Karpe
Biography
Karpe (formerly known as Karpe Diem) is a Norwegian hip-hop duo consisting of Magdi Omar Ytreeide Abdelmaguid (aka. Magdi) and Chirag Rashmikant Patel (aka. Chicosepoy or Chico). Known for their socially conscious, politically engaged and often satirical lyrics, Karpe has become one of Norway’s most influential musical acts. Karpe has won 13 Spellemann Awards, making them, alongside the Oslo Philharmonic, the most awarded act in the history of the awards. The duo has also been named Artist of the Year (Årets Spellemann) twice.
Formed in Oslo in 2000 under the name "Karpe Diem", the duo first gained attention after winning a music competition with the song “Hvor er Willy?”. They released the EP Glasskår in 2004, followed by their debut album Rett fra hjertet in 2006.
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On March 5th, 2011, they received the, "Årets spellemann" award at Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammys).
This was the first time in history that a hip-hop/rap group received this award. They received the award again for 2022, and they became the second artists ever to receive the "Årets spellemann" award twice, after Øystein Sunde, who won the award in 1989 and 1994 (additionally with his supergroup Gitarkameratene in 1990).
Between 2013 and 2022, Karpe cemented their status as Norway’s most acclaimed hip-hop act through a string of award-winning releases, including Heisann Montebello, SAS PLUS / SAS PUSSY, and Omar Sheriff. The duo earned multiple Spellemann and P3 Gull awards, released the feature film Adjø Montebello, and became known for ambitious visual and live productions. In 2022, they sold out Oslo Spektrum ten times, attracting over 110,000 attendees and receiving international praise for their live shows.
In 2026, Karpe announced that they would retire in 2028. Their farewell tour, titled OVERTIME/OVERKILL (2000–2028), was announced later that year and consists of festival performances in 2027 and a nationwide tour through Norway in 2028, culminating in their final concerts in Oslo Spektrum.
Discography:
2004 - Glasskår (EP)
2006 - Rett fra hjertet
2008 - Fire vegger
2010 - Aldri solgt en løgn
2012 - Kors på halsen, ti kniver i hjertet, mor og far i døden
2015 - Heisann Montebello
2019 - SAS PLUS / SAS PUSSY (EP)
2022 - Omar Sheriff (EP)
2026 - OVERTIME/OVERKILL VOL. 1
2026 - OVERTIME/OVERKILL VOL. 2
2026 - OVERTIME/OVERKILL VOL. 3
2026 - OVERTIME/OVERKILL VOL. 7
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.