- published: 11 Apr 2013
- views: 28111
Cheb Hasni (Arabic : الشاب حسني) born Hasni Chakroun (February 1, 1968 – September 29, 1994) was a performer of Algerian Raï music. He was popular across North Africa, having reached the height of his career in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was the son of a welder and grew up in a working class family where he was one of seven children. Hasni is most well known for his love songs, but he also dealt with taboo subjects such as divorce and alcohol. He was murdered in 1994.
Born in Oran, Algeria, Cheb Hasni was interested in performing from an early age. 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"[citation needed]. Hasni was also talented in football and a good student, but these traits were overshadowed by his musical interests.
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.
On ne m’a pas laiss? la possibilit? de me voir,
A travers le flou de mon histoire.
Si tout paraissait me disposer pour un nouveau d?part,
D?sormais je me d?cide ? croire.
Que tout commence o? vit le meilleur,
Que je d?ploie en ma faveur.
Elle est intense ma ferveur,
Elle prend sa voie et y demeure.
Il est temps que je m’?l?ve, enfin,
Que le son r?v?l? soit le mien,
Et je dise, enfin, qui je suis.
Il est temps que l’on s’?l?ve, enfin,
Baign? dans ce qui r?v?le enfin,
Qui l’on est, enfin exister.
Fa?onn?e pour en tirer ce qui ne saurait ?tre moi,
Rien y fait, je n'y serai qu'impassible.
Emanciper ce qui ?videmment existait d?j?,
M’a prouv? que tout ?tait possible.
Je d?fends les choses auquelles je crois,
Plus que jamais, j’en ai le droit.
D?termin?e, je prends la voie,
Qui va mener bien au-d?l?.
(Refrain x2)