search for something...

search for something you might like...

In The Moshpit with Cheb Khaled, the King of Rai

In The Moshpit with Cheb Khaled, the King of Rai

by Joe Ambrose, Literary Editor (2005-2018)
first published: March, 2005

approximate reading time: minutes

He has the aplomb of Freddy Fender and the common-man touch of Johnny Cash

I never really understood Rai music until I started traveling around Morocco on my own and this permanent urban aural backdrop finally got me. Moroccans are a sentimental lot, and emotional too. They cry gently, murmuring "Aah!" or "Ooh!", when they listen to residents of Dancefloor Heaven such as 2Pac, Bob Marley, or Rai's Cheb Hasni. Rai is their regional cheesy dance music, held in high esteem by bootleg Nike-clad Moroccan youths. Most of the stars of Rai are dead except for Cheb Khaled, the debonair Algerian King of Rai. Or, as one cassette I bought would have it, "Khaled, Rai of King."

When I hang out in the barrios and dives of Morocco with working class Moroccan guys they talk endlessly of Khaled, their heroic idol. His hits like Aisha and Didi are the soundtrack to their pointless and frustrated lives. I bought maybe twenty Khaled cassettes from the stallholders the first time I stayed on Place Djemma El Fna, "The Place of the Mosque At The End Of The World," in Marrakesh. Every time I go to Morocco I get new Khaled; now his stuff is generally available on bootleg CDs there.

Rai was originally an acoustic folk music played by the Berbers of Algeria. In Arabic Rai means "truth". Though the music has now been fundamentally altered by electric equipment, it remains full of emotional truth.

(They're all called "Cheb," male Rai singers. Most of the good ones are Algerian. Most of the living ones keep out of Algeria because paramilitary Islamic elements have threatened to kill them. Clumsy efforts were made by the U.S. entertainment industry to present the Paris-based Khaled as some sort of anti-Islamic hero. Don Was got behind an improbable attempt to turn him into a crossover act. The other major living force in Rai is Cheb Mami but he recorded a duet with Sting and therefore gets negative brownie points.)

Five thousand Moroccan and Algerian youths gather in the Brixton Academy to greet Khaled. I'm surrounded by these North Africans in Brixton's greatest venue. When Khaled finally walks onstage the place erupts into lunacy. One guy, whom I've been talking to, leaps five feet into the air, Sufi-style, from a stand still position. Khaled performs his tunes with an appropriate modesty and sense of decorum, as becomes a true master. He has a small paunch, looks like a particularly prosperous North African restaurateur. He has the aplomb of Freddy Fender and the common man-touch of Johnny Cash.

I bring five Algerian homies back to my apartment to hear some Rai, Master Musicians of Joujouka, and hip hop. One of them is Karim, the guy who leaped five feet into the air. Karim, who has a lime green mohawk, is crazy about one of my Hamri paintings, Joujouka In The City.

"Why you like our music?" he asks me legitimately enough. "Why you not have your own civilization?"

Why indeed?

Joe Ambroses's book, Moshpit Culture, extreme travel writing from within the moshing subculture, is published by Omnibus Press.

Joe Ambrose
Literary Editor (2005-2018)

Joe Ambrose wrote 14 books, including Chelsea Hotel Manhattan and The Fenian Reader. Joe sadly passed away in 2018. Visit Joe's website which was completed just before his passing, for more info: JoeAmbrose.co.uk.
about Joe Ambrose »»

Pete Williams web banner

RECENT STORIES

RANDOM READS

All About and Contributors

HELP OUTSIDELEFT

Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]

WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT

If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]

WRITERS thru' the Years

Agata Makiela, Alan Devey, Alan Rider, Alex V. Cook, Ancient Champion, Andy Allison, Annemiek, Becca Kelly, Belle Plankton, Bruce Bailey, Caiomhin Millar, Cassie Thomas, Chantal, Cheiron Coelho, Chris Connolly, Christian Present, Damon Hayhurst, Dan Breen, Danny Rose, David Hackney, David O'Byrne, Denni Boyd, Dirty Lillie, DJ Fuzzyfelt, Dr. Rich, Dr. Richard Bennett, Duncan Jones, Erin, Erin Pipes, Erin Scott, Gracey Babs, Graham Baker, Guilaine Arts, H.xx, Hamilton High, Henderson Downing, Holly Martins, J. Charreaux, J.Lee, Jay Lewis, Jaycentee, Jennifer Lynn, Jenny McCann, Jeremy Gluck, Jez Collins, Joe Ambrose, John Robinson, Jonathan Thornton, Julie O, Karl Morgan, Katherine Pargeter, Kelsey Osgood, Kevin McHugh, Kiah Cranston, Kleo Kay, Lake, Lee Paul, Luke Skinner, Malcolm, Marek Pytel, Mark Piggott, Martin Devenney, Meave Haughey, Michelle Williams, Mike Fox, mindy strouse, Neil Campbell, Neil Scott, Ogglypoogly, OL House Writer, Pam, Paul Burns, Paul Hawkins, Paul Mortimer, Paul Quigley, Peter Williams, Pixie McMowat, Pixievic, Rene Williams, Richard John Walker, Rick Casson, Rikki Stein, Ronan Crinion, Rowena Murphy, Ruby Lake, Ryan 'RJO' Stewart, Samantha Charles, Seth Sherwood, Shane O'Reilly, Sheridan Coyle, Sofia Ribeiro Willcox, Sophia Satchell-Baeza, Spanish Pantalones, Speedie John, Spencer Kansa, Steve McCarthy, The Conversation, Tim London, Tim Sparks, Tony Fletcher, Toon Traveller, Trevi, Urs Lerch, Wayne Dean-Richards, and founders, Alarcon & Lamontpaul

OUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE

Last NIght of the LTB Showrooms
OUTSIDELEFT Night Out
weekend

outsideleft content is not for everyone