Asset1

RaiisamusicgenrethatoriginatedinOran,Algeria.ThegenreismixedwithSpanish,
French,andArabicmusicalforms.Raimeansawayofseeing,anopinion,apointofview,
advice,athought,ajudgementandawill.ThelyricstendtobeinaconversationstyleArabicof
NorthAfrica.NorthAfricanArabicisamixofformalArabicandsomeromancelanguagessuch
asFrenchandSpanish(AlDeen597).BecauseRaisingersswitchbetweenallthreelanguages,
theyhavegainedlistenersoutsideofAlgeriaaswell.Raiistypicallydescribedasthescreamof
desireofAlgerianyouth(Poulsen30).ThekingofRai,ChebKhaled,saysthatRaiisnot
poetry,itsspeaking,expressingyourself,talkingandmakingyourselfheard,sayingwhatyou
wanttosay(AlDeen608).Andbecauseofthesecharacteristics,Raiispopularthroughoutthe
MiddleEast,Africa,Europe,Asiaandisslowlygainingpopularityinthewest(AlDeen597).
Despiteitspopularity,RaihasalwaysbeenatopicofcontroversyinAlgeria.SinceAlgeriais
comprisedofprimarilyMuslims,muchofthefreeexpressionhasangeredmany
fundamentalists,includingthegovernment.However,RaimusiciscrucialtotheAlgerian
identity.Itbecameamediuminwhichonecanexpresstheiroppositiontothesocialandethical
codeestablishedinapredominatelyMuslimcountry.Raibecameasymbolofresistanceand
rebellion,andencouragedlistenerstodefendindividuality,toleranceandfreedom.
Duringthe20thcentury,thereweretwoprimarystylesofmusicinAlgeria:

Andalusiand
Melhun(AlDeen598).Andalusiwasconsideredthemusicoftheelitesandtrainedmusicians
weretaughttorespecttherigidmelodicandtonalstructuresofclassicalArabAndalusian
music(AlDeen598).Ontheotherhand,MelhunmusicconsistsofBedouinpoetrysanginthe
refinedandsymboliclanguageofclassicalArabicpoetry(AlDeen598).Singerswerecalled
CheikhsorCheikhas,whereoneisamalesingerandoneisafemalesinger,respectively.
Cheikh,isaprestigioustitlethatdesignatesavarietyofmeanings:suchasholyman,headofa
tribe,orwiseman(AlDeen598).SomepeoplewouldgototheCheikhandaskhisopinionor
adviceabouttheirsituations.Namely,theywouldaskforhis

Rai.Thisopinionisexpressedin
MelhunpoetryandsomebelievethatthiswastherealrootofRaimusic(AlDeen598).
Cheikhas,thefemalesingers,begansingingRaithatwasconsideredthedegeneratedformof
Melhun.Beforeeachsong,theywouldbeginbysayingthisismyRai,myexperience,my
destiny(AlDeen598)..Surprisingly,Cheikhaswerethefirsttobeginusinglewdlyrics.The
mostnotoriouswas

CheikhaRemitti.CheikhaRemittiisconsideredthegrandmotherofRai
musicandherlyricsfocusedonpoverty,alienation,andsexuality.Shesangaboutthepleasures
ofbooze,love,deathandimprisonment(AlDeen601).Duetothenatureofherlyrics,andthe
factthatshewasawoman,CheikhaRemittiwasconsideredcontroversial.Furthermore,itisnot
untilthetransitiontomodernRaidoweseethattheRaicreatesacountrywidecontroversy.
WhentheAmericantroopswerestationedinOranin1942duringWorldWar2,they
broughtwiththemjazzandswingmusic.After1945or1946,musicalinstrumentssuchasthe
accordion,thepiano,theviolinandguitarbegantoappearinOran(AlDeen602).Becauseof
thesenewinstrumentsandtheattractivenessofwesternmusic,Wahranimusicwasintroduced.
WahranimusicwasamixtureofAndalusi,MelhunandRaimusic.Bythe1950sand1960s,

