"Ra'i has evolved from being the native Orani music with provocative lyrics sung at local cafes, bars, and bordellos using gasba and gallal to being the most popular and controversial music in North Africa today. Moreover, it enjoys international popularity throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, and is slowly gaining popularity in the English-speaking countries." - Hana Noor Al-Deen, "The Evolution of Ra'i Music" Algerian Ra'i emerged as a combination of Bedouin chants, Malhun, Spanish flamenco, French cabaret, Gnawa, Andalusian, and Arab classical music in the 1920's. Despite numerous attempts to censor and ban the music, Ra'i gained international popularity in the 1980's. Today, Ra'i is a style played throughout the Maghreb. It remains a style that symbolizes the movement away from traditional Islamic values among Maghrebi youth. Although Ra'i music's history is mostly Algerian, Ra'i is extremely popular in Morocco and there are many Moroccan Ra'i singers. Musical dialogue between Algeria and Morocco is present in almost every genre of Maghrebi music, due to their geographic proximity. Therefore, although Ra'i is primarily Algerian, it has earned a place among the musical traditions of Morocco.
|