Bigg (rapper)
Encyclopedia
Taoufiq Hazeb (born in 1983) better known by his stage name Don Bigg and Al Khasser
(The Corrupt One), is a Moroccan
rapper
from Casablanca
. He is considered one of the pioneers of Moroccan rap, mainly for his aggressive style and for his songs' themes, which express problems existing in Moroccan society.
, Bigg grew up in a middle class family. Bigg attended Lycée Imam Malik and after receiving his Baccalauréat
, he began to study Law
in the Hassan II University in Mohammedia
. He is currently in his third year after which he could receive his Bachelor's degree.
who was at that time the star of Bad Boy Records. Even the last group he was in was called Mafia C which is a literal copy of The Notorious B.I.G.'s protegee. He eventually added another stage name, thus calling himself "Bigg Tha Don". This is a clear reference to Makaveli The Don which was the last name Tupac Shakur chose for his last album: The 7 Day Theory. Bigg began his real music career at age 14 by creating, with two friends, a rap group called "Thug Gang". At the age of 16, he went on stage for the first time, with his group, in the Sidi Belyout Theater in Casablanca. He then joined the group Cash Money, then X-Side. Although he began rapping in English, he eventually had the idea to rap in Moroccan Arabic
(also known as Darija). He turned his idea into reality by creating a group called "Mafia-C", which participated to the Boulevard des Jeunes Musiciens Festival in 2001 which was a total success after the group won "Best Rap Group" award. Having failed to get recognized by the Moroccan authorities as an artist, he tried to flee the country illegally. He was caught in Malaga and sent back home after spending two weeks in Spanish detention and deported later on. Once he got back to Morocco, he focused all his efforts on a solo career.
Bigg eventually quit the group to pursue a solo career. He participated in the Casablanca Festival in 2006. In April 2007, Bigg appeared on TV for the first time , exactly at Al Aoula channel, in Al Aoula Show.
Bigg was also an integral part of the I Love Hip Hop in Morocco Tour, which was a project of Joshua Asen, Fulbright Scholar, and a documentary film by the same name, directed by Jennifer Needleman and Joshua Asen.
(The Corrupt One), is a Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
from Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. He is considered one of the pioneers of Moroccan rap, mainly for his aggressive style and for his songs' themes, which express problems existing in Moroccan society.
Generalities
Born in 1983 in the "Roches Noires" neighborhood in CasablancaCasablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Bigg grew up in a middle class family. Bigg attended Lycée Imam Malik and after receiving his Baccalauréat
Baccalauréat
The baccalauréat , often known in France colloquially as le bac, is an academic qualification which French and international students take at the end of the lycée . It was introduced by Napoleon I in 1808. It is the main diploma required to pursue university studies...
, he began to study Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in the Hassan II University in Mohammedia
Mohammedia
Mohammedia is a port city on the west coast of Morocco located between Casablanca and Rabat in the region of Greater Casablanca. It hosts the most important oil refinery of Morocco, Samir, which makes it the center of the Moroccan petrol...
. He is currently in his third year after which he could receive his Bachelor's degree.
Artistic career
From early childhood, Bigg was amazed by the American music culture. He was highly interested in what was at the time East coast-West coast rap war. This influenced his choice for his stage name very much. First, he went on by the name Bigg in reference to the The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
who was at that time the star of Bad Boy Records. Even the last group he was in was called Mafia C which is a literal copy of The Notorious B.I.G.'s protegee. He eventually added another stage name, thus calling himself "Bigg Tha Don". This is a clear reference to Makaveli The Don which was the last name Tupac Shakur chose for his last album: The 7 Day Theory. Bigg began his real music career at age 14 by creating, with two friends, a rap group called "Thug Gang". At the age of 16, he went on stage for the first time, with his group, in the Sidi Belyout Theater in Casablanca. He then joined the group Cash Money, then X-Side. Although he began rapping in English, he eventually had the idea to rap in Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Arabic is the variety of Arabic spoken in the Arabic-speaking areas of Morocco. For official communications, the government and other public bodies use Modern Standard Arabic, as is the case in most Arabic-speaking countries. A mixture of French and Moroccan Arabic is used in business...
(also known as Darija). He turned his idea into reality by creating a group called "Mafia-C", which participated to the Boulevard des Jeunes Musiciens Festival in 2001 which was a total success after the group won "Best Rap Group" award. Having failed to get recognized by the Moroccan authorities as an artist, he tried to flee the country illegally. He was caught in Malaga and sent back home after spending two weeks in Spanish detention and deported later on. Once he got back to Morocco, he focused all his efforts on a solo career.
Bigg eventually quit the group to pursue a solo career. He participated in the Casablanca Festival in 2006. In April 2007, Bigg appeared on TV for the first time , exactly at Al Aoula channel, in Al Aoula Show.
Bigg was also an integral part of the I Love Hip Hop in Morocco Tour, which was a project of Joshua Asen, Fulbright Scholar, and a documentary film by the same name, directed by Jennifer Needleman and Joshua Asen.
Discography
- Mgharba 'Tal Mout (Moroccans 'Till Death) (2006)
- Intro
- Mgharba 'Tal Mout
- Âaqel
- Family Familia (feat. Fnaïre)
- Banda Hamra (feat. Loubna)
- 6 Dqaïq Âlikoum
- Khellina Ghir Hna (feat. Masta Flow & 9mm)
- Sket
- Tgallia ḥbesse
- Âqliyya (feat. DJ Key)
- Bladi Blad (feat. Colonel)
- Gaâ Nass (feat. Loubna)
- Lgaʿ Lli Bḥalek (feat. 9mm & Y-cine)
- Interlude
- Hia
- Ma Bine Llil Ou Nhar (feat. Caprice & Lotfi)
- Marra Marra
- 1983... 2006
- Mimti (feat. Tizaf & Loubna)
- Al Khouf
- Salute
- Waḥed Jouj (feat. Muslim)
- Skizo Friî (feat. Skizo (Bigg's alter ego))
- Outro
- Byad Ou K7al (Black And White) (2010)
- Byad Ou K7al
- Casanegra
- La3bine(feat La fouine)
- Ifri9ia
- Interlude HipHop 1
- Chno Ndir
- Would Zen9a
- Lik(feat Oum)
- Bjouj
- Kinbghik
- 16/05
- Karianist(feat Momo Cat)
- Bouliss
- Interlude HipHop 2
- 2 Sba3 Lsma
- Itoub
- Bjouj(Remix Leo Veil)
- L7asoul
- '(2011)'
- mabghitch(video clip)