Khaled

Khaled Hadj Ibrahim (Arabic: خالد حاج إبرهيم, pronounced [ˈxaːlɪd ħaːdʒ ʔɪbraːˈhiːm]; born 29 February 1960), better known by his mononym Khaled (Arabic: خالد), is an Algerian raï musician. He began recording in his early teens under the name Cheb Khaled (شاب خالد, Arabic for "Young" Khaled, with "Cheb" as a common title for male raï singers).

Khaled is one of the most important musicians in the history of Raï music in his native Algeria and is one the world's best-known African singers. To date, Khaled has sold over 80.5 million albums (10 diamond, platinum, and gold) worldwide, making him the bestselling Arabic-language singer in history. Among his most famous songs are "Aïcha", "Didi", "El Arbi", "Abdel Kader", "La Poupée qui fait non", "Wahran Wahran", "Bakhta", "C'est la vie", and "Alech Taadi".

He holds the Guinness World Record for best-selling artist of raï music.

Forbes has consistently placed Khaled in the top celebrities of Arab Music, and placed him at high ranks for years

Khaled was born on 29 February 1960 in Oran's Sidi-El-Houari neighborhood, French Algeria.

His rise to national fame was mainly due to the efforts of Lieutenant-Colonel Hosni Snoussi, director of the state-supported arts and culture Office Riadh el Feth, who took Khaled under his wing and invited him along with other rai stars to perform at the state-sponsored Festival de la Jeunesse pour la Fête Nationale in Algiers in July 1985. In the same year, he was crowned king of rai in the first official festival of rai which was staged in Oran.

Hosni Snoussi and Martin Meissonnier, who met at the Festival, convinced France's Minister of Culture Jack Lang that the export of rai from Algeria to France was in the French government's interest and together they organized the first rai festival in France at Bobigny in 1986. Cheb Khaled, who had been avoiding his mandatory military service, was able to perform at Bobigny only after Colonel Snoussi intervened with the Algerian military authorities to secure him a passport. Shortly thereafter, Snoussi arranged for Cheb Khaled to record in France, with funding from the Office Riadh el Feth. The album, Kutché, released in 1988, a collaboration between Khaled and the Algerian jazz musician Safy Boutella, expanded his reputation in France, where he soon settled.

In 1992, having dropped the "Cheb" from his performance name, he recorded Khaled, which was produced by Don Was. The album's first single Didi, which was a major hit in Europe, the Arab World, and in South and East Asia, made him an international superstar.

One of the Pioneers of world music, Rai musician Khaled has gone beyond all geo-political boundaries to become one of the world's most popular performers, mixing traditional Algerian music with western rhythms and styles such as soul, rock and reggae to achieve his distinctive sound and voice unlike anyone ever.

Khaled has been celebrated not only for his music, but for his role as a builder of bridges between cultures. selling more than 80 millions copies around the world makes him a nationwide celebrity and unofficial ambassador for the country's Arab minority.

—Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2008

Khaled's signature song, the 1993 hit "Didi", became extremely popular in the Arabic-speaking countries and also in several other continents, including Europe, where it entered top charts in France, Belgium and Spain, and in Asia, including India and Pakistan. The song was also used in the Bollywood films Shreeman Aashiq, Airlift, Highway, and Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Khaled and producer Don Was appeared on The Tonight Show on 4 February 1993.

Islamic extremists opposed to perceived vulgarity in rai music have obtained fatwa condemning vulgar singers to death. Khaled has described himself as "at the top of the list of well-known people the fundamentalists want to kill" in consequence.

On 12 January 1995, Khaled married 27-year-old Samira Diabi in France. Together, they have four daughters and one son.

In 1997, his wife filed a complaint against him for domestic violence, before retracting the complaint.

First Arab singer to win World Music Awards (1992).

First Arab singer to hold a Guinness World Record for Best-selling artist of raï music (2000).

Only Arab singer to perform at Fifa World Cup ceremony (2010).

Only Arab singer to perform at European Athletics Championships (2006).

Was named top 50 Voices in the World by NPR.

1985: First Prize of Rai Music (KING) Oran

1989: Top 100 Best Album in 20th Century (kutché)

2004: Grammy Jam Awards (Khaled and Carlos Santana) ("Love to the people")

2005: Montreal International Jazz Festival (The Antonio Carlos-Jobim Award)

2005: ImagineNations and DC Internationals (Empowering Award, for spreading the message of peace)