Tac - SLE…EP (EP) + 10 Questions

Picture Credit: Hajar Essahyaoui

Egyptian alternative hip hop artist Tac has unveiled his debut EP SLE…EP, released independently via his own imprint Parking Lot Geniuses and backed by EMPIRE. Framed as a 10 track concept record, the project lives in the uneasy moments before sleep, that liminal headspace where memory, desire, guilt, addiction and self image surface uninvited. It is immersive and inward looking, less about hooks than about atmosphere, psychology and slow revelation.

Sonically, SLE…EP is built to feel half awake, with restrained mixes, softened edges and dream logic arrangements that drift just out of time. Each track functions like a mental obstacle delaying rest, introducing a character or coping mechanism that keeps Tac suspended between consciousness and surrender. From the cinematic opener “The Sandman’s Poem”, a whimsical yet ominous invitation into the dreamscape, the record moves through nocturnal infatuation, self imposed isolation, one sided relationships and the masks we wear to survive.

As the EP unfolds, addiction, relapse and identity are confronted head on, not for shock value but for clarity. Moments of regression and bravado sit alongside vulnerability and fatigue, capturing the push and pull of someone trying to outrun their own thoughts. By the time the closing title track arrives, sleep is no longer an escape, but an earned acceptance, a quiet resolution after facing everything that stood in the way.

Tac sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

I found hip hop by accident while I was deep in internet rabbit holes. I used to spend hours on Wikipedia just learning anything I could as a kid with almost no exposure to Western culture, getting access to YouTube and forums felt like opening a portal. I discovered underground hip hop records and fell in love.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

MF DOOM is my biggest influence. I’ve got him tattooed and collect his masks. My delivery leans more East Coast, but his writing is imagery-driven instead of punchline-driven, and that approach shaped how I think about lyrics. Since he passed, that collaboration is impossible, so realistically Jay-Z would be the dream.

3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?

I just released SL…EP, which took four years to build. Right now I’m stepping back from releasing and focusing on pushing it properly. After that I’ll drop a few more current feeling singles, then wait for the next concept that actually obsesses me enough to commit to another full body of work.

4. How would you describe your sound at this point in your career? Do you feel your latest project represents a shift or a refinement of what you’ve done before?

This project is a shift in subject matter. It’s the first time I’ve spoken about my life directly… upbringing, independence etc… and growing up in Dubai where people assume comfort equals privilege. I’ve always written outward before; this time I wrote inward.

5. What’s your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

Looking at who I’ve shared stages with. Wu-Tang Clan, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Busta Rhymes etc.. artists I studied growing up. Standing on the same bill as the people who taught me what hip hop was feels surreal every time I think about it.

Picture Credit: Hajar Essahyaoui

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

Don’t play the game. The moment you treat it like one, you inherit rules that weren’t built for you to succeed, make music because you enjoy making it. Every meaningful opportunity I’ve had came when I stopped thinking about career progression and just tried to make the best records possible.

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

I’ve been locked into R&B lately. Ameer Hashem and TalAll, both incredible voices, both completely different lanes. They feel like artists at the start of something.

8. What records or playlists were on repeat while you were making your latest project? Did any specific albums shape the direction of it all?

I barely listen to music. I produce and engineer other artists, so over the past five years I’ve heard very little outside occasional snippets and songs that I directly work on.

9. What do you like to do when you’re not making music?

Sleep, sit in silence, spend time with my fiancée, and hang out with my pets. I’m essentially a hermit. Anything that lets my brain shut off.

10. Name three things you can’t live without when in the studio.

Cold water, an iced Spanish latte, and snacks.