Asset2

Wahraniperformersintroducednew,modernmusicalinstrumentssuchastheviolin,the
accordionandlute(AlDeen602).ThismarkedthebeginningofthemodernRaiera.Duringthis
time,AlgeriawasunderthecolonialruleofFrance.YoungnationalistsformedtheAlgerian
FreedomFightersagainstFrenchoccupationandWahraniandRaisingersjoinedandaddedtheir
voicestothisnationalmovement.ForAlgerians,Raiwastheirbluestheysangofalienation,
poverty,forbiddensexualdesiresandothersocialconcernsoccurringinthecountry.Sincethe
1930s,Railefttheirruralmelodies,andovertime,beganaphaseofevolutionthatwould
foreverchangetheiroriginalform(Cremades179).Raimusicbecameamediumfor
selfexpressionandthosewhowantedtheirvoicestobeheard.However,itbecamesucha
controversialgenre,thatitresultedinitsimmediatebanbytheAlgeriangovernment.
Intheearly1950s,theFrontDeLiberationNationale(FLN)begantheAlgerianfightfor
independencefromFrance,butalsoitsfightagainstRai(Shoup48).In1954,theFLN
announcedtherewastheneedforAlgeriatocleanuptheirownsocietyfromthefilthand
vicestheFLNleadershipsawasthecauseofAlgeriansweaknesses(Shoup49).Afterthis
announcement,therewasanimmediatebanofbars,brothelsandanyplacewhereRaicouldbe
heard.AfterAlgeriagaineditsindependencein1962,thegovernmentquicklydeclaredthat
Andaluswasthenational,classicalmusicofAlgeria.However,manystilllistenedtoand
enjoyedRaiunderground.Consequently,theAlgeriangovernmentbannedtheimportationof
blackcassettestapestoblockthedistributionofmusic.Bythistime,theAlgerianculturewas
tightlycontrolledbythegovernment.RaimusicwasalsobannedfromtheAlgerianbroadcast
mediabecauseitwasconsideredlewdandsubversivebythegovernment(AlDeen605).The
onlythingthatcouldbeheardontheradiowasEgyptianandpatrioticnationalsongs,including
classicAndalusi.Bytheearly1970s,Raistillremainedundergroundmusic.AsRaicontinuesto
gainpopularityunderground,RaisingersbeganadoptingthetitleChebandCheba,meaning
youngmaleandfemale,respectively.Theiragerangedfromlateteenstolate20sandtheir
primarytargetaudiencewasunder25.ChebaFadelaandChebKhaledwerethetworisingstars
ofpopularRai.By1979,popularRaistartedtotravelbeyondtheboundaryofOran.Sinceitwas
bannedinAlgeria,RaimusicfoundavenueviathestrongAlgerianFrenchcommunityradio
stationinFranceduringtheearly1980s(Shoup50).ItwasnotafterthedeathofAlgerian
PresidentHouariBoumedienethatthebanofRaiwouldbeupheld.PresidentBoumedienewas
followedbythemoreliberal,ShadhlibinJadid,whobeganliftingrestrictionsonRaimusic.
Despitethisnewchange,manyofficialsinthegovernmentstillfoundRaimusictobedecadent,
duetothenatureofthelyrics.TheseofficialscontinuedtotryandblockthedistributionofRaiin
thecountryasbeingunworthyofbeingconsideredasart(Shoup50).Whatbotheredthesetop
officialswasnotthemusic,butthelyrics.
Raisoonbecamenotonlyagenreofmusic,butasymbolofresistance.Itwasnotthe
musicalpartthatwasproblematized,butmostlywordssuchas

slam(kisses),ruj(redwine),
birra(beer),

sakra(drinkingalcohol),mkhabbat(gettingdrunk),ortahwaslbulevar(walking
thestreets)andthewholerangeofassociationstheyevoked(Poulsen143).Sincetheofficial

