Raï

Raï, sometimes written rai, is a form of Algerian popular music whose origins date back to the 1920s. Younger singers of Raï are called cheb (شاب) or cheba (شابة), i.e. 'young', as opposed to sheikh (شيخ, 'shaykh'), i.e. 'old', the name given to older and Chaabi singers. The tradition arose in the city of Oran, primarily among the poor. Traditionally sung by men, by the end of the 20th century, female singers became common. The earliest lyrics dealt with social issues such as disease and the policing of European colonies that affected native populations.