Cheb Hasni (Arabic: الشاب حسني), born Hasni Chakroun (Arabic: حسني شقرون), (1 February 1968 – 29 September 1994), was an Algerian raï singer. Regarded as "The King of Sentimental Music","le rossignol du raï", his contribution to music made him one of the most celebrated Algerian artist of the late 20th century. He was popular across the Maghreb, having reached the height of his career in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Life and career
Early life Cheb Hasni was born on February 1, 1968, in Oran, Algeria into a working-class family. His father was a welder and his mother a homemaker, he was one of seven children. He was a football player, starting at the age of 9 in a local club in Oran named ASMO. At the age of 15, he got injured and stayed in the hospital for several weeks. When he returned to the field, his weight had increased, and despite the encouragement of his coaches, he couldn't continue his sports career. In addition to his passion for football, Hasni displayed an early interest in music. In an interview published in the French newspaper Libération in 1992, Hasni recounted how "everyone knew me in our neighbourhood when I was a kid. I was always walking up the road with my school bag thrown off my shoulder, singing my head off".
Entry into the music scene and controversy Hasni's first significant performance as a singer occurred when he attended a local wedding party, where the group led by the famous Naoui brothers was playing. Impressed by his voice, they invited him to perform on stage at a well-known cabaret, La Guinguette. The second major launching point in Hasni's career came shortly afterwards when a producer asked him to record with Raï performer Chaba Zahouania.
In 1987, the pair released a provocative song by Algerian standards, "Beraka" ("The Shack"), which contained lyrics about drunken sexual intercourse, gaining them much attention. The success of "Beraka" made Hasni famous, and a controversial subject with both critics and fundamentalists already concerned over the popularity of the Raï genre.
Personal life He got married in 1987 at the age of 19 and had only one child named Abdellah, born in 1989. His wife, whose real name is Zahzouh Malika known as "Melouka", was the main inspiration for his greatest hits over the years, such as "Tal Ghyabek ya ghzali" and "El Bayda mon amour".
International recognition and performances Like many other Raï artists based in Algeria, Cheb Hasni was also performing abroad (giving concerts everywhere from Paris, Marseille, and Boston to Washington, D.C., Tunis, Casablanca, and Tokyo, to name a few cities), more than at home, due to curfews and musical restrictions in Algeria at the time. Hasni's last concert in his native country was in 1993, when he performed to an audience of over 150,000 fans in Algiers at an event organized to celebrate the thirty-first anniversary of Algeria's independence.
Death Hasni's fame and controversial songs led to him receiving death threats from Islamic fundamentalist extremists. His primary residence remained in Oran, even though his family lived in the safer environment of France. On September 29, 1994, he was murdered, outside his parents' home in the Gambetta district of Oran.
His killer's identity remains unknown but the circumstances of his death mirrored those of other individuals targeted by a militant Islamist Group, the GIA. A few days before his death, the Kabyle Berber singer Lounès Matoub was abducted, released and later assassinated in June 1998 by the GIA. The following year, on 15 February 1995, Raï producer Rachid Baba-Ahmed was assassinated in Oran.
Legacy
Cheb Hasni's legacy is defined by his pivotal role in reshaping Raï music, a genre deeply rooted in Algerian culture. His artistic expression challenged societal norms and taboo topics, offering a voice to a frustrated youth and addressing social and political issues. His global influence extended Raï music to international audiences, transcending cultural boundaries.
Hasni became one of the most prolific artists on the Raï scene, producing over 100 recordings and selling 400,000 cassettes during his career. His distinctive "Raï love" style soon inspired imitators, notably Cheb Nasro, who launched his career in 1988 with the hit "Pour te faire plaisir".
He continues to be referred to as an iconic figure in the Raï genre, inspiring new generations of Algerian and Maghrebi artists.
He was posthumously awarded the National Order of Merit in 2017.
Discography 1986 : Barraka (feat Zehwania) 1987 : Ila Ajbek Ezzine 1987 : Issèlou aalik è oomri 1987 : S'hab elbaroud 1987 : Hè bouya, llila mè tefrèchi 1988 : Nbellaa bèbi 1988 : Ma dannitch netfèrkou 1988 : Ssadda nass ellil 1988 : Aadyèni bezzèf (Feat Noria) 1988 : C'est fini aalik yè mehhenti 1988 : Moul el cabaret (Feat Abd Elhakk) 1988 : Netrajja f elhèbib 1989 : Sid elkadi 1989 : Bayda mon amour v1 1989 : Moulèt essag ddrif 1989 : Enroh maak laaziza 1989 : Chchira lli nebriha dima ybènli khyèl'ha 1990 : Adieu l'amour 1990 : "Tèlbouni hetta f echchira" 1990 : Saadek tzouwwejti 1990 : Aalèch rani maadeb 1990 : Chkoune irabbili weldi 1990 : Èna barkèni, ènas kilouni 1990 :Love me say 1990 : Rah Ben Bella l essaddam (Single) 1991 : J'ai mal au cœur 1991 : Lmossiba kharja m e lycée 1991 : Chlèrmek deggouni (Feat Zohra) 1991 : Elli zahreh mè yendamchi (Single) 1991 : Tout l' monde est là 1991 : Wellah mè kount dèyrek passager 1991 : Mon Premier Amour 1991 : Dis moi ha zzarga 1991 : Ssaraha raha 1991 : Hdartou fiya ou goultou mèt (3 titres de hasni et 3 titres de nasro) 1991 : Elli dlamni wellah mani msèmheh 1991 : Charaatni 1991 : Nediha meryoula 1991 : C'est pas la peine 1991 : Rabta lhenna 1992 : Ghir dommage 1992 : Tlabti lfrèk 1992 : Oran la france 1992 : Ghir mè tebkich 1992 : Aakkar 1992 : C'est fini 1992 : Tal ryèbek yè rzèli 1992 : Choufi oomri cha sra 1993 : Rani khellithè lek èmèna 1993 : Mè nnejemch eniich d eliicha 1993 : C est la logique yè bent ennès 1993 : Hebbitek mè s'elt ennès 1993 : Dèymen enwassik 1993 : Ki nchouf'ha yerkebni lhbèl 1993 : Guaa ennsa 1993 : Hekmet aalia rrab elaali (feat Zèhia) 1993 : Mani mani 1993 : Tebki wella mè tebkich 1993 : Enfin lkit elli tefhemni 1993 : Brit èna nchoufek 1993 : Rani Mourak 1993 : Nti sbèb rbinti 1994 : Guaa errjèl elli kèyen 1994 : Aeadouya megh'yar 1994 : Ddèteh emmigré 1994 : Khawwefni rjouaak 1994 : Meddit aahdi, ça y'est c'est fini 1994 : Saàdini (Feat Sorya Kinane, & Bouzid Abdelghani) 1994 : Ma bkatch elhedda 1994 : Aalèch yè aayniyya 1994 : Rabbi ltof biya 1994 : Iridoni bnèt ennès (Single) 1994 : Aaayit ensaleh, aayit neddareb 1994 : Srat biyya kassa 1994 : Rani nèdem aalè liyyèm 1994 : Rani marra hna ou marra lhih
References
External links "Hasni une légende a l image de l Algerie" « Cheb Hasni, une legende a l'image de l'Algerie » "Cheb Hasni, histoire d'une tragédie" "biographie de Cheb Hasni" Cheb Hasni on YouTube Cheb Hasni on Spotify Cheb Hasni on Last.fm