Khaled (musician

Khaled, New York City
Concert, February 8, 2002

Khaled [خالد] is an Algerian raï
musician from Oran. He was born Khaled Hadj Brahim in 1960 in Sidi-El-Houri, Algeria.
He began recording in his early teens under the name Cheb Khaled (Arabic for
"Young Khaled") and has become probably the most internationally
famous Algerian singer. The type of music he is most closely associated with is
raï (pronounced similarly to "rye"), a
supremely danceable style that began in the Algerian city of Oran
during the early 20th century and crossed over to wide acclaim in Europe during the 1980s.

Khaled recorded his
first single, "Trig Lycee" (Arabic for "The Road to
School"), at age fourteen and soon became involved with the early-1980s
changes in the raï sound, incorporating western instruments and studio
techniques. Algerian Islamic fundamentalists were violently opposed to raï
because of its sometimes irreverent tone and the fact that raï singers freely
addressed taboo issues like romantic love, drugs, and alcohol. Fundamentalists
were infuriated when the Algerian government, in the wake of a hugely popular
1985 raï festival in Oran, officially declared it to be one of the country's
native music styles. In response, fundamentalists sent death threats to some
raï artists and murdered at least one, Cheb Hasni. The danger forced Khaled to move to Paris
in 1986 (see 1986 in music). In 1992
(see 1992 in music), after dropping "Cheb"
from his name, he released his self titled album Khaled, which established his reputation as
a superstar in France and among Algerian emigrants around the
world.

His audience has
continued to expand throughout the 1990s, and has collaborated
with hip hop artists. In spite of his superstar
status in France and Algeria, his popularity in the US, UK and other countries has been limited to a
small but devoted cult following. But his greatest hit song Aicha seems
to be known all over the world.

Discography

Khaled released a number of albums on cassette in Algeria early
in his career. These are not included in the discography.

Studio albums

1988 Kutché - with Safy Boutella
1992 Khaled
1994 N'ssi N'ssi
1997 Sahra
1999 Kenza
2004 Ya-Rayi

Live albums

1998 Hafla
1999 1, 2, 3 Soleils
- with Rachid Taha and Faudel

Collections

1991 Le Meilleur de Cheb Khaled
1992 Le
Meilleur de Cheb Khaled 2

Featured in

1992 Sahara Blue, Hector Zazou
- Amdyaz
1995 Concert
Pour La Tolerance, Jean-Michel Jarre
- Revolution,
  Revolutions
- ElDorado (UNESCO official anthem)
1995 Duos Taratata, Various Artists
- Didi with Johnny Clegg
1995 Going Global Series Voila,
Various Artists
- Kebou
- N'ssi N'ssi
- Chebba
1997 Live à Bercy, Mylène Farmer
- La poupée qui fait
  non
1997 Emilie Jolie, Various Artists