Khaled

To date, Khaled has sold over 80.5 million albums (10 diamond, platinum, and gold) worldwide, making him the bestselling Arabic-language singer in history. Among his most famous songs are "Aïcha", "Didi", "El Arbi", "Abdel Kader", "La Poupée qui fait non", "Wahran Wahran", "Bakhta", "C'est la vie", and "Alech Taadi". He holds the Guinness World Record for best-selling artist of raï music. Forbes has consistently placed Khaled in the top celebrities of Arab Music, and placed him at high ranks for years

• Name — Khaled • Native Name — خالد • Birth Name — Khaled Hadj Ibrahim • Born — 29 February 1960 • Birthplace — Oran, French Algeria • Other Names — * Cheb Khaled • King of Raï • The Ambassador of Arab music • Citizenship — * Algeria • France • Morocco (since 2013) • Occupation — * Musician • singer • songwriter • Years Active — 1974–present • Children — 5

Khaled was born on 29 February 1960 in Oran's Eckmühl neighborhood, Algeria.

His rise to national fame was mainly due to the efforts of Lieutenant-Colonel Hosni Snoussi, director of the state-supported arts and culture Office Riadh el Feth, who took Khaled under his wing and invited him along with other rai stars to perform at the state-sponsored Festival de la Jeunesse pour la Fête Nationale in Algiers in July 1985. In the same year, he was crowned king of rai in the first official festival of rai which was staged in Oran. • Illustration — Khaled a la Coupole 2014 Algerie Hosni Snoussi and Martin Meissonnier, who met at the Festival, convinced France's Minister of Culture Jack Lang that the export of rai from Algeria to France was in the French government's interest and together they organized the first rai festival in France at Bobigny in 1986. Cheb Khaled, who had been avoiding his mandatory military service, was able to perform at Bobigny only after Colonel Snoussi intervened with the Algerian military authorities to secure him a passport. Shortly thereafter, Snoussi arranged for Cheb Khaled to record in France, with funding from the Office Riadh el Feth. The album, Kutché, released in 1988, a collaboration between Khaled and the Algerian jazz musician Safy Boutella, expanded his reputation in France, where he soon settled. In 1992, having dropped the "Cheb" from his performance name, he recorded Khaled, which was produced by Don Was. The album's first single Didi, which was a major hit in Europe, the Arab World, and in South and East Asia, made him an international superstar.

One of the Pioneers of world music, Rai musician Khaled has gone beyond all geo-political boundaries to become one of the world's most popular performers, mixing traditional Algerian music with western rhythms and styles such as soul, rock and reggae to achieve his distinctive sound and voice unlike anyone ever. Khaled has been celebrated not only for his music, but for his role as a builder of bridges between cultures. selling more than 80 millions copies around the world makes him a nationwide celebrity and unofficial ambassador for the country's Arab minority. —Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2008 Khaled's signature song, the 1993 hit "Didi", became extremely popular in the Arabic-speaking countries and also in several other continents, including Europe, where it entered top charts in France, Belgium and Spain, and in Asia, including India and Pakistan. The song was also used in the Bollywood films Shreeman Aashiq, Airlift, Highway, and Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Khaled and producer Don Was appeared on The Tonight Show on 4 February 1993. Islamic extremists opposed to perceived vulgarity in rai music have obtained fatwa condemning vulgar singers to death. Khaled has described himself as "at the top of the list of well-known people the fundamentalists want to kill" in consequence. Khaled returned to the United States of America in December 2004 for a special guest performance at the Grammy Jam 2004 in Los Angeles, California. He joined a cast of celebrity artists honoring the band Earth, Wind & Fire, performing Brazilian Rhymes into "Didi" showing how their music crossed the world, fusing with his North African style. In 2012, Khaled's album C’est la vie sold more than one million copies in the European market, 1.8 million copies in the Middle East and North Africa, and over 4 million copies worldwide. The album reached number 5 on SNEP, the official French Albums Chart. On 3 April 2015, Khaled was convicted for plagiarizing "Didi" from Angui ou Selmi, a musical composition recorded by Cheb Rabah (born Rabah Zerradine) in 1988. But on 13 May 2016, Court of Cassation removed the charges against Khaled, when a 1982 audio tape with the song was shown. This tape was recorded by Khaled and given to a producer located in Oran six years before Cheb Rabah's record. In the end, Rabah had to compensate Khaled for the fees during this case. In 2020, Khaled co-wrote and released a charity single, "Elle S'appelle Beyrouth," to benefit victims of the 2020 Port of Beirut Explosion to various charities in a collaboration project with Lebanese-born Brazilian DJ Rodge (born Roger Saad), which remained number one on Lebanese music charts for six weeks. After a decade-long hiatus from major studio album releases, he returned with the self-titled album Cheb Khaled in 2022. He later reunited with Rodge for the Qatar Airways-commissioned multilingual song "C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S.", in commemoration of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

