A Whole New Worldd: Camden Rap Princess SYM WORLDD Breaks Down 'THE NAC NAC PACK' EP

The UK rap's newly-anointed 'it girl' sits down with our Editor-in-Chief to talk Somali culture, music and social media.

SYM WORLDD in 2024 shot by Emanuela Vasilevska.

Camden is known for its multipronged legacy of counterculture, alternative music, and style. It's also where you'd find SYM WORLDD—a 24-year-old East African rapper trudging through the murky UK underground rap scene in killer heels, perfectly manicured nails and fluffy fashions. 

After a string of singles, her latest offering, THE NAC NAC PACK, is short but undoubtedly sweet. The EP, named after the Somali term for 'candy', is an apt word choice because under a cutesy veneer of pillowy beats and a Sweet'n Low voice hides her savage wit. 

As someone who self-proclaims as 'colourful, provocative and ratchet', SYM is no stranger to being underestimated. Steadily establishing her name in the game has meant not just staying on a hamster wheel of consistency but proving she's more than just a pretty face. The now-independent rapper, who got the crowd jumping at Leeds Festival, is now carving out a lane for herself. 

Between releasing her EP and amassing an audience of 'WORLDD'ies', SYM has been collecting co-signs from the likes of Lancey Foux, Ms. Banks and Asian Doll. Now, we’re speaking to the ascendant rap star about the state of UK music, her latest EP and what's next for the 'C Town Barbie'.

First off, what do you want the world to know about SYM? 

"I'm very passionate, maybe even a little bit chaotic—but in a good way! Women inspire me. I'm not your typical UK rapper, and I just released my first EP."

Speaking of your EP, what can you tell us about THE NAC NAC PACK?

"Well, 'nac nac' means 'candy' in Somali, so that was the theme. It wasn't even really meant to be an EP. Two of the songs were a year old at that point, so just to get this new era ready, I thought, 'let me collect all these songs and get them out there'. They became three different songs from three distinctly different times in my life that I just needed to release. I found it really beautiful in that way."

Your first release dropped in 2020. What sparked the motivation to start?

"A lot of rappers will be rapping in their rooms for years, and then they release their first song. But I'd just started rapping when I dropped my first song. You know, when you first start something, you might not be that great at it? Well, I got my old songs removed because I was still finding my sound. But it's been a couple of years since that point, and I feel like I'm on another level. I was just so enthusiastic about this new little hobby I found, which was writing music and releasing it."

Why is it important to you to use Somali in your music? 

"In the UK, I've noticed a lot of drill rappers who aren't Somali but will still use Somali words. When I wanted to do something different in my writing, I thought maybe I could start rapping in my own language. Why not? If there are so many African rappers rapping in their language, why can't I use my own? When I wrote "NAC NAC", I realised that. Whether I like it or not, being Somali is always gonna be part of my 'brand'. I say 'whether I like it or not', but obviously, I love it."

Stylist Ama Ackom-Mensah  / MUA Aishat Otukoya / Photographer Emanuela Vasilevska / Hair Sarai Studio / Creative Director Michelle Fayard

"Real East Africana!"

"Yeah! East Africa deserves a little shoutout. Megan might call it being a 'hot girl', and it's that same energy. There's definitely a stigma with some East Africans where they're put into a box of professionalism and modesty. But I just want women in general to listen to my music and feel free because, for a lot of my life: I wasn't."

How did living in Camden shape you?

"In loads of different ways. Just walking around, you'll see a lot of punk, rock... A lot of people don't know, but I used to be a little emo when I was 15. Definitely had a little phase."

Will there ever be a punk moment from you? 

"I have a rage-y song with a rock-inspired outro. It's coming soon."

What does your writing process look like? 

"I definitely have an aggressive side to me but also a fun, more feminine side. Right now, in my life, I'm more intrigued—and have more fun—writing from the aggressive side since it's how I can get stuff off my chest. But in general, my writing is 100% melody-led. I learnt from Nicki [Minaj]. I'll put on a beat, mumble the flow and fill in the flow with bars. Everyone has their thing, but my thing is flow. That's what captures an ear."

You've mentioned being inspired by the US rap scene, but what do you think about the current UK female rap landscape? Is rivalry a rite of passage?

"It's really cool. I think there are so many different sounds and looks. In a year or two, it will definitely be on par with male rap success-wise. But with the rivalry, I feel like good songs have come from rap rivalries. It's just hard for there to be solidarity because of the way the fans can be. It becomes a competition. We're grown women. Just because fans are trying to cause chaos or competition doesn't mean that we, as artists, actually need to have an issue. But if someone comes for me—if I'm bothered and if I want to—you might have to get dissed back. It's not necessarily a women's issue. I try to focus on the love that I've received and the amazing female rappers I have collabed with over the years [JUICE MENACE, BJ Blacc, etc]."

How has social media shaped your career? Do you feel a responsibility to represent yourself in a specific way?

"I'm just being myself. As an artist, it feels like you have to move like a robot to get people to like you. Loads of people can say negative things about you—but you have to filter it out and bring in love. I don't really care what people say anymore. I don't even check. But I have very thick skin, and it doesn't affect me because I know that it's just on the internet."

What is your dream collaboration? 

"I want to say Nicki Minaj, but that's such an obvious pick. Maybe Rich The Kid or Jay Critch. There are a lot of male American artists that have inspired my sound, so I feel like a UK/US collaboration would be lit. A lot of people don't know my little 'hey!' ad-lib is from Jay Critch."

Well, you've been co-signed by Ms. Banks and Asian Doll. How did that come about, and how did it feel?

"When I was with [the record label] Finesse Foreva, I met Ms. Banks in a studio session, and she said I was cold. Asian Doll showed me love on the first ever song I dropped as well. Lancey [Foux] too. When you see successful artists supporting you, it shows me I'm on the right path. That keeps me going."

What's next for SYM WORLDD?

"There's so much in store. Definitely more live shows in 2024. New music, new look, new vibe. People have only seen 10% of SYM WORLDD but this year, my talents won't be ignored. I'm going to be inescapable."

Stream THE NAC NAC PACK below: