Cheb Hasni

Algerian singer

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July 19, 2026

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Cheb Hasni was an influential Algerian singer, known for his contributions to the raï music genre. Raï originated in Oran, Algeria, in the 1920s, blending local and Western popular music styles. It emerged as a counter-cultural movement, with early female singers called cheikhas singing about urban life in a raw, direct language.

By the 1980s, raï evolved with electronic instruments and younger artists adopting the title "Cheb" (meaning "young"). Cheb Hasni was a prominent figure in this new wave of raï. Tragically, he was murdered in 1994 by an Islamic militant group, a significant blow to the raï community in Algeria. Despite this, raï continued to thrive internationally.12

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In Algeria younger artists, including Cheb Hasni, Cheb Nasro, and Cheb Tahar, filled the void created by Khaled’s departure. In 1994, however, the raï community was jolted by the murder in Oran of Cheb Hasni by a militant Islamic group. In the wake of the assassination, new social and political…
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In Algeria younger artists, including Cheb Hasni, Cheb Nasro, and Cheb Tahar, filled the void created by Khaled’s departure. In 1994, however, the raï community was jolted by the murder in Oran of Cheb Hasni by a militant Islamic group. In the wake of the assassination, new social and political…
Read More