The Lebanese writer and artist Khalil Gibran wrote, " Inspiration will always sing, Inspiration will never explain." Algerian Rai music singer, Cheb Nasro, has been an inspiration to many, living a life full of both blessings and disappointments beyond any of his earliest expectations. Growing up in post-revolutionary Algeria where there was freedom from French colonialism and oppression, and then suddenly being thrown into the ravages of a civil war in the early 90's, had a significant influence on his life and art. He has explored and expressed a myriad of emotions and observations about life on more than 130 albums including the universal theme of love.
Born on November 30, 1960 in the small town of Ain-Temouchent, home of Bellamou, the famous trumpet player and forefather of Rai Music, Nasro was the first son after five girls. At the age of two his uncle bought him a Drabouka, a traditional drum, and was entertained nightly by Nasro's playing and singing.
In the Western Algerian town of Oran where he was raised, a famous neighbor named Cheb Zahounie would frequently invite Nasro to accompany him to his performances at neighborhood weddings. The neighbors would encourage Nasro to take the stage and sing, and he soon grew passionate about performing live. He managed to find another neighbor who brought him to a local venue to entertain a paying audience for the first time. He was 17 years old and was paid five dollars for his first show. He brought the whole cabaret to their feet and the owner quickly offered him a permanent slot at the cabaret, 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. nightly.
Within a year he was offered his first opportunity to record professionally and began to travel and perform with other noted Rai singers at festivals and concert halls throughout Europe.
Cheb Nasro had developed a sentimental style of Rai music, similar to another famous Rai Singer, Cheb Hasni. Without ever having met, he and Hasni were quickly established by music producers as competitors and developed a rivalry that would last until one fated night in Paris in 1991. Having been booked in the same hotel, they coincidentally left their rooms at the same time, saw each other and decided to go for coffee. From that night until Cheb Hasni's death in 1996, they remained close friends and confidantes.
After Hasni's death, many Rai artists came out publicly to declare that they would no longer sing for fear of being targeted by terrorists who disapproved of their music. Nasro contrarily came out publicly to declare his defiance, stating that he would continue to sing and honor the life of his fallen friend. Over the next few years he slept with one eye open, even going as far as switching cars on a regular basis and varying his schedule as to not become an easy target. "I became very skinny from worry and moved around a lot in those days," Nasro said.
Nasro is excited at the prospect of continuing to record Rai Music in America with the hope of it one day becoming mainstream. He is the only Rai artist signed with an American Label, Ark21/Mondo Melodia under the guidance of Miles Copeland.
