Fez — Moroccan rapper Issam has publicly addressed his long absence from the music scene, sharing a rare and personal message about his mental health just as anticipation builds around his next major release.
In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Issam spoke directly to listeners who have followed his career since the rise of Trap Beldi. “I wanted to send this message to the people who listen to my music,” he wrote, explaining that it took him “a lot of courage” to put his story into words.
The rapper revealed that he has spent nearly six years dealing with severe depression, including periods of intensive treatment, describing how the illness deeply affected both his personal life and creative output.
Issam was careful to separate his condition from his art. “This has nothing to do with music,” he said, emphasizing that his struggles were not caused by the industry itself. He also addressed online speculation surrounding his absence, adding that while he has been working, “music was part of the obsessive troubles I had.” He concluded the message with a note of reassurance to fans. “Love you all. I will be back.”
A comeback framed by collaboration
The timing of the post coincides with renewed attention around Issam’s upcoming album “Star Dancer.” The project is presented as a full collaboration with Prince 85, an experimental producer known for his anonymity and genre-blurring sound.
According to the report, Issam has already shared studio excerpts from the album, including tracks titled “Corbeau Black Bird,” “Raï 2008,” and “Wra Tabi3a Part II,” continuing a narrative thread first introduced on his previous album “Crystal.”
The chemistry between Issam and Prince 85 is not new. Their earlier collaborations, such as “Dracula,” “Dance Floor,” and “Babylon,” were among the most defining moments of “Crystal.”
Scarcity, silence, and expectations
Since releasing “Crystal” more than four years ago, Issam has maintained an unusually low output for an artist of his influence. Apart from a handful of tracks, including “Monsters” with Prince 85, his near-disappearance from streaming platforms reshaped his digital presence and fueled speculation about his future.
That silence now reads differently in light of his recent disclosure. Rather than strategic withdrawal, it reflects a period of personal survival, one that complicates the narrative often imposed on artists who step back from visibility.
What ‘Star Dancer’ represents
More than a standard comeback, “Star Dancer” is being framed as a potential turning point. With Prince 85’s reputation for experimental production and Issam’s history of redefining local rap aesthetics, expectations are high that the album could reposition him within the Maghrebi and broader hip hop landscape.
For now, Issam’s message has shifted the focus from numbers and release dates to something more fundamental. By naming depression openly, he has reframed absence as context rather than failure, and return as process rather than performance. Whether “Star Dancer” marks a full artistic rebirth remains to be seen, but it arrives already carrying the weight of honesty, vulnerability, and hard-earned distance.
