NAAJ
Comedian | Filmmaker
NajM AD-Din HARRABI
Najm AdDin Harrabi, NAAJ, is an African stand-up comic and filmmaker from Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. Harrabi's adventure to the entertainment and arts world took him from a young shepherd in North Africa through multiple continents and countries all the way to Los Angeles, USA. As a storyteller, Harrabi seeks to bring laughter and perspective through stand-up and filmmaking to the same communities he was once part of in North Africa.
CAREER &
UPCOMING PROJECS
BACKGROUND & ORIGIN:
Now based in LA, NAAJ's journey to the entertainment world started in the unlikeliest of places; the North African mountains of his village in Ouled Haffouz/Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. A small remote community, though had no direct access to water and electricity, had a long of Amazigh and Arab tribal tradition of storytelling through music and poetry. Harrabi attests that this perhaps is the seed for his career as a filmmaker and stand-up comic.
Eventually, Harrabi pursued education in the bustling city of Sfax, where he engaged in theatre clubs, coding, leadership and media production camps . These after-school-activities work led Harrabi towards a path in media literacy and Tunisian civil society. At the age of 15, Harrabi co-founded We-Youth Tunisia, a youth empowerment organization, assuming the role of spokesperson and overseeing the media division. His leadership and dedication secured the organization multiple national and international grants that were directed towards echoing unheard voices. Harrabi's leadership work at WeYouth eventually led to winning him a place at the prestigious (ALA) African Leadership Academy's class of 2013.
During his time at ALA in South Africa, surrounded by a diverse community of young African leaders, NAAJ further explored his passion for storytelling primarily through comedy and filmmaking. At his student enterprise program, SANYU Productions, Harrabi introduced "NaajShow," a satirical news program focusing on global and African events, which became a staple during campus gatherings. After completing two years at ALA, Harrabi earned the distinction of becoming a Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar at the University of Notre Dame.
At Notre Dame's Film and Theatre Department (FTT), Naaj's dedication was centered on honing his skills as both an actor and director on various platforms. FTT facilitated the creation of several student films, and he made his debut as an actor and director at the Debartolo Performing Arts Center in South Bend, Indiana. Naaj's quest for excellence led him to Chicago's Second City, where he enrolled in classes during his summers, and he also interned as a script intern for CONAN during its TBS season finale.
Simultaneously, Naaj expressed his creativity through photography and film production. His dedication culminated in accepting an offer to pursue an MFA in film production at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts as a George Lucas Scholar. This opportunity allowed him to refine his skills and artistic vision, resulting in an MFA in Film & TV Production with a specialization in Directing & Sound Production.
Not long after, Naaj proudly announced his debut comedy special—a collection of themes from his life, travels, family dynamics, and his cherished shepherd and farming upbringing in North Africa's mountains.
Whether it be through his films, stand-up comedy, or other creative endeavors, Harrabi's ambitions is to express himself and showcase the culture and stories of his people from his village and Africa as a whole, as well as the immigrants he met during his journey. Harrabi aims to spread joy, thought, and especially his shepherd jokes to audiences worldwide.
His upcoming comedy tour, ONE BUN MAN, and his latest special, Legal Alien, are just a few examples of his continuous efforts to spread laughter, thought and positivity through comedy.