• Illustration — Khaled performing in Marseille (2009) On 12 January 1995, Khaled married 27-year-old Samira Diabi in France. Together, they have four daughters and one son. In 1997, his wife filed a complaint against him for domestic violence, before retracting the complaint. In 1998, the biography Khaled: Derrière le sourire (French for "Khaled: Behind the Smile") was published, which recounted his life. Khaled has an illegitimate son with whom he has no contact. Before a court appearance in 2001, he denied being the father of the child, continuing to claim that he had been "deceived". On the 7 May 2001, Khaled was sentenced by the Nanterre criminal court to a two-month suspended prison sentence for "family desertion". His move to Luxembourg in 2008, where he has been residing ever since, has reportedly been motivated by these charges. He was awarded Moroccan citizenship in August 2013, which, according to him and his wife, he did not ask for but accepted because he felt he could not refuse.

• Year — Album — Label — Charts — Certification • BEL (Fl) — BEL (Wa) — FRA — NED — SWI • 1985 — Hada Raykoum — MCPE — — — — — — — — — — • 1988 — Kutché (with Safy Boutella) — Zone Music — — — — — — — — — — • 1992 — Khaled — Barclay — — — — — — — — — — • 1993 — N'ssi N'ssi — — — — — — — — — — • 1996 — Sahra — 24 — 7 — 3 — 33 — 26 • 1999 — Kenza — Universal — — — — — 49 — — — 57 • 2004 — Ya-Rayi — * Universal * Wrasse — — — 41 — 52 — — — 70 • 2009 — Liberté — * Wrasse * AZ — — — 95 — 51 — — — — • 2012 — C'est la vie — AZ — — — 27 — 18 — — — 96 • 2022 — Cheb Khaled — Aalia Publishing — — — — — — — — — — • "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released

• Solo • Year — Album — Charts — Certification • BEL (Fl) — BEL (Wa) — FRA • 1998 — Hafla — 28 — — — 29 • Collaboration • Year — Album — Charts — Certification • BEL (Fl) — BEL (Wa) — FRA • 1999 — 1, 2, 3 Soleils (credited to Taha / Khaled / Faudel) — — — 14 — 4

• 1991: Le Meilleur de Cheb Khaled • 1994: Le Meilleur de Cheb Khaled 2 • 2005: Forever King • 2005: Spirit of Rai • 2006: Maghreb Soul – Cheb Khaled Story 1986–1990 • 2007: Best of • 2009: Rebel of Raï – The Early Years

