Because the title "King of the raï" has already been given to Cheb Khaled, Cheb Mami unfortunately has to settle for the title "Prince of the raï". The Algerian Mami has the honor of being the first raï singer to move to France and perform at the prestigious Olympia, who performed in the US and recorded an album outside France or Algeria (Let Me Rai, Los Angeles, 1990). The traditional raï was
… the blues of North Africa: rough, turbulent and sensual, in which unspoken life issues such as drink, lust and other forbidden things were sung about. Mami popularized it into an extremely danceable genre by mixing it with elements from rap, funk, flamenco, dance and reggae. His amazingly flexible, clear and light-hued voice and congenial stage performance make him an audience favorite. For his album Dellali, Mami got the cooperation of Nile Rogers, the arranger of Madonna's music, among others. Mami further expands his musical vision on this album with gospel and classical music. Sting and Nile Rodgers are the backing singers for Le Rai C'Est Chic, and Viens Habibi is sung to a text by Charles Aznavour. An album full of lively and boundary raï that invites a cheerful mood and a desire to dance. (SvdP) that invites a cheerful mood and a desire to dance. (SvdP) that invites a cheerful mood and a desire to dance. (SvdP)more
