It was the biggest Algerian show ever staged in France and left no doubt that Khaled remained Raï's hottest attraction. Perhaps the moment that justified his title of King of Raï, however, came in 1999, when he headlined the 1-2-3 Soleils concert in Paris (which led to the album of the same name), over Rachid Taha and Faudel. however, unlike France, where the album became Khaled's biggest success. While well-received critically, it sold little in the U.S. There was even some reggae on "Mektoubi," which merged relatively seamlessly with the North African sound. A mix of producers gave varying sounds, with French hip-hoppers Akhenton & Imhotep proving the hardest on the track "Oran Marseille" with its rapid-fire rap. In 1996, he hit again with Sahra, whose first single, " Aïcha," written for his daughter, gave Khaled a French number one hit. That was firmly cemented the following year with the Was-produced N'ssi N'ssi, which mixed funk, rock, and an Egyptian orchestra behind Khaled's persuasive voice and winning smile for a major commercial breakthrough in France, winning a European, as well as North African, audience.
It yielded his first big hit, " Didi" and helped consolidate his reputation as Raï's first superstar. He fared much better with 1992's Khaled, with some tracks produced by Michael Brook and others by Don Was. Arriving with a reputation, he attempted to take his music to a global level, although his real debut, Kutche, did him no favors with its jazz-rock arrangements. Guitarist Steve Hillage produced many of Khaled's career.īy 1986, Khaled (who'd now dropped the Cheb) had been forced to move to Paris, as violence in Algeria claimed lives and he'd been threatened several times (producer Ahmed would, in fact, be murdered, as would several Raï performers).
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