In the late 1980s and early 1990s, cassette shops in Oran and across Algeria could hardly keep up with the demand for one singer. His name was Cheb Hasni, and his songs of love, longing and heartbreak spoke to a generation of young Algerians. He sang softly and sweetly, and his style became known as rai sentimental. Then, on 29 September 1994, he was shot dead outside his family home in Oran. He was 26. His death shocked the country and became a symbol of the violence that was tearing Algeria apart.
Early life and rai
Hasni Chakroun was born in 1968 in Oran, the port city in western Algeria that is the home of rai music. He grew up in a working-class neighbourhood. Rai developed in western Algeria from folk traditions and urban music. In the 1980s, singers used synthesisers and drum machines to create a modern sound that appealed to young people.
Young rai singers often took the title “cheb,” meaning young man, or “cheba” for women. Khaled, Mami and others were known as chebs early in their careers.
Love songs and duets
Hasni became famous for gentle, romantic songs about love and loss. Unlike some rai singers who sang about drinking and nightlife, he focused on tender emotions. He released a large number of cassettes in a short time. His songs were played at weddings, in cafés and in homes across Algeria. He recorded duets with female rai singers, including Cheba Zahouania, and some of these songs became huge hits.
In 1992, Algeria entered a violent conflict between the government and Islamist armed groups. Artists, journalists and intellectuals were among those targeted.
His death and legacy
On 29 September 1994, Hasni was shot outside his home in the Gambetta district of Oran. His killing was attributed to armed Islamist groups. Thousands attended his funeral. Fans across Algeria and in the diaspora mourned the loss of a beloved voice. Months later, in 1995, the rai producer Rachid Baba Ahmed was also killed in Oran, adding to the climate of fear.
Hasni’s songs remain popular in Algeria and among North African communities in France. Younger singers still perform his songs. Cheb Hasni sang almost entirely about love. That a singer of such gentle songs was killed in his own street says a great deal about the Algeria of 1994.
