Egill Thorarensen

Rapper

Full member since 2003

Egill Thorarensen, known to Quarashi fans as “Tiny”, became part of the band's story in 2003, when he joined as a permanent member, stepping in and expanding on the role left behind by Hössi. His arrival marked an important transition for Quarashi, introducing a new voice and a different creative energy while respecting the character that had made the band so distinctive.

Tiny was born on January 17th 1984. He is from a neighborhood in Reykjavík called “Hlíðar.” As a child he went to a school named Háteigsskóli, the first ten years of his education (Icelandic schools run from grade 1-10, after which there is an elective secondary education that runs about 4 years, which most people choose to go to.) and then he went to secondary school at a school named Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð (MH).

Music was already an important part of his life before Quarashi entered the picture. He had spent time developing his skill and own material, including the song “Straight Execution,” which appeared on the CD Bum Squad. He also collaborated with O.N.E (a duo including OPEE who performed the track Mess it Up with Quarashi) on “For the Record.”

It was during this period that Tiny's path crossed with Quarashi. At the time, he was working at an Icelandic computer and music store, when Sölvi called him up and offered him to come and work with the band. It was an unexpected opportunity, but one that would soon become an important part of both Tiny's career and Quarashi's history.

What makes Tiny's contribution particularly interesting is that he brought something genuinely personal to the group. He didn't simply step into a vacant position; he brought his own vocal character and musical instincts. His style complemented Quarashi's established MC dynamic while giving the band a fresh sound.

His input during the Guerilla Disco era represented a significant evolution for Quarashi. His presence helped the band move forward rather than simply attempting to reproduce what had come before and while the band had changed it didn't feel as though they had lost their identity. With Tiny, Quarashi was set to experiment, evolve, and continue moving forward.

After Quarashi disbanded Tiny continued working on his own music, he even did a collaboration with Sölvi's solo project Halleluwah before Sölvi eventually teamed up with Rakel Mjöll, and in the summer of 2014 he had a hand in establishing the Secret Solstice festival, a music festival celebrating the Icelandic midnight sun, showcasing established artists as well as promising fresh artists.

For Quarashi's first reunion concert, back in 2011, his connection with Quarashi became even more cemented. Tiny returned alongside the four previous members, resulting in Quarashi performing as a five-piece for the first time ever. For fans, it was a particularly poignant development. Rather than looking backward and attempting to recreate a single version of the band, the reunion brought together the different eras of Quarashi's history creating something new and dynamic while honoring the tried and true.

Looking back at his journey, it is difficult not to appreciate how unexpectedly it all came together. A musician developing his own material in Reykjavík, working a job at a computer store, getting an unexpected phone call from Sölvi and suddenly, a place in one of Iceland's most distinctive and internationally recognized bands, it can be said that history was made… and continued.