In 1998, the alienesque Hoba Hoba Spirit emerged in the form of a duo from Casablanca. Vivacious, and void of airs and graces, they began playing music for no more than the amusement of close friends.
Réda, guitarist, singer-songwriter, collaborates with Aboubakr, percussionist and singer. Their style: rock, rai, gnawa (among others) amalgamated to become what was later christened ‘haiha attitude’, loosely translating as "priority to the festive."
This contagious virus seduced Aboubakr’s younger brother, one time bedroom guitarist, prompting him to fashion the dream team in 1999. Their debut concert was held at the Federation of Oeuvres Laiques, (FOL) a forum renowned for creativity, in Casablanca at the end of the same year. This was swiftly followed by a stream of concerts giving birth to the well known songs, “Bienvenue a Casa”, “La télé”, “Khoroto Connection”, “H’rig” and the emblematic cover of Nass El Ghiwane’s “Fine Ghadi Biya Khoya.” Réda’s lyrics stab with sparkling clarity with a a blend of both French and Derija, the Moroccan dialect of Arabic.
Summer 2002, Adil (drums) and Amadou (bass) join the force to prove beyond doubt, a few months later at the FOL, that Hoba Hoba Spirit takes live music seriously, despite the departure of Aboubakr. Sensational success, confirmed by a subsequent booking for the famous Essaouira Gnawa Festival in 2003. A new epoch begins, the press explodes and Hoba Hoba Spirit is christened ‘the revelation of Essaouira 2003.’ The Album number one is an eponymous recording.
Oubiz is recruited to enhance the sound with percussion and voice, as is Saad who replaces Amadou on bass. Following the triumph of Essouira, the major cities of Morocco - Tangiers, Fes, Rabat, Agadir, Safi, El Jadidia and, of course, Casablanca, witness the Hoba Hoba Spirit explosion in 2003. The anxiety of Moroccan youth has never been expressed with such precision; conformity abandoned, the current generation is given an avenue in which to celebrate, and perhaps to forget. Or maybe it wasn’t that at all. Maybe it’s was just true Moroccan revelry Haiha Music: Without Borders The Haiha concept, understood in full, revolves around writing songs, not tracks. Singing as we speak, playing as we live.
The story continues into 2004 with Hoba Hoba Spirit playing the closing concert of the Boulevard of Young Musicans in Casablanca with Gnawa Diffusion. This is soon followed by the opening of the Essouira festival where Hoba Hoba Spirit supports the Wailers. The launch of the second album ‘Blad Skizo’ in 2005, reflects the experience of an generation subject to daily oppression. The penchant for rock is unmistakable. Through ‘El Kelb’, ‘Jamal’ and ‘Ma Ajebtinich’, the group stands up with a desire to express what the society experiences, no holds barred, shouldered by increasingly focused compositions. July 2005 sees Hoba Hoba Spirit selected to open the festival of Casablanca, welcomed by a colossal crowd of 40,000. “Bienvenue a Casa” proves itself as pertinent as ever; an unofficial hymn of the current Casablancan generation. The definitive moment of the year, however, comes with the winning of the silver medal at the Francophone Games in Niger, in December, 2005.
DISCOGRAPHY:
-1st Album : Hoba² Spirit(2004)
-2nd Album : Blad Schizo(2006)
-3rd Album : Trabondo (2007 )
-4th Album : El Gouddam (2008)
Official website
Enjoy !
Gnawa Blues
Hoba Hoba Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ok i can speak french
And maybe if you see me
You could think i'm from paris
There've been a hurricane
There've been a hurricane
People don't know where they come from
This is a folk guitar
This is a folk guitar
But there's aint no European goove that roll behind me
Egleb than eloui
Call it african folk
Call it gnawa blues
it is just rock'n roll
Sang by morrocan soul
Call chaabi funk
Call it ayta jazz
It is just haiha music
Coming from deep of our soul
Don't call it world music
No no no no no world music
I don't know how to call it
It's just the music of my world
Call it african folk
Call it gnawa blues
It is just haiha music
Coming from deep of our soul
Call chaabi funk
Call it ayta jazz
It is just haiha music
Coming from deep of our soul
Haiha music wo yoyooooo
The lyrics to Hoba Hoba Spirit's song "Gnawa Blues" are a commentary on cultural identity and the impact of globalization on traditional music. The singer begins by acknowledging their ability to sing in English and speak French, which may lead others to believe they are from Paris. However, the lyrics quickly shift to discussing the effects of a hurricane, a symbol of the chaos and destruction that can result from cultural displacement.
Despite the challenges of cultural uncertainty, the singer takes pride in their music, describing it as a fusion of African folk, gnawa blues, and rock and roll, all sung with a Moroccan soul. They reject the label of "world music," instead claiming it as a unique expression of their world. The singer invites the listener to call their music chaabi funk or ayta jazz, but ultimately refers to it as "haiha music," coming from the deep well of their soul.
Overall, the lyrics to "Gnawa Blues" celebrate the beauty and authenticity of traditional Moroccan music, while acknowledging the challenges of cultural displacement and the homogenizing effects of globalization.
Line by Line Meaning
Ok i sing in english
I am able to sing in English.
Ok i can speak french
I am capable of speaking French.
And maybe if you see me
You could think i'm from paris
My appearance may give you the impression that I am from Paris.
There've been a hurricane
There've been a hurricane
People don't know where they come from
So how could they know where they go
There has been chaos, but people are not aware of their roots, so they are unaware of their destiny.
This is a folk guitar
This is a folk guitar
But there's aint no European goove that roll behind me
I play a folk guitar, but there is no European influence in my music.
Egleb than eloui
This is a phrase that does not have a clear translation, but it is meant to express a feeling of discontent or frustration.
Call it african folk
Call it gnawa blues
it is just rock'n roll
Sang by morrocan soul
Refer to my music as African folk or Gnawa blues, but in reality it is just rock and roll played by a Moroccan soul.
Call chaabi funk
Call it ayta jazz
It is just haiha music
Coming from deep of our soul
You can also refer to it as Chaabi funk or Ayta jazz, but essentially it is just Haiha music emerging from the depths of our spirits.
Don't call it world music
No no no no no world music
I don't know how to call it
It's just the music of my world
Do not categorize my music as world music. It is difficult to label it, but it is the music that comes from my personal world.
Call it african folk
Call it gnawa blues
It is just haiha music
Coming from deep of our soul
Again, call it whatever you want, but it is just Haiha music originating from the depths of our souls.
Call chaabi funk
Call it ayta jazz
It is just haiha music
Coming from deep of our soul
Once more, call it Chaabi funk or Ayta jazz, but at the core it is just Haiha music emerging from the depths of our spirits.
Haiha music wo yoyooooo
This is a playful way of repeating the idea that this is Haiha music.
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.