Rachid Taha (1958-2018)

<p>It’s been almost two weeks since Rachid Taha&mdash;a comet who flew through the worlds of Algerian <em><em>raï</em></em>&nbsp; and global rock&mdash;died from a heart attack at 59. An Arab exile in France, in love with rock 'n' roll, a Muslim bad boy who revered history, love poetry, booze and the Clash, Taha embraced and celebrated his contradictions, and leaves behind a richly original body of music that reflects them vividly in dark chord changes, torn-up, half-spoken vocals, and seasonings of punk rock and electronica. In Arabic music’s world of polished virtuoso singers, Taha slurred, sneered and growled. Even by the standards of rebellious raï&nbsp;music&mdash;the music of Algeria’s sex-drugs-and-rock 'n' roll generation&mdash;Taha was an outlier, an artist unbound by anyone’s expectations but his own.</p> <p>Taha was just 10 when he and his family moved from Algeria to Lyon, France. His first band Carte de Séjour--name for France’s "residency permit"&mdash;was overtly political. His base in France freed him to be more outspoken&mdash;and at times outrageous&mdash;than other Algerian singers. Yet they embraced him, notably in the landmark 1998 <em>1,2,3 Soleils</em> concert at Bercy in Paris with Khaled and Faudel. By that time, he was recognized as a rock star in France.</p> <p>Taha’s breakthrough release as a solo artist was 1991's&nbsp;<em><em>Barbès</em></em>, produced by Don Was.&nbsp;Eight of his 15 solo albums were created with U.K. rock producer and guitarist Steve Hillage.&nbsp;They range from punk to funk, roots raï&nbsp;to roadhouse Americana, and are loaded with fierce condemnations of racism, corruption, xenophobia and political repression&mdash;but also sly humor, as when he appeared on the cover of his 1995 release <em>Olê, Olê</em> with blond hair and blue eyes.</p> <p>An artist ahead of his time, Rachid Taha’s influence will surely be felt in North African music for years to come.</p>