WAH PROD EVENT, the organizing company, has officially canceled the highly anticipated karaoke concert that was set to take place on January 31, at the Boukmakh Cultural Center in Tangier, following an due to objections raised by the families of the deceased singers, who reportedly opposed the event simply because it was being held in Morocco.
The concert was meant to be a tribute to the late Algerian raï music legends, Cheb Hasni and Cheb Akil.
The decision to cancel came after multiple exchanges between the organizers and the family of Cheb Hasni. Abdellah, the son of Cheb Hasni, initially reached out to inquire about the nature of the event and whether an hologram of his father would be used during the performance.
However, WAH PROD EVENT announced that they would reschedule the event to a later date, featuring Moroccan raï artists, and promised to release more details about the new date on Wednesday, January 29, 2024.
For those who had already purchased tickets, the organizers assured that the tickets would remain valid for the rescheduled event, although those who preferred a refund could request one.
A source from the organizing company explained to a local media that they clarified the event’s format, explaining that it was a karaoke session where a six-member live band would play the songs, and the audience would have the opportunity to sing along.
The organizers stated that the purpose of the event was to honor the memory of the late artists and that no special technological features, such as holograms, were involved.
Despite the explanations, the source revealed that Abdellah was not satisfied and insisted that the organizers should have sought the family’s permission before promoting the concert. The family’s stance was that, before announcing the event, the organizers should have requested authorization to use the names of the deceased artists for such a public event.
However, the organizers responded by explaining that karaoke concerts like this did not require formal permission, as the audience would be the performers, singing the songs with the live band’s accompaniment. Unfortunately, this disagreement led to increasing tension between the two sides.
The conflict escalated when Abdellah Hasni allegedly made it clear that the family did not want the event to take place in Morocco. The source explained, “He threatened us with legal action, stating that if we proceeded with the event, he would send a bailiff to stop it.” The organizers, not wanting to escalate the situation further and to avoid any legal issues, ultimately decided to cancel the concert.
As a result, the much-anticipated tribute to the two legendary Algerian singers, who were beloved by fans across the Maghreb, will no longer take place in Tangier on the originally scheduled date.