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name • Title — Year — Peak chart positions — Album • FRA — BEL (FL) — BEL (WA) — GER — NLD — SWE — SWI • "Chebba" / "Baroud" (with Safy Boutella) — 1988 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Kutché • "Le Camel" (with Safy Boutella) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Didi" — 1992 — 9 — 50 — — — — — 29 — — — 30 — Khaled • "Ne m'en voulez pas" — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Mauvais sang" — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Serbi Serbi" — 1993 — 50 — — — — — — — — — — — — — N'ssi N'ssi • "Chebba" — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "N'ssi N'ssi" — 1994 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Bakhta" — 1995 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Aïcha" — 1996 — 1 — 25 — 1 — 33 — 14 — — — 11 — Sahra • "Ouelli El Darek" — 1997 — 23 — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Le jour viendra" — 24 — — — 12 — — — — — — — — • "Lillah" — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "La poupée qui fait non (Live)" (with Mylène Farmer) — 6 — — — 5 — — — — — — — — — Live à Bercy • "Abdel Kader (Live à Bercy)" (with Rachid Taha and Faudel) — 1998 — 6 — — — 36 — — — — — — — — — 1, 2, 3 Soleils • "Comme d'habitude" (with Rachid Taha and Faudel) — 1999 — 40 — — — 40 — — — — — — — — • "C'est la nuit" — 29 — — — 35 — — — — — — — — — Kenza • "El harba wine" (featuring Amar) — 2000 — 20 — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Les ennemis (El Aâdyene)" (vs. Fonky Family) — 63 — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Wana wana" — 2001 — 97 — — — — — — — — — — — — — rowspan="2" • "Agir Réagir" (with Jérôme Collet, Yves Lecoq, Sapho, Samira Said, Faudel, Elie Chouraqui, Sonia Lacen, Moise N'Tumba, Ishtar, Princess Erika, Amina, Gad Elmaleh, Youssou N'Dour, Lââm, Idrissa Diop, Daniel Lévi, Juste Pour Eux, and Jean-Jacques Goldman) — 2004 — 38 — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Ya-Rayi" — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Ya-Rayi • "Zine Zina" — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "La terre a tremblé" — 2007 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Best of Khaled • "Benthi" (with Melissa M) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Avec tout mon amour • "Même pas fatigué" (with Magic System) — 2009 — 1 — — — 10 — — — — — — — 49 — Raï'n'B Fever, Vol.3: Même pas fatigué!!! • "Papa" (cover of Blaoui Houari) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Liberté • "C'est la vie" — 2012 — 4 — 5 — 5 — — — 92 — 34 — 33 — C'est la vie • "Hiya Hiya" (featuring Pitbull) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Dima Labess" (featuring Mazagan) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Ana Âacheck" — 2013 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Samira" — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Wili Wili" — 2014 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Wahda Be Wahda" — 2016 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Salama So Good" (with Andy) — 2019 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Cheb Khaled • "Delali" (featuring Gashi) — 2020 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — rowspan="3" • "Elle s'appelle Beyrouth" (featuring Rodge) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S." (with Rodge) — 2022 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Trigue Lycée" (Remix featuring DJ Snake) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Cheb Khaled • "Balatar" (with Tohi) — 2023 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name • Title — Year — Peak chart positions — Album • FRA — BEL (FL) — BEL (WA) — GER — AUT — NLD — SWE — SWI • "El Oasis de los Dioses" (Ketama featuring Khaled) — 1998 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Konfusión • "Bladi" (Freeman featuring K-Rhyme Le Roi and Khaled) — 1999 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — L'palais de justice • "Time For A Change" (The Rapsody featuring MC Lyte, Khaled and Danacee) — 2000 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Hip Hop Meets World • "Henna" (Cameron Cartio featuring Khaled) — 2005 — — — 8 — — — — — — — 86 — 9 — — — Borderless • "L'enfant du pays" (Rim'K featuring Khaled) — 2007 — 32 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Famille nombreuse • "Citizens of the World" (Pangea featuring Flying Machines, Khaled, King Sunny Adé, Kailash Kher and Cheng Lin) — 2010 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — • "Maghreb Gang" (Farid Bang featuring French Montana and Khaled) — 2019 — — — — — — — 4 — 7 — — — — — 5 — Torremolinos • "Diamanti e oro" (Gigi D'Alessio featuring Khaled and Jovanotti) — 2025 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Nuje • "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

