, unraveling the layers of his experience. He sent a series of voice memos, each lasting three to five minutes, responding thoughtfully to my questions and often delving into topics I hadn’t even asked about. He understood the importance of telling his story accurately, emphasizing that every part of his journey needed to be captured.

Growing up in Egypt, One Zizo’s life was anything but easy. The streets weren’t just his surroundings. They were the force that shaped him, pushing him to take a life-threatening risk that most people would fear: crossing the Mediterranean in search of a better life. “The street I grew up in, the life I lived, it felt like I was already dying, with the violence and drugs around me," he recalls. Leaving Egypt wasn’t about abandoning home - it was about surviving it.

In Milan, Zizo still feels the weight of his roots. While he sometimes feels like an outsider, as he did back in Egypt, he’s developed a strong sense of identity, which allows him to navigate the complexities of belonging to two cultures. Balancing between his past in Egypt and his present in Italy, he reminds himself of where he came from to stay grounded. “I have to remind myself: I am from Sharkia, from Belbeis, from Kafr Hafna,” he says, holding on to his Egyptian heritage as an anchor.

One Zizo’s life took an unexpected turn one night during a shift at the garage where he worked. His boss, an Italian man in his 30s, played a Tupac song, and Zizo remembers that moment as the start of his passion for hip-hop, especially old-school rap. “I heard Tupac’s beat and style, and it felt like he was expressing my feelings, even though I didn’t understand English. I heard the sound, jumped up and asked him who was playing, and he said it was Tupac. He gave me the song, and I listened to it repeatedly for more than a year and a half.” From that night, his love for old-school hip-hop became a driving force - not just the music, but the culture as a whole.From that moment on, One Zizo began learning English to understand the music fully, immersing himself in the world of old-school hip-hop. He dug deep, listening to everything from Wu-Tang Clan to Rakim and Nas, developing a profound passion for hip-hop culture and everything it stands for. To Zizo, the essence of hip-hop is rooted in its political, social and expressive power. “Rap is a political and social art form, something that influences people’s minds,” he says.

Driven by this passion, he began to explore the idea of rapping himself, making early, tentative attempts in Milan. Slowly but surely, he honed his skills, studying the legends of the genre with dedication. Before taking his first major step, Zizo called his father to share his plans, letting him know that he was about to start rapping. He recalls the moment his father gave him his blessing, a pivotal memory that he later inked on his skin as a reminder of that encouragement.

One Zizo’s music is raw, expressive and unapologetically empowering - a reflection of everything he’s endured and the experiences that have shaped him. His early life in Egypt, his journey across the Mediterranean to Italy, and his passion for hip-hop are all woven into his sound. He delivers his verses in three languages, effortlessly switching between Arabic, Italian and English, his thick Egyptian accent a testament to his authenticity and roots. Zizo’s music often pulses with aggression and rage, yet it’s also introspective and encouraging. This aggression, he explains, stems from a lifetime of feeling like an outsider. “That’s why you can feel the aggression and rebellion in my tracks,” he shares. “It comes from the way people make you feel less than them.” His music is a powerful voice for those who’ve felt marginalized, capturing both his personal rebellion and his journey toward empowerment.For Zizo, the sky’s the limit. “My ambition is to be at the top of the pyramid; I want to conquer the world,” he declares with conviction. “I want my music to reach Japan, China, Thailand and Russia - to travel around the world.” In 2022, he took a significant step toward this vision by founding Arab Milan, a collective of creatives in Italy united by shared goals and ambitions. Though still in its early stages, Zizo dreams of it evolving into a central hub for Arabs across Europe. “I saw it as a future gateway for Arabs in Milan,” he explains, envisioning a community where stories like his find a platform and a voice.