Lounès Matoub
Lounès Matoub (Berber Latin: Lwennas Meɛṭub, Tifinagh: often credited as Ma… Read Full Bio ↴Lounès Matoub (Berber Latin: Lwennas Meɛṭub, Tifinagh: often credited as Matoub Lounès in French sources) (January 24, 1956 – June 25, 1998) was a famous Kabyle singer who was a prominent advocate of the Berber cause and secularism in Algeria throughout his life.
He is revered as a hero and martyr in Kabylie but reviled by most of the Arab population in Algeria for his irreligion [1] and blasphemous songs (like Allahu Akbar) and his militant advocacy of Berber rights, therefore unpopular among both warring parties during Algerian Civil War. His assassination, in circumstances which remain unclear, provoked violent riots in Kabylie.
Matoub began his singing career under the patronage of the established Kabyle singer Idir. He recorded his first album Ay Izem (The Lion) in 1978; it was a phenomenal success. He went on to record 36 albums, as well as writing songs for other artists. He gave his first major concert in April 1980, at the time of the “Berber Spring” protest movement in Kabylie.
His music mixes oriental Chaabi orchestration with politicized Berber (Tamazight) lyrics, and covers a broad variety of topics including the Berber cause, democracy, freedom, religion, Islamism, love, exile, memory, history, peace and human rights. Unlike the Amazigh poet/musicians who preceded him, Matoub’s style was direct and confrontational. Fellow musician Moh Aileche recalls, “He went straight. He criticized a president. He mentioned the president of Algeria right at the beginning of his career. He goes black and white. He was very, very clear in his songs, and he is the only singer – not only Algeria, but in all of North Africa – who criticized the government and criticized clearly. He would never become afraid.” [3] Despite being banned from Algerian radio and television, Matoub became, and remains, an extremely popular Kabyle singer.
During riots in October 1988, Matoub was shot five times by a policeman and left for dead. He was hospitalised for two years, requiring 17 operations including the insertion of an artificial sacrum and the contraction of his leg by 5 cm. His 1989 album L’Ironie du sort describes his long convalescence.
During the civil war, which began in 1992, the Islamist Armed Islamic Group (GIA) added his name to a hit list of artists and intellectuals. Matoub remained in Algeria. On 25 September 1994 he was abducted. He was held for two weeks in a GIA mountain stronghold and condemned to death. He was released following a large public demonstration in which his supporters threatened “total war” on the Islamists.
Edited by Imazighen on 23 Nov 2007, 04:31
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loun%C3%A8s_Matoub
He is revered as a hero and martyr in Kabylie but reviled by most of the Arab population in Algeria for his irreligion [1] and blasphemous songs (like Allahu Akbar) and his militant advocacy of Berber rights, therefore unpopular among both warring parties during Algerian Civil War. His assassination, in circumstances which remain unclear, provoked violent riots in Kabylie.
Matoub began his singing career under the patronage of the established Kabyle singer Idir. He recorded his first album Ay Izem (The Lion) in 1978; it was a phenomenal success. He went on to record 36 albums, as well as writing songs for other artists. He gave his first major concert in April 1980, at the time of the “Berber Spring” protest movement in Kabylie.
His music mixes oriental Chaabi orchestration with politicized Berber (Tamazight) lyrics, and covers a broad variety of topics including the Berber cause, democracy, freedom, religion, Islamism, love, exile, memory, history, peace and human rights. Unlike the Amazigh poet/musicians who preceded him, Matoub’s style was direct and confrontational. Fellow musician Moh Aileche recalls, “He went straight. He criticized a president. He mentioned the president of Algeria right at the beginning of his career. He goes black and white. He was very, very clear in his songs, and he is the only singer – not only Algeria, but in all of North Africa – who criticized the government and criticized clearly. He would never become afraid.” [3] Despite being banned from Algerian radio and television, Matoub became, and remains, an extremely popular Kabyle singer.
During riots in October 1988, Matoub was shot five times by a policeman and left for dead. He was hospitalised for two years, requiring 17 operations including the insertion of an artificial sacrum and the contraction of his leg by 5 cm. His 1989 album L’Ironie du sort describes his long convalescence.
During the civil war, which began in 1992, the Islamist Armed Islamic Group (GIA) added his name to a hit list of artists and intellectuals. Matoub remained in Algeria. On 25 September 1994 he was abducted. He was held for two weeks in a GIA mountain stronghold and condemned to death. He was released following a large public demonstration in which his supporters threatened “total war” on the Islamists.
Edited by Imazighen on 23 Nov 2007, 04:31
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loun%C3%A8s_Matoub
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Lounès Matoub Lyrics
a mehbus iw Ṛṛuḥ-is a d-yeselqaf Am uεeqqa gar iɣuraf, Yettraǧu nnuba-s…
A tamghart A tamɣart celx abzim-im Iwexxed-ikem mmi-m Yefka tayett i ye…
A yemma amek A yemma A yemma amek i dam-teḍra Srewteɣ εebban wiyaḍ Gwriɣ…
Afalku Bezru Leriv Atan w-ul-iw ye-smiḥin Aṭṭan it yulli-n D-bu rekku yuɣen tte…
Asirem Ay Afrux εjel farfar Sellem-iyi f-igawawen Ur zzgal ḥedd s u…
Atsili Hadja Atsili lhadja rkhiseth Ttarifen zegs ak° madden mi qarbagh g…
Attaniw Sekra bin yhlkn yhla Ataniw yougi athya7lo Ilhm ghori gstha3…
Avrid Ireglen Avrid Ireglen As narez assalou Degnagh w'i3ewjen Ath'id ness…
Ayadhrar nath yiraten Imi icaḍ si fad yeqqur Mi nezdeɣ ger isennanen Mmi-s n tsedd…
Ayen ayen Felli mi d rsent wallen-im, Tseţţuyeđ dgi cħani, Asm'akken l…
Hymne à Boudiaf D lesnin teffɣeḍ tamurt Tnufqeḍ tugiḍ leɣlaḍ Dg-ek yark i ne…
I Luhqed Zhir I luhqed zhir gher thudrin nagh Ayen akk ndiri aghihemej iss…
Kenza Iceqqeq ifsex igenni Lehwa tessared aẓekka Yal targa a tremm…
Kumisar Win yebɣan ad yesgem, yilqiq Tallit ad as-d-tefk nnuba Win y…
Le Djurdjura: ma vie Nnan yeqqar s wedara Ketchini ur tehdird ara Benademi bnadem…
Mi Neztel S Lkif Nerra ayen ilhan di rrif Nger deg uɣilif Qqersen fell-aɣ yem…
Ru ayul Taqbaylit nugi att nissin Nettnadi ayen umi ur nezmer Nettse…
Rwah Rwah Ach hal aya a yendef yezri a felam a ynegi…
sidi abderrahman A sidi abderahman da3layan lverhanik Izayriyen akken malla a…
Ssalvits ayavehri Sleεb-itt ay abeḥri Nuɣ-ed abrid n tlelli Sleεb-itt ay abeḥr…
Sserhass Ayadu Felli id yesteqsa, iḥubbed wadu; Felli id yesteqsa, iḥubbed …
tirgin Ad regmeɣ qbel iman-iw Uqbel ad n-zziɣ ɣur-wen Ma ffreɣ-awen…
Tiyri n taggalt A yettseggix wul-iw A ijeffel ɣef win i t-yeğğan D wagi i…
Yehwa yam libre et femme Sefruruyen tesfesdeḍ Teḍṣiḍ i wiyaḍ qebel-iw Ulac anda ur te…