Cheb Khaled
| Birthday | February 29, 1960 |
|---|---|
| Age | 66 Years (November, 2026) |
| Birth Place | Oran, Algeria |
| Ethnicity | Algerian |
| Relationship Status | Married to Samira Diabi (since 1995) |
Biography
Khaled, born Khaled Hadj Ibrahim on 29 February 1960 in Oran, Algeria, is an Algerian rai singer who first recorded as a teenager under the name Cheb Khaled ("Young Khaled"). He is one of the most important figures in the history of rai and one of the best-known African singers in the world, with reported sales of more than 80 million albums. He holds the Guinness World Record for best-selling rai artist.
He became an international star with the 1992 single "Didi", produced by Don Was, and is also known for songs such as "Aicha", "El Arbi", "Abdel Kader", "Wahran Wahran" and "C'est la vie". He is based in France and was granted Moroccan citizenship in 2013.
He became an international star with the 1992 single "Didi", produced by Don Was, and is also known for songs such as "Aicha", "El Arbi", "Abdel Kader", "Wahran Wahran" and "C'est la vie". He is based in France and was granted Moroccan citizenship in 2013.
Early Life
Khaled was born in the Sidi El Houari neighbourhood of Oran, then part of French Algeria. He started recording in his early teens, using the title "Cheb", which is commonly given to young male rai singers.
Career
His national rise came in 1985, when he performed at a state-backed youth festival in Algiers and was crowned "king of rai" at the first official rai festival in Oran. In 1986 he played the first rai festival in France, at Bobigny. His 1988 album Kutche, made with Algerian jazz musician Safy Boutella, built his reputation in France, where he soon settled.
In 1992 he dropped "Cheb" from his name and released the album Khaled, produced by Don Was. Its first single, "Didi", was a hit in Europe, the Arab world and South Asia, charting in France, Belgium and Spain; it has also been used in several Bollywood films. Khaled and Don Was appeared on The Tonight Show in February 1993. In 2004 he performed at the Grammy Jam in Los Angeles in a tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire.
His 2012 album C'est la vie sold more than four million copies worldwide and reached number five on the French albums chart. A 2015 plagiarism ruling over "Didi" was overturned by France's Court of Cassation in 2016, after a 1982 tape of Khaled performing the song was produced. In 2020 he co-wrote and released the charity single "Elle S'appelle Beyrouth" for victims of the Beirut port explosion.
Khaled married Samira Diabi on 12 January 1995, and he has five children.
In 1992 he dropped "Cheb" from his name and released the album Khaled, produced by Don Was. Its first single, "Didi", was a hit in Europe, the Arab world and South Asia, charting in France, Belgium and Spain; it has also been used in several Bollywood films. Khaled and Don Was appeared on The Tonight Show in February 1993. In 2004 he performed at the Grammy Jam in Los Angeles in a tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire.
His 2012 album C'est la vie sold more than four million copies worldwide and reached number five on the French albums chart. A 2015 plagiarism ruling over "Didi" was overturned by France's Court of Cassation in 2016, after a 1982 tape of Khaled performing the song was produced. In 2020 he co-wrote and released the charity single "Elle S'appelle Beyrouth" for victims of the Beirut port explosion.
Khaled married Samira Diabi on 12 January 1995, and he has five children.
Cheb Khaled: Quick Facts
How old is Cheb Khaled?
Cheb Khaled is 66 years old, born on February 29, 1960 in Oran, Algeria.
What is Cheb Khaled's ethnicity?
Cheb Khaled's ethnicity is Algerian.
What does Cheb Khaled do?
Cheb Khaled is known as a singer.
Is Cheb Khaled married?
Cheb Khaled's relationship status: Married to Samira Diabi (since 1995).
