Maâlem Rachid Hamzaoui

Born in 1958 in Casablanca, in the Derb Sultan district, Maâlem Rachid Hamzaoui comes from a family deeply rooted in the Gnaoua tradition. He was initiated into Tagnaouite at the age of 7 by leading Maâlems such as Maâlem H’mida Boussou, who played a defining role in his training. Throughout his career, Maâlem Rachid Hamzaoui has led numerous traditional lilas and taken part in several national events. A regular presence at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival of Essaouira, he participates consistently, particularly in acoustic performances, as in 2016, 2017 and 2019.