Asset3

religionofAlgeriaisMuslim,itisclearwhythiswouldangersome.Thelyricswere
representationsofthelustsandpleasuresoflife,whichincludedsexandalcohol.Tosingabout
suchtopicsistaboointhereligionofIslam.Despitethisfact,youngAlgeriansenjoyedlistening
tomusicthattheyconnectedwith,whereasthegovernmentfounditoffensive.Sincethe
majorityofAlgerianswereundertheageof25duringthe1980s,Raimusicbecameanidentity
foryoungNorthAfricansaswell.Raiwasperceivedasanexpressionofindividualityinwhich
theycanescapethemoralethicsofsociety.NorthAfricansbeganopeningtheirmindstotheidea
offreedomofspeech:theabilitytodefendandexpressone'sideasandbeliefs.YoungAfricans
begantorebelbychoosingtheirownwayoflifeevenifthatdidnotcoincidewithIslam.By
the1980s,raibecametheexpressionofyoungstersprotestingagainstforbiddensexuality,
againsttheoldergeneration,againstthenewlyrichoftheChedliregime,andagainstthenational
media(Poulsen27).RaiwasnotonlyawayforAlgerianstoexpressthemselves,butalsoa
waytoexpresstheirsexuality.Raiwasconsideredsubversivebecauseofhowopenlyittalked
aboutsex.DespitethefactthatitistabooinIslam,manyAlgeriansenjoyedhangingoutand
listeningtoRaimusic.However,AlgeriansdidnotlistentoRaimusicwithlewdlyricsinfront
oftheirfamilies.DuetotheseethicalcodesinAlgeria,Algerianswenttootherplacesthatthey
canfinallybethemselvesin.
InAlgeriancabarets,youwouldfindwomensmoking,drinkinganddancingwithmenin
closeunion.Incabarets,mentooksinglewomenout,talkedwiththemandhadfun.Couples
wouldpubliclyfondleeachother,kissanddisplaypublicbehaviortheynormallycouldnot
displayoutsidesuchplaces(Poulsen138).Taverns,brothels,andcabaretswerethestageswhere
RaimusiciansanddancerswouldbeginthetransformationofAlgerianculture,leavingtheold
messageofMelhountradition.tosingabouttheadversitiesandpleasuresoflife(Cremades
179).Raisingersbeganexpressingthemselvesintheirsongs,

Letsdrinkandpourtheglass,onemore.Wehavethetime

ChebKhaledandMiloud,Kubbu,kubbu

Thetallone,thethickone,thesmallone,sheisintoxicatedandtalkswildly

ChebKhaledandMiloud,KubbuKubbu
Ilovethekissesintheneckthatgodowntothebreasts

ChebKhaled,Alashhbibaktansih
Shecameheardthegallalandshecamewithoutherbelt
ChebKhaled,Ghirddunilildarna

IllbringthewhiskeyandyoutheCocaCola

Asset4

Zargui,DyafRabbi

(Poulsen136137)

ItwasnowonderthatChebKhaledmovedoutofAlgeriatobeabletomakemusicwithout
obstructionfromtheAlgeriangovernment.TheAlgeriangovernmentwereviewingtheriseof
thepopularityofRaiasthereasonwhytheAlgerianidentitywasatstake,

