The Icon of Rif Music

Walid mimoun, is singer-songwriter born in northern Morocco in the Ait Sidel region, near the city of Nador in 1959. Walid Mimoun is probably the most successful artist from the Rif (Northern Morocco) region. He is considered as one of the greatest musicians of Amazigh folk music from the north of Morocoo.

From a very young age, his musical career took off playing Thamja (“Amazigh flute”). During his first years at the University of Fez, he became interested in his own Amazigh culture, and wrote in Tamazight thought-provoking songs accompanied with slow rhythms.

In 1980 he released his first album called Ajjaj (“thunder”). Some of the songs became so popular in the region. The Moroccan government, fearful of his growing popularity, banned Ajjaj, although it was secretly sold. He was arrested, jailed, and later expelled from the university after taking part in demonstrations. He later emerged onto the scene with another successful album called “Ametlu3” (The Wanderer) in 1986.

In 1990, he released another album Aqbuch which contains his most iconic song “Nachin Ssa” (We are from here). The song became widely popular and today it is almost a anthem in the region.

Walid Mimoun immigrated to the Netherlands in 1991 as many people from the region both for economic and political reasons. In 1998, he settled permanently in Belgium. Since then he has carried out various socio-cultural tasks in favor of the Amazigh cause. He is still active and his last album, Sram Ghanagh (greetings to you), was released in 2021.