Canadians Do The Right Thing, Cancel Cheb Mami

The Arab Music Festival in Montreal Canada had plans to invite Cheb Mami, the Algerian super star of rai music. That would be a welcome move by anyone who cares about Arabic and North African music, but this is not a perfect world. Cheb Mami has served a prison sentence for assaulting his girlfriend and attempting to use force to abort his child.

Once the name of Cheb Mami was made public on the music festival, the media, and the community has not stopped attacking the decision and its significance. The Minister of Culture has spoken out against the star and his action too. Local columnists and journalists have also did their part of attacks on the singer.

Later the Arabic Music Festival has done the right thing and dropped the Algerian singer. I like his music personally, but what he did is vile and this singer has not made any public efforts to correct his actions. I am sure he will have little trouble finding concerts at his home. But his concerts will unlikely to sell or even be held in the first place.