Hoba Hoba Spirit

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Hoba Hoba Spirit Alien of Moroccan Descent It was in 1998 that the alienesque Hoba Hoba Spirit emerged in the form of a duo from Casablanca, vivacious, and void of airs and graces, playing music for no more than the amusement of close friends. Réda, guitarist, singer-songwriter, collaborated with Aboubakr, percussionist and singer. Their style: rock, rai, gnawa, (among others) amalgamated to become what was later christened ‘haiha attitude’, loosely translating as priority to the festive. This contagious virus seduced Aboubakr’s younger brother, one time bedroom guitarist, prompting him to fashion the dream team in 1999. Their debut concert was held at the Federation of Oeuvres Laiques, (FOL) a forum for renowned creativity, in Casablanca at the end of the same year. This was swiftly followed by a stream of concerts giving birth to the immortal “Bienvenue a Casa”, “La télé”, “Khoroto Connection”, “H’rig” and the emblematic cover of Nass El Ghiwane’s “Fine Ghadi Biya Khoya”. Réda’s lyrics of sparkling clarity stab with a caustic potion of French and Derija – Moroccan Arabic. Summer 2002, and Adil (drums) and Amadou (bass) join the force to prove beyond doubt, a few months later at the FOL, that Hoba Hoba Spirit takes live music seriously, despite the departure of Aboubakr. Sensational success, confirmed by a subsequent booking for the infamous Essaouira Gnawa Festival in 2003. A new epoch begins, the press explodes and Hoba Hoba Spirit is christened ‘the revelation of Essaouira 2003.’ Album number one is an eponymous recording, burned far and wide with abandon. Oubiz is recruited to enhance the sound with percussion and voice, as is Saad who replaces Amadou on bass. Following the triumph of Essouira, the major cities of Morocco - Tangiers, Fes, Rabat, Agadir, Safi, El Jadidia and, of course, Casablanca, witness the Hoba Hoba Spirit explosion in 2003. The anxiety of Moroccan youth has never been expressed with such precision; conformity abandoned, the current generation is given an avenue in which to celebrate, and perhaps to forget. Or maybe it wasn’t that at all. Maybe it was just true Moroccan revelry. Haiha Music: Without Borders The Haiha concept, understood in full, revolves around writing songs, not tracks. Singing as we speak, playing as we live. The story continues into 2004 with Hoba Hoba Spirit playing the closing concert of the Boulevard of Young Musicians in Casablanca with Gnawa Diffusion. This is soon followed by the opening of the Essouira festival where Hoba Hoba Spirit supports the Wailers. The launch of the second album ‘Blad Skizo’ in 2005, reflects the experience of an generation subject to daily oppression. The penchant for rock is unmistakable. Through ‘El Kelb’, ‘Jamal’ and ‘Ma Ajebtinich’, the group stands up with a desire to express what the society experiences, no holds barred, shouldered by increasingly focused compositions. July 2005 sees Hoba Hoba Spirit selected to open the festival of Casablanca, welcomed by a colossal crowd of 40,000. “Bienvenue a Casa” proves itself as pertinent as ever; an unofficial hymn of the current Casablancan generation. The definitive moment of the year, however, comes with the winning of the silver medal at the Francophone Games in Niger, in December, 2005. Obstacles desolve - or nearly. Hoba Hoba.