Low culture versus high culture, commercialism versus self expression, poetic eloquence
versus lack of properworse,vulgarityversusthefamily,youthversusexperience,Algeriaversus
the west all have been mediating words in the debate surrounding a musical form in which
Algerianidentitywasseentobeatstake
(Poulsen26).
Themedia,especiallyinFrance,sawRaiasawayfortheArabstoconquerfundamentalismand
toexpresstheirownviews.TheFrenchmagazine,Actuel,publishedanarticlecalledRai
Algeriawantstomakelove,theArabbluesagainstFundamentalism(Poulsen30).Itwentonto
claimthatArabsweretiredofmasturbating,Raiisclaimingtherighttofuckwhenyouwant
andwhereyouwantandhowyouwant(Poulsen30).AsRaicontinuedtobecomepopularin
France,especiallyduetotheAlgerianFrenchcommunity,theAlgeriangovernmentwasunder
pressure.TheAlgeriangovernmentfoundthemselvestryingtobanagenrethatwasbecomingso
popular,theynolongercouldignoreit.In1985,itwasthefirsttimeanyradiostationinNorth
AfricaplayedRaiontheair.Andinthissameyear,theAlgeriangovernmentallowedthefirst
RaiOranFestival(Shoup51).AlgerianauthoritiesreceivedsubstantialpressurefromFranceto
adheretothedemandsoftheyouth.TheFrenchministerofculture,JackLang,andaformer
Algerianofficerinthearmy,ColonelSanusi,wasabletoconvinceAlgerianauthoritiesto
includeRaimusicinthe1986AlgerianCulturalDaysinParis(Shoup51).Atthispointin
Algeria,itseemsasthoughthegovernmentisfinallyacceptingthefactthatRaiisthemusicof
Algeria.However,thecelebrationofRaiwasshortlived,andin1988,youthriotsensuedin
Algiers.
Theyouthexpressedtheirfrustrationswithhighunemploymentratesandtheyadopted
thesongbyChebKhaledcalledAlHarbahWaynorWheretoflee,toexpresstheirviews.
Althoughthesongwasmerelyawaytoexpresstheirfrustrations,theyouthwereprotestinghigh
ratesofunemployment,lowgovernmentincome,andthefactthatmanyyoungalgerianshave
noprospectsforwork.Thewordsofthesongseemtospeakoftheirconditions,

Asset5

Wherehasyouthgone?
Wherearethebraveones?
Therichgorgethemselves,
Thepoorworkthemselvestodeath,...
YoucanalwayscryorcomplainOrescape...

butwhere?

(AlDeen608)
TheAlgeriangovernmentblamedRaiforthediscontentofAlgeriasyouthandmanyRaisingers
triedtodistancethemselves.Theriotleft500deadand1,000wounded(AlDeen608).
Nonetheless,theAlgeriangovernmentstillblamedRaifortheirdiscontentandtheyouthwere
dubbedtheraigeneration(Shoup51).DuetoAlgeriaseconomicproblems,theFront
IslamiqueduSalut(IslamicSalvationFront)gainedpopularity.TheyconfrontedRaisingersand
condemnedRaiasbeingvulgar.ThesefundamentalistsalsoblamedRaisingersforhelping
incitetheantigovernmentriotsofOctober1988(DeAngelis283).Raisingers,including
Khaled,Sahrawi,andFadilah,beganreceivingdeaththreats,andmanyfled,seekingrefugein
secularFrance(Shoup52).Indeed,astheriseofeconomicproblemspersistedinAlgeria,the
IslamicSalvationFrontwereabletowintheelectionsin1991.TheIslamicSalvationFrontwon
themajorityoftheseatsandmadeittheirmissiontobanRai,nightclubs,andanyplacewhererai
couldbeplayed.Inadditiontothis,theIslamicSalvationFrontannouncedthatdeathsentences
weregoingtobeissuedtoanysingerconsideredvulgar(AlDeen606).TheIslamicSalvation
FronttargetedtheRaisingers.WIththatRaihasbecomethemainrepresentationofa
liberatingoppositiontoIslamism,andthesingershavebecomethelatter'smainvictims
(Poulsen31)However,whenitappearedthattheISFwasgoingtowinanelectionin1992,a
militarycoupdismantledthepartyandtheISFwasofficiallybannedtwomonthslater.
However,theIslamistsdidnotstopthere.
WhentheIslamicSalvationFrontwasdismantledin1992,Raicontinuedtoemergeonto
theworldmusicstage.In1992,ChebKhaledreleasedDiDi,whichwasRaisfirstglobalhit.
In1993,attheinvitationofAlgerianPresidentKafi,ChebHasniperformedbeforeacrowdof
150,000peopletocelebrateAlgerianIndependenceDay.ThiswasthefirsttimeinAlgerian
historythataRaisingerhadsuchhonor.UnlikeKhaledandotherraisingerswhofledtoFrance,
ChebHasnidecidedtostayinhishomecityofOran.TheRaisingerswhodecidedtostayin
Algeriaandcontinuedtosingandproducerai,weremetwithdailystruggles.ForChebHasni,he
receivedcriticismforlyricsthatdealtwithtaboosubjectssuchasdivorce,alcohol,anddrunken
intercourse.TheIslamistsdidnotlikethis,andasaresult,ChebHasniwasshotandkilledin
Oranin1994.Thefactthatasingerwaskilled,showsthedeepresentmentthatIslamistshad
towardsRaimusic.Raislyricswasseenaslewd,subversive,andharam(sinful).Itisperfectly
cleartoseehowagenreofmusiccanbesoimportanttoagroupofpeopleandtotheirculture,
butsuchathreattoreligiousfanatics.TherearemanycontradictionsinwhatAlgerianpeoplesee

