Algeria: Rachid Taha’s last album out in September

According to his son Elias Taha, the musician spent two years recording the album before his sudden death from a heart attack.

“My father spent the last two years of his life working on this album,” Egypt Today quoted him as saying. “This last album is like him, in his uniqueness, in his madness, in his freedom. I hope you help make Rachid Taha’s lyrics and music sound louder and louder.”

On 19 June, his estate released a video for ‘Je suis Africain’, the title track off the upcoming album. The song and video pay tribute to the diversity of African cultures as well as notable African figures such as Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, Fela Kuti and Jacques Derrida.

Rachid is credited for pioneering a fusion of rock and raï, a form of traditional Algerian folk, and for reworking many classic Algerian songs.

In 2016, Taha received a Victoire de la Musique lifetime achievement award – the French equivalent of a Grammy. Throughout his career, which began in 1980, he released hits such ‘Ya Rayah’, ‘Rock el Casbah’ as well as the anti-racism anthem ‘Voilà Voilà’.

Je suis Africain will be available for purchase and streaming here.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWKoPUi-YLQ&list=RDPWKoPUi-YLQ&start_radio=1 autoplay:0]