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 !
Jamal
Hoba Hoba Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kat tehlem terkeb fel car
Courda dial guitarra
Khassha twoulli kamanja
Jamal a des reves qui relevent
De la chevre qu'elle voulait voler
Il appelle ça des projets
C'est juste quelques idées
Ou houa edderi fel film
Kaytferrej ferassou
ou menba3d y3awedha lesshabou
Ou y zid mes commentaires
Oul commentaire dial commentaire
Sa loi est claire: ne pas se taire
Et surtout jamais rien faire
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamais mé ydir wélou
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal 3ajbou hbélou
Jamal mélou mélou
Hé4a 7alou
Jamal hyatou koullha ouqfa ihtijajia
Dhed el capitalisme oul oummia oul akhbar dial tmenia
Diplomé chomeur bla diplome
Mia fel mia glandeur koullou stoune
Comptemplatif ou negatif jamal 3aych bessif
Jamal 3aych bessif
3Aych histoire d'amour
Maa manta dial velours
Ou seddari tmoula alih
Ched el forma dial rejlih
Ou aziz alih el loto
Ou slowate dial amro
Oul alflam khoroto
Li douzou ferrialto
Atiha gher lennguir
Ou reddou fenn kbir
On peut en rire
ou bien lui dire
Dir dir dir chi haja men hyatek
Bouji chouia rassek
Enness ness helkek
Ouqef ala rejlek
Jamal hyatou koullha ouqfa ihtijajia
Dhed el capitalisme oul oummia oul system dial troumbia
Diplomé chomeur bla diplome
Mia fel mia glandeur koullou stoune
Comptemplatif ou negatif jamal 3aych bessif
Jamal 3aych bessif
Debbber 3ala piston
Ou dkhoul ladministration
Hattouh fmouqata3a
Kay tba3 chahadates essoukna
A cause de gens comme ca
Des jamal dial idara
Ndouzou youmain oulla thléthaa
Bech nkherrjou had lwarqa
Jamal hyatou koullha ouqfa ihtijajia
Dhed el capitalisme oul oummia oul akhbar dial tmenia
Diplomé chomeur bla diplome
Mia fel mia glandeur koullou stoune
Il se dit opprimé alors qu'il esr juste déprimé
Et souvent déprimant
Et souvent déprimant
Chefti had jamal hada maa ymchich b3id
The song "Jamal" by Hoba Hoba Spirit reflects on the life of a man named Jamal and his struggles in modern society. The lyrics highlight his aspirations, dreams and ideas which are often ridiculed and dismissed by those around him. Jamal is someone who thinks out of the box, who questions the established norms, who refuses to be a conformist and who wants to live his life according to his own rules. He is someone who wants to pursue his passion for music and art but finds himself stuck in a system that doesn't value creativity and individuality.
The song also touches upon the socio-economic issues that Jamal and many others like him face every day. The verses talk about unemployment, poverty, corruption, and the struggle to survive in a capitalist world that only cares about profit and power. Despite the hardships, Jamal doesn't lose hope, and he continues to live his life with a sense of rebellion and resistance. The chorus "Jamal mélou mélou" is a catchy phrase that means "Jamal is different" and it reflects his unique personality and worldview.
Overall, "Jamal" is a powerful social commentary on the state of contemporary Moroccan society, where the younger generation is struggling to find a place for themselves amidst political, social, and economic turmoil. The song celebrates the courage and bravery of individuals like Jamal who dare to dream, resist, and fight for their dignity and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Bhal houta fi ouast al bhar
Like a piece of wood in the middle of the sea
Kat tehlem terkeb fel car
You are dreaming of getting in the car
Courda dial guitarra
The string of the guitar
Khassha twoulli kamanja
She should have played the violin instead
Jamal a des reves qui relevent
Jamal has dreams that matter
De la chevre qu'elle voulait voler
Like the goat that wanted to fly
Il appelle ça des projets
He calls them projects
C'est juste quelques idées
It's just a few ideas
wHyatou reddha film
His life is like a movie
Ou houa edderi fel film
And he is the director in the movie
Kaytferrej ferassou
He is polishing his sword
ou menba3d y3awedha lesshabou
And after that, he will sharpen it with his friends
Ou y zid mes commentaires
And he adds his comments
Oul commentaire dial commentaire
Or comments on the comments
Sa loi est claire: ne pas se taire
His rule is clear: do not stay silent
Et surtout jamais rien faire
And above all, never do nothing
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal mixed up
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal mixed up
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal mixed up
Jamais mé ydir wélou
Never does anything
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal mixed up
Jamal 3ajbou hbélou
Jamal likes it his own way
Jamal mélou mélou
Jamal mixed up
Hé4a 7alou
And this is his situation
Jamal hyatou koullha ouqfa ihtijajia
Jamal's life is all about being rebellious
Dhed el capitalisme oul oummia oul akhbar dial tmenia
Against capitalism, politics, and the media of deception
Diplomé chomeur bla diplome
A graduate who is jobless, with or without a degree
Mia fel mia glandeur koullou stoune
One in a hundred is a hard worker, the rest are lazy
Comptemplatif ou negatif jamal 3aych bessif
Whether contemplative or negative, Jamal lives anyway
3Aych histoire d'amour
He lives a love story
Maa manta dial velours
Without velvet attire
Ou seddari tmoula alih
And a carpet full of dust
Ched el forma dial rejlih
With feet in a worn-out pair of shoes
Ou aziz alih el loto
And a lottery ticket he holds dear
Ou slowate dial amro
And some unpaid bills
Oul alflam khoroto
Or a torn cinema ticket
Li douzou ferrialto
For the one who wants to sell it
Atiha gher lennguir
He gives it away, but not without regret
Ou reddou fenn kbir
And they don't return the favor when he's in need
On peut en rire
One can laugh about it
ou bien lui dire
Or one can tell him
Dir dir dir chi haja men hyatek
Do something with your life
Bouji chouia rassek
Take care of yourself for a bit
Enness ness helkek
These days are for you
Ouqef ala rejlek
Stand for yourself
Debbber 3ala piston
Bribe your way forward
Ou dkhoul ladministration
And enter the administration
Hattouh fmouqata3a
Get a certificate
Kay tba3 chahadates essoukna
And you will have some local fame
A cause de gens comme ca
Because of people like that
Des jamal dial idara
Jamals in the administration
Ndouzou youmain oulla thléthaa
Wake up one day, or another
Bech nkherrjou had lwarqa
To get out of this hole
Il se dit opprimé alors qu'il esr juste déprimé
He thinks he's oppressed, but he's just depressed
Et souvent déprimant
And often depressing
Chefti had jamal hada maa ymchich b3id
Have you seen this Jamal? He doesn't go far
Contributed by Elliot Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sunleo Studio
słuchałem tego jak byłem dzieckiem.
illumi
It remembers me when we was kids.