As many already know, Marwan Pablo has come out of retirement with his new single “Ghaba.” After announcing that he was quitting the rap scene for good, Pablo made a surprise comeback with a new song and music video. The track, released on the 25th of February, 2021, has since gained huge popularity, with over 7 million views on YouTube. Could it be that the famous rapper ripped his song off of someone not as popular?

Last Thursday, underground hip-hop artist and rapper, illMagdi, posted a series of Instagram stories, claiming that Marwan Pablo stole “Ghaba” from him and fellow rapper, Kotb. Their song, which has the same title as Pablo’s, was released on YouTube on the 20th of February, 2020. Founder of Young Pharoz, an Egyptian hip-hop trio, illMagdi does have a wide range of followers online, with his rap career starting a few years ago. His and Kotb’s song has over 31 thousand views on YouTube. But of course, that does not compare to the popularity that Pablo’s track has garnered in the mere few days since it was released.

Since then, illMagdi has posted stories on his Instagram, in which he plays both his song and Pablo’s song, comparing the two to show similarities. While the tracks are different in many aspects, it is very evident that they have similar beats and an almost identical hook. Although it is normal for artists in the music business to sample each other, there’s usually some sort of communication or acknowledgement made when it happens. Since illMagdi gave no approval for his song to be sampled, he is evidently upset by the situation, especially since Pablo’s hit is getting more popular by the minute.

In hopes that he could spread the news further, illMagdi has also attempted to grab the attention of Rap Scene, a page dedicated to covering news related to Egyptian rap. He’s tagged them in his stories, but there has been no recognition from their side so far. He has also made sure to keep his story permanent on his account by putting it up as a post. That being said, his associate, Kotb, has not spoken about the matter online at all.

Clearly, illMagdi will not go silent until more people address this matter and this presumed injustice towards him is recognised. We are yet to see what happens next and determine whether his battle is worth fighting. For now, give each song a listen and let us know what you think.