Collectif Debo · Artist Profile
Musician, Producer & Cultural Entrepreneur — Founder of DEBO · Erkez HipHop
Biography
Mohamed Seddik Kekli, known artistically as Trappa, is a Tunisian musician, producer, cultural entrepreneur and the driving force behind the DEBO collective and Erkez HipHop. For more than a decade, he has worked at the intersection of hip-hop, traditional Tunisian music, independent culture and contemporary artistic production.
Based in Tunis, Trappa founded DEBO in 2012, developing it from a hip-hop collective into a broader cultural platform bringing together music, street art, graffiti, artistic production and creative education. As president of the DEBO association, he has also developed the organisation’s production infrastructure, recording studio and cultural projects, while supporting emerging artists and independent musicians.
His most visible artistic project is Erkez HipHop, a pioneering Tunisian fusion project combining contemporary rap with the sounds and traditions of Mezoued, darbouka, bendir and other Tunisian and Mediterranean musical forms. Under his direction, Erkez HipHop has developed a distinctive live identity that connects the energy of hip-hop with Tunisia’s musical heritage.
Trappa has been instrumental in taking this work beyond Tunisia. Erkez HipHop has performed on major stages and festivals, including the Festival International de Carthage, Hammamet International Festival and Olympia Paris, as well as international performances in Europe and North America. The group has also developed international touring projects such as No Fancy Fence, connecting Tunisian artists with audiences and cultural scenes in cities including Montreal, Québec, Berlin, Munich and Paris.
Beyond performance, Trappa works as a producer and project manager, developing cultural collaborations, international touring projects, festivals and artist-development initiatives. His work focuses strongly on creating bridges between Tunisia and the international music ecosystem, particularly through collaborations involving artists from different countries and cultural backgrounds.
This approach is reflected in projects such as Harmony Across Borders, an international musical project bringing together Tunisian musical traditions, contemporary rap and artists from Tunisia, the United States and Canada. The project explores cultural exchange through music while placing Tunisian identity within a contemporary global context.
Trappa is also the founder and organiser behind projects such as DEBO Festival and Khalli Trace, and has been involved in residencies, cultural programmes and international development initiatives supporting independent music and artistic creation.
At the centre of his work is a simple principle: tradition does not have to be preserved by freezing it in the past. It can be transformed, challenged and carried forward. Through DEBO and Erkez HipHop, Trappa has built a space where Tunisian cultural heritage meets hip-hop, contemporary production and international collaboration.
Today, Mohamed Seddik Kekli aka Trappa continues to develop DEBO, Erkez HipHop and new international projects, working simultaneously as a producer, artist manager, cultural organiser and creative director, with the ambition of strengthening the presence of Tunisian independent music on international stages.