List of promotional singles • Title — Year — Album • "The World Is Ours" (with David Correy and Nancy Ajram featuring Monobloco) — 2014 — rowspan="4" • "Taman Hayah" — 2018 • "3ashan Nefham Ba’d" (with Mohamed Mounir, Amir Eid and Marwan Moussa) — 2022 • "Yalla Bina" (with Jana Diab) — 2026

• Year — Song — Main artist — Album • 1990 — "Be Not Afraid" — The Blow Monkeys — Springtime for the World • 1992 — "Amdyaz" — Hector Zazou — Sahara Blue • 1995 — "Revolution, Revolutions" "ElDorado" (UNESCO official anthem) — Jean Michel Jarre — Concert Pour La Tolerance • "Didi" (with Johnny Clegg) — Various Artists — Duos Taratata • 1997 — "Chanson du herisson" — Various Artists — Emilie Jolie • "Koubou Koubou" — Various Artists — The Rough Guide to the Music of North Africa • "Mâardi" — Various Artists — Sol En Si (Solidarité Enfants Sida) • 1998 — "Ensemble (Understand)" "Crimes" — Alan Stivell — 1 Douar • 1999 — "Alby" — Amr Diab — Amarain • "Alger" — Mousta Largo — Mektoub • "Donner Pour Donner" — Les Enfoirés — Dernière Édition avant l'an 2000 • "¡Oh Madre!" — Tekameli — Ida y Vuelta • 2000 — "L'Aziza" — Various Artists — Balavoine Hommages... • "Emmenez-moi" — Les Enfoirés — XXème siècle • "Le Rêve de mon Père" — Kertra — Le Labyrinthe • "Ojos de la Alhambra" — Vicente Amigo — Ciudad de los Ideas • 2001 — "Aich Rebel Sun" — Various Artists — Big Men, Raï Meets Reggae • 2002 — "Saludo A Chango" — Compay Segundo — Duets • 2004 — "Retour aux sources" — Kore & Skalp — Raï'n'B Fever • "L'enfant du pays" — Rim'K — L'enfant du pays • "Dance with me" — Enzo Avitabile and Bottari — Save the World • 2006 — "Mas Wi Loli" — Diana Haddad — Diana 2006 • "Face à la mer" (recorded in 1992) — Les Négresses Vertes — À l'affiche (Best of), • "El Marsem" — Enrique Morente — Morente sueña la Alhambra (DVD) • 2007 — "Bilovengo" "Erjaii Ya Alf Leiïla (Mille Et Une Nuits Sans Toi)" — Bratsch — Plein du monde • "Salam" — Andy, Hakim — Airport • 2009 — "Avec le sourire" — Bisso Na Bisso — Africa • 2012 — "Mazal Wakfin" — Warda Al-Jazairia, Baaziz • "L'Oriental" — Enrico Macias — Venez tous mes amis! • 2013 — "El Baraka" — Rim'K, Cheba Zahouania • "Larosa" — Medina — Sista Minuten • "Paris Marseille Alger" — Morsay, Maliano — Le son du ter ter 4 • 2018 — "We Enta Maaya" — Tamer Hosny — Eish Besho'ak • "Mirage" — Soolking — Fruit du démon

• Year — Song — Soundtrack • 1995 — "Soul Fusion" (with Bellek) — Raï • 1997 — "Wahrane Wahrane" "Cameleons" (with Cheb Mami) — 100% Arabica • 2000 — "Wana Wana Aamel Eih" "Dour Biha Ya Chibani" — Origine contrôlée • 2004 — De l'autre côté • 2006 — "Ya Dzayer" "Mort de Messaoud" "Nostalgie" "Sur la tombe" "El Babour" — Indigènes (Days of Glory) • 2007 — "Benthi" (with Mélissa M) — Taxi 4

• 1997 100% Arabica • 1997 Le Centre de visionnage • 2003 Art'n Acte Production • 2004 We Are the Future

Khaled was recorded at birth as خالد حاج إبراهيم. He also worked under the names الشاب خالد and خالد. His recorded languages were Arabic and French. His recorded confession was Islam.

