Khaled - Biography
By J Poet
Khaled is the King of Rai, an Algerian brand of pop music that blends Bedouin traditional music with western influences, especially funk, hip-hop and rock. In his younger days he was known as Cheb Khaled, and was a star in Algeria before moving to France in 1986, but after landing in Paris he hooked released Khaled (1991 Barclay, France), which made him a star in France and the Arab world. Sahra (1996 Barclay France) included the international hit “Aicha” and sold an amazing 700,000 copies in France alone. His international impulses have earn him scorn from fundamental Islamists, while making him one of Arab music’s most visible, and progressive, artists. He hasn’t made a lot of studio albums, but everything he’s cut is worth having. He continues to break new musical ground and maintain an upbeat attitude despite the Anti-Arab feelings that have swept the world since 9/11.
If someone were casting a movie about revolutionary Arab musicians, Khaled would be a natural choice for leading man. His gruff, but melodic vocal style, compelling stage presence and winning smile, Khaled has earned his title of is King of Rai. Rai means “opinion,” and having an opinion is dangerous in Algeria. Rai is a blend of Bedouin traditional music and Spanish, Moroccan, French, black Arabic forms. Cheikha Remitti combined Bedouin music with a more modern attack, including the use of brass, electric guitars and accordions in place of flutes and violins. She’s credited with the invention of modern rai, and was banned by the government for her songs, which included honest depictions of the sexual and social lives of women. She died in 2006 at the age of 83. In the 1960s rai singers added funk, soul and rock to the mix. In the 1970s dub reggae also made an impact. By the late 1970s, rai was wildly popular with Algerian youngsters and denounced by parents and the government for songs about smoking, drinking and sex, all forbidden and/or frowned up by Islamic culture. The singers took the name Cheb and Chaba, which means “youth” or “kid.” It was a slap at the traditional Cheikh, the honorable title one earned as a respected elder.
Cheb Khaled began singing as a youth and was drawn to the freedom of rai and its implied lifestyle while still a teenager. He dropped out of school to start Les Cinq Etoils. The band played weddings, traditional celebrations and clubs. A local producer heard the young singer at a wedding and asked him to make a record - “Trigue Lycée” - a song about cutting class and chasing girls became a smash. Khaled left his parent’s home and pursued music full time. He made many cassette albums, both self produced and with professional producers in small studios and his reputation grew. In the mid-1980s Khaled met Rachid Baba Ahmed, the man who became the Phil Spector of rai, and together they cut a stunning succession of tunes that laid the foundation of the music Algerians called ‘pop rai.’ Early songs, both with and without Ahmend, have been collected on Fuir Mais Oú (1991 MCPE France), Young Khaled (1993 Buda, France); Best of the Early Years (2002 Nascente) and Serbi Serbi (1994 Editions Bouarfa, France.)
In 1985 Khaled relocated to Paris to further his career and escape fundamentalist fanatics who were threatening secular singers. In the next few years Rachid Baba Ahmed, Cheb Hasni and other singers and producers were murdered for crimes against Islam. Khaled’s first Western album was Kutchie (1989 Intuition, Germany, 1989) a jazz/rock collaboration with Safy Boutella that did not capture the singer’s vocal charisma. Khaled (1993 Barclay France) had several tracks produced by Michael Brook, who had worked crossover magic for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and several by Don Was including “Didi,” Khaled’s first international hit.
Don Was returned to produce tracks on N’ssi N’ssi (1993 Mango). Khaled also worked with Laurent Gueneau, Richard Evans and Philippe Eidel, but it Was tracks, slamming Arabic funk, backed by an Egyptian sting orchestra, rock guitar, Latin keys, an R&B horn section and pedal steel guitar that that made the biggest impression. The title track was another substantial hit.
For Sahra (1996 Island) Khaled called back Was and brought in Jamaican producer Clive Hunt, who cut Khaled in Jamaica at Groove Yard studios, with JAs top session players. Sahra is an astonishing global pop album with a mash up of funk, reggae, ska, calypso, jazz, French chanson, Egyptian strings, Latin keys African music and rai.
Kenza (1999 Barclay France, 2000 Ark 21 US) continued the winning streak with Rachid Taha’s producer Steve Hillage and Jean-Jacques Goldman blending studio polish and traditional grit. It includes a remake of Khaled’s first Algerian hit from his teen years “Trigue Lycée” and a duet with Israeli pop star Noa. That year also saw one of the most groundbreaking concerts in French musical history, a triple header with Rachid Taha and Faudel backed by a full orchestra and 28 piece Egyptian string section. It was recorded and released as 1-2-3 Soleil (1999 Barclay.) The album went Gold in France and announced the arrival of Algerian music as an ongoing force in French culture. Ya-Rayi (2004 Wrasse) helped Khaled cement his international cred with a collection that continued to explore new influences including zouk, with Kassav mastermind Jacob Desvarieux and rock in Españole with guest guitarist Carlos Santana.
