Quarashi

Quarashi was a rap/hip-hop band from Reykjavik, Iceland. It was comprised of Hössi Olafsson (replaced by Tiny (real name Egill Olafur Thorarensen) on the final album), who was the frontman and lead vocalist of the group, Omar Swarez (

Quarashi was a rap/hip-hop band from Reykjavik, Iceland. It was comprised of Hössi Olafsson (replaced by Tiny (real name Egill Olafur Thorarensen) on the final album), who was the frontman and lead vocalist of the group, Omar Swarez (Omar Örn Hauksson), who served as a rapper and hype man, and Steini a.k.a. Stoney (Steinar Orri Fjeldsted), who also served as rapper and hype man. The fourth member of the group was Sölvi Blöndal, who was their producer, keyboardist, percussionist, and drummer. He also helped in the songwriting process. For live shows, Quarashi was joined by a guitarist, a bassist (Gaukur Úlfarsson), and a DJ (DJ Magic).

The group has a loyal following, especially in their native Iceland. Each of their records (Switchstance, Quarashi, Xeneizes, Kristnihald undir Jökli, Jinx, Guerilla Disco) have sold well in their homeland. Quarashi was a rap group, but they combined elements of rock, techno, and funk into their songs, lending an air of unpredictability in their music. Comparisons to Rage Against The Machine, Eminem, and The Beastie Boys are often heard when discussing Quarashi, but the group had their own unique style that distungished them from other famous rap/rock groups. Their influences ranged from Public Enemy (Blöndal says that P.E.'s Fear Of A Black Planet is what inspired him to make music) to Led Zeppelin, and that can be heard in their songs.