Known around as AT, 20-year-old Amro Thabet discovered Eminem early on in his teens.

"Hooked on him immediately. I'd sit up trying to memorize the lyrics of all his hit songs back then so I could recite them in front of my friends at school the next day." The 45-second adrenaline he felt, before running out of breath, was enough for the promising Egyptian rapper to pursue his newfound passion.

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Half a decade later, he started posting (on social media) freestyles recorded in his car. "They were nothing great, but I kept going nonetheless," he tells musivv. "A couple of months later, I put out my first single 'Changes': the beginning of his rap adventures improving his style song after song. "It's been a beautiful couple of years with a lot more to come hopefully."

A case in point is his latest releases summer afro-type song 'Sa7lany'—a track that he imagines anyone will play beach-bound, windows down. "I was very happy with how the song came out, especially that it's in English/Arabic—that can always be tricky to pull off." 

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I was very happy with how the song came out

"Melody always comes first." He says about his songwriting process. "The right melody over the right beat? A hit song in the making!" Although it may sound smug, Amro rarely if not, struggled with penning lyrics in general. "That's why I lay down the melody first, then throw in the lyrics."

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Collabs

Collaborating with other artists internationally, AT's repertoire diversified into other types of music including RnB. His recent co-work involved his homeboy Fakhaa. He described working with Fakhaa as exemplary considering they share common roots. About the work, he says, "It was a very smooth process and goes down in my books as one of the most enjoyable and easiest going features so far." AT commends Fakhaa as a remarkable artist and is positive that they will have more projects together in the future.

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Accomplishments so far

As for accomplishments, 'Lies' sits at the top of his list. Released in April 2021, the song racked up hundreds of thousands of streams across all digital music platforms. However, for the young rapper, the measure of paramount success was not entirely based on numbers but more on the reactions people extended. The "cool-vibe" song went viral on Tik Tok, and upon initial release trended in Dubai and charted in Egypt. AT mulls that this feat will invariably be challenging for artists that put out international music in an Arab country. "It's always hard to receive that little spotlight you deserve, but when it does shine on you, the work is definitely worth it," he remarks.

"Apart from music though, and of course, becoming a doctor, I actually would've loved to be a graphic designer. Just one of those long-lost dreams from childhood."

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School is cool

A third-year medical student, let alone in one of the hardest medical schools in Africa, AT's mundane student-coffee life pales in comparison to his alter ego. Contrary to what others may think, he says "It's a boring routine. Imagine how much time I spend studying." To make the day 'lit' Amro starts the day with a throwback song to nab a dopamine boost. "Maybe a little Katy Perry or Bruno Mars," he says candidly. At the end of the day, he tries to find time to get into AT-mode: listen to some beats, write some lyrics, and record new music.‍

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