On this evening in February 2019, as ElGrandeToto prepares to take the stage as the opening act for Belgian rapper Damso in Casablanca, no one among the organizers has yet been able to measure his aura. “Damso agreed, but the filmmakers were worried it wouldn’t suit the audience.” recalls Anissa Jalab, manager of ElGrandeToto since 2018. They didn’t want this Moroccan singer, who raps mainly in Darija (Moroccan dialect Arabic), to not hesitate to appear with a joint in her mouth and a glass of alcohol in her hand very reminiscent of the street for a renowned French-speaking audience “pretty classy.” And then ElGrandeToto began his show.
In just a few minutes, the Mohammed V Stadium was transformed into a giant karaoke. “The audience knew the lyrics by heart, people were excited, we experienced a great musical moment. His audience spoke for him, praises the Belgian of Moroccan origin. I insisted because I understood that Toto fascinates all of Morocco. » And now far beyond its limits.
At 27 years old, ElGrandeToto is one of the most listened to artists in the Arab world. Since October, his debut album has racked up more than 100 million streams on Spotify chameleon (2021). The Moroccan star begins a world tour from Brussels to Los Angeles and will perform to sold-out audiences at the Olympia in Paris on November 5th. Eagerly awaited, his second album, 27, produced by Guilty from Toulouse, will soon be released by RCA (Sony Music France).
“It’s the rappers who make a difference”
In a few years, ElGrandeToto has asserted his openness in lyrics that describe his daily life between evenings of alcohol, cannabis, violence, idleness, confrontations with the police and dreams of elsewhere. So many issues that touch the hearts of a whole new generation remain on the margins of a country torn between religious conservatism and modernity.
For the young people of Benjdia, his home district, ElGrandeToto is a hero. An impudent character with rough edges who managed to express himself freely and give Darija back her noble titles. “Toto popularized our language, which was considered shameful. Today he surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. Who did this before him? Person. Nobody gave us visibility, notes Oussama Benbrika, a 17-year-old high school student with a passion for rap who dreams of a career as a professional footballer. Today it is rappers who make things happen in our country, not politicians. All Moroccan youth are behind him! »
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