Rachid Ksentini

Born on November 11, 1887 in the Casbah of Algiers, Rachid Belakhdar was initially destined for a career far removed from music. After leaving school at an early age to join his father as a cabinetmaker's apprentice, he joined the merchant navy shortly before the First World War and headed for France. Arriving in Marseille after his ship was wrecked, he traveled around the globe, then between Algeria and France, before returning to his native land in 1925. He met playwright Ali Sellali, known as Allalou, who integrated him into his Zahia Troupe. Spotted by the public for his roles in the plays Zouadj bou 'akline and Les mille et une nuits, Rachid Ksentini, as he was known on stage, made a name for himself in Algerian theater circles. At the same time, he took up song, which he used in a humorous way to address social issues intrinsic to the country. Nicknamed "the Arab Charlot", Ksentini became a popular figure, drawing on the heritage of Algerian song for his new compositions. The result was a number of emblematic songs, including "Achtah achtah ya loulou", "DingoDigno" and "Qalou qoulna", satirically addressing unemployment, exodus and injustice. At the helm of several popular Algerian plays of the 1930s, he inspired many of the artists who followed in his footsteps, and died on August 4, 1944 in Algiers. Rachid Ksentine was posthumously awarded the Ordre du Mérite national Athir medal on May 21, 1992. Bambara, an album released in April 2013, contributed to the rediscovery of the Algerian singer's major role in the inter-war period.

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