Asset6

assinful,andwhatispermitted.However,itisnotsaythatthosewhoaretruetothemselves,
can'tvoicetheirownopinions.ThisiswhatRaimusicisabout:freedomofexpression.This
includesthefreedomtodrink,tohavesex,todateortowalktheboulevardsatnight.
RaibecameintegraltotheidentityoftheAlgerianpeople.Raigaveavoicetothe
voicelessinAlgeria.Itisaboutthefreedomofexpressionanditbecameagenreinwhichit
reflectstheculturalchangefromapassive,toamoreactivepositionamongyoungAlgerians.
TheremightnotbeevidentproofthatRaimusiciswhatcausedtheOctoberriots,butitdidin
factgivethemthepowerandmotivationtodoso.InadditiontoRaibeingavoiceforthe
countryspoliticalthought,italsoestablishedtherelationshipbetweenmusicandsexuality.Rai
artistssungabouttheconcernsandproblemsofthepoor,workingclass,butalsothejoysand
pleasuresoflife,muchthatisconsideredtabooorharam(sinful)inIslam.Thecontradictionsin
Algerianpeopleslifebecametosurface:theyoungAlgeriansaspiredtoenjoyleisureactivities
butalsotriedtomanagetheethicalcodesofrespectinAlgeria.Raibecameascreamofrevolt
byapooranduprootspeasantryconfrontedwiththepostindependencepoliticsofthe
BoumedienneregimeandthesexualtaboosofAlgeriansociety(Poulsen27).Raimusichas
completelyshiftedtheidentityofyoungAlgeriansintotwodirections:onetowardthemosque
andtheothertowardthewest.

Asset7

References

AlDeen,H.N."TheEvolutionofRaiMusic."JournalofBlackStudies23.5(2005):
597611.Print.
Cremades,Roberto,OswaldoLorenzo,andIoanaRuxandraTurcu."RaiMusicasa
GeneratorofCulturalIdentityamongYoungMaghrebies."InternationalReviewofthe
AestheticsandSociologyofMusic46.1(2015):17584.Print
Deangelis,AngelicaMaria."MoiAussi,JeSuisMusulman:Rai,Islam,andMasculinity
inMaghrebiTransnationalIdentity."Alif:JournalofComparativePoetics23
(2003):276308.Print.
.Poulsen,Marc.MenandPopularMusicinAlgeria:TheSocialSignificanceofRa.
Austin:UofTexas,1999.Print.
Shoup,John."Rai:NorthAfrica'sMusicoftheWorkingClass."PopularCultureinthe
MiddleEastandNorthAfrica:APostcolonialOutlook.Ed.WalidHamamsy.NewYork:
Routledge,Taylor&FrancisGroup,2013.4862.Print.