Sayf (rapper)


Adam Sayf Viacava, known mononymously as Sayf, is an Italian rapper and singer-songwriter.

Early and personal life

Born in Genoa to an Italian father and a Tunisian mother, Viacava spent his childhood moving between his birth city, Rapallo and Santa Margherita Ligure. He learned to play the trumpet while in middle school and developed a passion for rap around the age of 14.
Sayf lives in Rapallo. He is a self-described "believer in his own way", practicing some cultural aspects of Islam.

Career

At the end of 2017, along with fellow Genoese artist and others, Viacava formed the collective Luvre Muzik. In 2019, collaborating with members of Shank and Luvre Muzik, he released the self-published 25-track mixtape Sono tristeeven though he later "disowned" this work. In 2020, he released Everyday Struggle, a mixtape written during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sesto San Giovanni, where he had moved aged 18 in hopes of achieving a breakthrough. Having failed to do so, he had moved back to Liguria shortly afterwards.
In 2024, Viacava established the collective Genovarabe alongside Helmi Sa7bi, Sossy, Marvin and Vincè, with whom he collaborated on several songs. Sayf gained nationwide fame in 2025, upon signing with ADA/Warner and releasing the EP Se Dio vuole and the singles "Pachamama" and "Chanelina Soubrette". He has also worked as a writer for Sugar Music. His first live performance was at Santeria Toscana 31 in Milan in April 2025. His single "" peaked at number 53 on the Italian charts.
Sayf co-wrote Genoese rapper Bresh's song "Erica", from his June 2025 album Mediterraneo. The same month, his single ""co-written and performed with Marco Mengoni and Rkomicame out, charting at position 25. He was selected for Radar 2025, Spotify's program for emerging artists.
On 30 November 2025, he was announced among the participants of the Sanremo [Music Festival 2026]. He will compete with the song "Tu mi piaci tanto".
Sayf's producers are Jiz and Dibla.

Artistry and influences

Sayf's style has been described by publications like Rolling Stone and Billboard as fresher, freer and lighter compared to the dominant rap schemes both in his country and abroad. In addition to his double Tunisian–Genoese heritage, he has been influenced by samba, cumbia, trap and Italian melodic style; this has been observed in several songs featuring themes of introspection, nostalgia or love, as well as in tributes to artists including Gino Paoli, Adriano Celentano, Franco Califano and Vinicio Capossela. Viacava also claims influences from the music his father made him listen to as a child, which ranged from Fabrizio De André and PFM to Arab and Indian music.

Discography

EPs

  • Se Dio vuole – 2025

    Mixtapes

  • Sono triste – 2019
  • Everyday Struggle – 2020

    Singles

  • "Deep Side" – 2017
  • "Pigz" – 2017
  • "Sabbie di velluto" – 2018
  • "Mumble" – 2019
  • "160streetZ " – 2019
  • "Yves Saint Laurent" – 2019
  • "Oh raga, bombe?" – 2019
  • "1998 " – 2019
  • "La santa" – 2020
  • "Il ballo dello straniero" – 2020
  • "Prospettiva" – 2020
  • "Telegiornale" – 2021
  • "¿Tito, che succ?" – 2022
  • "Satta Massagana" – 2022
  • "Una cotta per te" – 2022
  • "Come mai?" – 2023
  • "Peroperò" – 2023
  • "Nina" – 2023
  • "Mbappé" – 2023
  • "Gas" – 2023
  • "Stelle" – 2024
  • "" – 2024
  • "Tr*p" – 2024
  • "Genovarabe Freestyle" – 2024
  • "Smokin' Hot"
  • "Tiroteo" – 2024
  • "Mia" – 2024
  • "Chanelina Soubrette" – 2024
  • "Fortuna" – 2024
  • "Facciamo metà" – 2024
  • "Marinè" – 2025
  • "Se Dio vuole " – 2025
  • "Pachamama" – 2025
  • "Egoista" – 2025
  • "L'alba" – 2025
  • "" – 2025
  • "" – 2025
  • "" – 2025

    As a featured artist

  • "Bomboclaat" – 2018
  • "Picasso & Kandinskij" – 2019
  • "Fantasmi " – 2019
  • "Fuori di testa" – 2019
  • "Vuoi stare calmo" – 2019
  • "Proletari" – 2019
  • "L.D.C." – 2019
  • "Le monde est à nous" – 2020
  • "149 Chill" – 2020
  • "Quarantena bis" – 2020
  • "Jambo " – 2020
  • "Full Immersion" – 2020
  • "Jamais vu" – 2021
  • "Bando" – 2021
  • "Con te / con me" – 2021
  • "Ge hh" – 2021
  • "Cose preziose" – 2023
  • "Gioia / Faraway" – 2023
  • "Ammore " – 2024
  • "Genovarabe" – 2024
  • "Soltanto se" – 2024
  • "Il Doc 5" – 2025
  • "Players Club '25" – 2025
  • "2trap" – 2025
  • "Maktoub" – 2025
  • "" – 2025
  • "" – 2025
  • "Vita divertida" – 2025
  • "Testa o croce" – 2025
  • "Lamerica" – 2025
  • "Buon esempio" – 2025
  • "Come ti pare" – 2025
  • "Last Train 2 Shibuya" – 2026