Näääk

Näääk
Näääk
Background information
Born
Matar Henrikki Samba

1983 (age 41–42)
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2000–present
LabelsSafe House

Matar Henrikki Samba, better known as Näääk (born 1983), is a Swedish singer and rapper of Gambian and Finnish ancestry.[1]

Biography

Näääk was born and raised in the Stockholm suburb Rinkeby to a Finnish mother and a Gambian father. He moved to Gullmarsplan when he started high school.[1] His grandmother is from Rovaniemi.[2]

In 2009, Näääk released his debut album Näääk Vem? ("Näääk Who?") which he recorded with Safe House Studios during 2008. The debut was nominated for the prize of "This Years Rap Album" on the Swedish radio station Sveriges Radio P3's "Gold Awards", but did not win anything.[3] The latest album, Mannen utan mask ("The man without mask"), was released on 26 September 2012.[3]

When Näääk Vem? was released, the rap duo Näääk & Nimo from Stockholm was formed. Jetlag and Blåser min rök ("Blow my smoke") are two singles that Näääk released with Nimo as the guest rapper.

Personal life

In a 2010 interview in 2010, Näääk said he was single and did not have any desire of being in a relationship.[4]

He said he got his name, Näääk, from a friend who tried to spell the word "Negro" in Finnish, but misspelled it and wrote "N-Ä-Ä-Ä-K-E-R-R-I" instead of the right spelling; "N-E-E-K-E-R-I".[1][5]

Discography

Albums

  • Näääk Vem? (21 October 2009)
  • Mannen utan mask (26 September 2012)

Singles

  • 2007: "Mina Gangsters"
  • 2012: "Jetlag"[6]
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
SWE
[7]
"Dela min tid"
(featuring Jireel)
2019 87 Non-album single
"Cali" (Näääk featuring Fricky, Denz)[8] 18
[9]
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
SWE
[7]
"Lyckliga gatan"[10]
(credited to Näääk & Nimo featuring Kaliffa)
2015 22 Non-album single
"Jag hade en gång en båt"
(Allyawan feat. Näääk)
2

References

  1. ^ a b c "Slang Musik". 18 January 2013. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  2. ^ Frankenhaeuser, Frida; Salo, Catariina (16 April 2012). "Gangster? Inte Näääk" [Gangster? Not Näääk]. Svenska Yle (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b Cato, Carl (18 January 2013). "Näääk på andra sidan festen". Göteborgs-Posten. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  4. ^ Forsberg, Malin (18 January 2013). "Rapparen Näääk "Jag behöver ingen flickvän"". Expressen. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  5. ^ Sandell, Ralf (30 April 2013). "Näääk pratar finska men rappar på svenska" [Näääk speaks Finnish but raps in Swedish]. Svenska Yle (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  6. ^ "Diskografi". 18 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Näääk discography". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  8. ^ "Cali by Näääk". Spotify. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 19, 2019". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  10. ^ swedishcharts.com Näääk & Nimo feat. Kaliffa page