Simply Hasni!

September 29th 1994, Hasni Chakroune  aka Cheb Hasni was assassinated at the age of 26; 13 years since!!

 May He Rest in Peace!

Someone like Hasni should not be forgotten.  His singing was great. Its effect and implication on society were greater.

This is the person who always talked about the poor in his interviews and called on everyone to always be kind, generous,

and helpful to them.  This is the person who connected with the unprivileged and the average; More importantly, the youth and their issues. 

As a teenager, one goes through quite a bit of emotions and is lost and clueless as to how to deal with crushes and the opposite sex as

the realization and the discovery that a real difference exists settles now.

Through his music, Hasni provided a breathing room for everyone.  It is ok to be in love and feel its joy and blues, it is ok to be heartbroken,

and it is ok to fall out of love.  In a culture where men are supposed to be tough and not need a woman but the other way around, he sang

“Omri j’ai besoin de toi, blabeek Rani craht wa maleet” which translates roughly to “Baby I need you, I am miserable without you” .

Hasni made you feel ok with your problems.  You knew that you were not alone in various situations. 

You can learn quite a bit about Hasni through listening to his songs:

His relationship with his mother  “Hta la mima dehshet wa bkat” translates roughly to  “even mom was terrified and cried”, brothers via always

giving shout out to them in his songs, his early crushes, where two names stand out, Ilham and Souad.  They are mentioned in many of his songs. 

Now, his wife and his relationship with her; She divorced him It frustrated him.  He came up with “Saraha Raha” roughly translates to “There is Peace in Honesty”

written for him by another popular Rai singer Cheb El Hindi. 

His son Abdullah where when asked in an interview about the best moment of his life he replied by saying “the birth of Abdullah my son”. 

He was quite comfortable in his vulnerable skin.

The beautiful thing about all this is that Hasni will quickly make you get over yourself!!

Hasni was extremely nice and extremely humble.  This is abundantly clear when you ask people who knew him or watch his concerts and interviews.

He brought the many economic and social issues to the forefront that the government got nervous.  When his popular song “El Visa” came out,

An increasing number of the youth went asking for and wanting visas to leave the country.  Parties had to intervene and ask Hasni to do something about it.  He came up with

“Mabkatch al Hada”  “No More Leaving” and people calmed down.  He was that powerful and that influential.

Radical Islamists and the Algerian government quarreled.  Rai music quarreled not only with the Radical Islamists but with the government also. 

It was so severe that in year 2000, the government refused to allow the formation of Association of Rai Singer and instead it was called Association of Singers of Wahrani Music.

All Rai singers who had left Algeria during the civil war are still alive. Those who decided to stay or visit home were silenced.  Hasni was defiant.

On July the 5th 1993, he entertained a concert at the July 5th stadium to a sold out crowd in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Algerian independence.

In 1991, in that same stadium, le Front Islamic du Salut (le FIS) held its very popular rally where the son of Ali Belhaj, one of le FIS’s most outspoken leaders, gave the very popular speech.

I am not going to mention much about his assassination, except to say that he was gunned down about 12noon near his house in Gambetta with his brother Houari by his side.

Two gun shots one in the head and the other in the neck.  The perpetrator ran away with his accomplice in a car that was waiting nearby.

Why is Hasni relevant?

Who could not relate to him?  Who didn’t listen to him?

Better yet, use your imagination!!!

Hasni did not sing just for Wahrane, his songs touched all of North Africa and North Africans the world over. Fans today, go visit his house and his family in Wahrane

In Morocco today, you can hear Hasni more than Khaled and Mami put together.

Hasni gave us so much through his music.  Let us give him back a bit;  A mere thank you by remembering him and praying for him.

May he rest in peace!!!