Quarashi

Quarashi was a rap and hip-hop group from Reykjavík, Iceland. It was composed of Hössi Ólafsson (replaced by Tiny, real name Egill Olafur Thorarensen, on the final album), who was the lead vocalist and frontman of the group, Ómar Swarez (Ómar Örn Hauksson), rapper and hype man, and Steini a.k.a. Stoney (Steinar Orri Fjeldsted), also 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 (Smári "Tarfur" Jósepsson, later replaced by Vidar Hákon Gislason), a bassist (Gaukur Úlfarsson), and a DJ (DJ Dice, later replaced by 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) 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 to their music. Comparisons to Rage Against the Machine, Eminem, and The Beastie Boys are often heard when discussing Quarashi, but the group had a unique style that distinguished 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.

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