Cheb Hasni

Cheb Hasni was a singer from Oran who made sentimental raï, songs of love and longing, popular across Algeria. He was born on 1 February 1968 in the Gambetta district of Oran and died there on 29 September 1994, aged 26.

Born Hasni Chakroun, he played football for ASM Oran as a boy, until a foot injury stopped him at 15.

From about 16 he sang at weddings, then in the cabarets of the Oran coast. His first recordings came out in 1986, and his duet El Berraka with Cheba Zahouania followed around 1987.

Over 8 years he recorded more than 100 cassettes; some sources say over 150. His best known songs include Tal ghyabek ya ghzali and El Visa.

On 5 July 1993 he sang before a huge crowd at the Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers. He also performed in France and the United States. In 2017 he was awarded the Order of National Merit after his death.

He is buried in Aïn El Beida cemetery, in Oran. No conviction has been reported in connection with his death. In September 2020 the singer Soolking paid tribute to him with a cover of Ghir matebkich.