cheb mami

Cheb Mami"Prince of Raï"Recently, Cheb Mami's international popularity got a well-deserved boost when Sting featured him in a song on one of his albums. I haven't heard it yet, but I'm glad for Cheb Mami nonetheless, for while Mami enjoys star status in North Africa and has had some international success, his success hasn't yet matched that of Khaled. This has earned Mami the title of "Prince of Raï" to correspond with Khaled's "King of Raï," and the implicit comparison in that distinction is rather unfair.To be sure, the title fits in some ways. Khaled is older and appeared on the scene a bit earlier. Mami is younger - in fact, he made his debut at fourteen - and came after Khaled. Mami's voice is a super-high, boyish tenor, with a smooth, gliding tone; Khaled's tenor, on the other hand, is deeper, more harsh, more guttural and "world-weary." What's unfair about the "Prince of Raï" title is that it implies that Mami is second best, second fiddle to Khaled, when in reality the two of them are equally awesome for different reasons.Why Cheb Mami?If I had to choose a single absolute favorite raï artist, it would have to be Cheb Mami. His voice truly is beautiful, a real joy to listen to. Ever hear the phrase: "a soaring voice"? Well, "soaring" is truly the best way to describe Mami's tenor. It glides over high notes and complicated melodic lines like it was nothing; listening to Mami sing, it's difficult not to experience that odd joy one feels when hearing something sung amazingly well. Mami's music (for he writes and arranges nearly all his songs) is equally as astounding as his voice. It is a slick and well-produced sound, but much more importantly, it is a good sound and a unique sound; Mami's style of raï is very "hip," with a great deal of edge and funk in its underlying pop beat. His music is at once danceable, unique, accessible, fun, and well-done.Plus, the guy is really cute! Even with, or perhaps because of, that maniacal grin and the crazy crow's feet around his eyes, Mami manages to come off as boyish and unbelievably young. Indeed, Mami has a strong fan base of young women, partly cause of his looks, and partly because his songs' lyrics are less abrasive and more "sweet" than those of most raï artists.Cheb Mami Files:The best way to experience Mami is to get his albums. (Let Me Raï [1990] is Mami's first release, Douni El Bladi is second, and Saïda is the third. I think they're all out of print, but I may be wrong, so please let me know and correct me if I am. Meli Meli [1999] is Mami's fourth album, and Dellali [2001] is his fifth and latest.) But if you can't wait, here're a few pictures and sounds to tide you over till you get his albums for yourself...
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