Khaled is recorded as singer-songwriter, singer, musician and composer. Recorded at birth as خالد حاج إبراهيم.

• First Arab singer to win World Music Awards (1992). • First Arab singer to hold a Guinness World Record for Best-selling artist of raï music (2000). • Only Arab singer to perform at Fifa World Cup ceremony (2010). • FAO goodwill ambassador. • Only Arab singer to perform at European Athletics Championships (2006). • Was named top 50 Voices in the World by NPR. • Is decorated « Chevalier des arts et des lettres » • First Rai singer to be named Cheb in 1974 which means (young man), and then all rai singers named (Cheb) or (Cheba) after Khaled. • First and only Arab singer to perform in many countries all over the world such as USA, Canada, Japan (1989), Netherlands, Turkey (1996), Germany, Portugal (2018), Italy, Brazil (2000), Spain, England, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Mauritius (2014), Slovenia, Ethiopia (2014), South Africa (2010), Senegal (2014), India (1992), Greece (2006), Hungary and Luxembourg. • Only Arab singer to chart in France, Sweden, Belgium, USA, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia. • First Arab singer to chart in Billboards Hot 100. • First Arab singer to chart in France Charts. • First Arab singer to chart in European Hot 100 singles (2009). • First Arab singer to chart in Brazil for the song (El Arbi) • Only Arab Musician to win Cesar Award (1994). • Only Arab (Musician) to Win Venice Film Festival award (1993). • Most-singing Arab singer in L'Olympia in Paris (5 times). • Sold over 80.5 million albums (10 diamond, platinum, and gold) worldwide. • Considered one of the most-selling Arab singers of all time.

* Award — Year — Nominee(s) — Category — Result — Ref. References

* BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music — 2004

* 2005

* César Awards — 1994 — 1, 2, 3, Sun — Best Original Music

* GQ Awards — 2019 — Himself — Legend Award

* Kora Awards — 1997

* 2012

* NRJ Music Awards — 2010 — Khaled, Raï'n'B, Magic System — Francophone Duo/Group of the Year

* Venice Film Festival — 1993 — 1, 2, 3, Sun — Golden Osella for Best Music

* Victoires de la Musique — 1995

* "Aïcha" — Original Song of the Year

* 2013 — C'est la vie — World Music Album of the Year

* World Music Awards — 1997 — Himself — World's Best Selling African Artist of the Year

* 2000 — Khaled, Rachid Taha, Faudel — World's Best Selling Arabic Act

* World's Best Selling Algerian Artist

* World's Best Male Artist

* World's Best Live Act

* World's Best Entertainer

* C'est la vie — World's Best Album — • 1985: First Prize of Rai Music (KING) Oran • 1989: Best Song (chebba) in France • 1989: Top 100 Best Album in 20th Century (kutché) • 1992: Top 50 MTV America (didi) • 1992: MTV India Awards (didi) • 2004: Grammy Jam Awards (Khaled and Carlos Santana) ("Love to the people") • 2005: Montreal International Jazz Festival (The Antonio Carlos-Jobim Award) • 2005: ImagineNations and DC Internationals (Empowering Award, for spreading the message of peace) • 2006: The Mediterranean Prize for Creativity • 2008: Award Dutch Virsti – German Academy of Music • 2009: NME Awards 2009 (meilleur duo) avec Magic System • 2009: MGM Awards (highest-selling Arab album in history) (The legendary) (Las Vegas) • 2010: Big Apple Music Awards (best Arab artist selling in United States) • 2010: One of 50 Great Voices profiled by NPR • 2013: Murex D'Or 2013 – Best International Song & Best International Singer – Cheb Khaled – ("C'est La Vie") • 2013: Rabab d’or Prix d'honneur – Maroc Festival International Al Ansra de M’diq ("C'est La Vie") • 2013: Festival International de la Musique Kabyle à Tanger festival Touiza MAROC 2013 ("C'est La Vie") • 2016: XLII Universal Music Award – Vienna 2016 – for "C'est La Vie" as Best Song.