Cheikha Rimitti: The Mother of Raï and Taboo

"Raï music has always been a music of rebellion, a music that looks ahead." It was Cheikha Rimitti, born Saadia Bedief, who birthed and shaped the genre of Algerian raï. At just 15 years old, Rimitti began making music near Oran, the epicentre of raï. Her songs discussed struggles with housing, money and the realities of war.

But what Rimitti did that no other musician had done was push the boundaries of taboo, singing openly about sex, love and alcohol. Themes often discussed in private, but rarely in public. To some this was met with praise, to others it was viewed as vulgar.

In raï music, singers are normally referred to as Cheb or Cheba, yet Rimitti earned the title of Cheikha as a mark of honour, becoming known as 'Om Raï.' Legend says her name came from a night performing for French fans, where she repeatedly shouted "remettez panaché" asking for another drink. Mixed with her strong North African accent, this later morphed into Rimitti. Later in life, she became Hajja Rimitti after attending Hajj. She stopped drinking and smoking, yet never stopped singing about the intimate parts of her life.

After the Algerian War of Independence, the government attempted a cultural shift by promoting traditional Arabic music and literature. In the process, raï and Rimitti were banned. Rimitti later moved to France where she became globally loved, collaborating with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Rimitti performed until her death at 83 years old. After suffering a heart attack, her reported final words were: "You are in front of me and I follow," a nod to her final song, 'Nta Goudami.'

Words by @smizzowrites