In North Africa’s vibrant and competitive pop and hip-hop landscape, Manal has carved out a powerful lane of her own—one defined by bold storytelling, cultural pride and a steadfast commitment to ...

From the heart of the desert and Bedouin life in western Algeria, specifically among the nomadic tribes around Oran, Raï was born as a traditional music overflowing with folk poetry. The earliest Raï ...

The recent death of French Algerian superstar Rachid Taha brought to mind the musical genre called raï, so I decided to feature it this week by highlighting a few raï artists.… It’s not hard to ...

Raï music, arguably the most popular music style in the Middle East today, originated in the Algerian port city of Oran. By Billboard Staff RELEASE DATE: Nov. 26 Raï music, arguably the most popular ...

Raï Story is a musical journey in search of the Raï legend, Cheikha Remitti, in Oran, Algeria, where the Raï musical tradition began. In 1923, the first Raï singers performed behind screens during ...

What musical genre can claim to have gone, in the space of fifty years, from a hidden cabaret in Oran to Super Bowl halftime? Born in Algeria at the end of the Second World War, the raï wave spread ...

Earlier this week, the baguette was given official status as part of France’s intangible heritage by UNESCO. As much as the baguette may be the best thing since sliced bread, it wasn’t the only new ...

Raï is a popular folk song from Algeria. A means of conveying social reality without taboos or censorship, the music touches on topics such as love, freedom, despair and social pressures. It is viewed ...

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Raï returned to southern Lebanon, visiting border villages that have endured years of instability, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported ...

The Maronite Patriarch is in the Saudi capital today, the first visit by a Christian leader to the ultraconservative kingdom. He will meet King Salman, the hereditary prince and the outgoing Lebanese ...