Published by
The New Arab
The New Arab
“People, even in Tunisia and Algeria, don’t listen to our old gems anymore,” Cheb Mimo, a DJ with roots in both countries, explains. He’s trying to change that. Otherwise known as Mohamed Belhadj Aissa, the selector looks for music in forgotten places; vinyls and tapes that contain what has become a ‘secret’ or neglected part of North Africa’s musical heritage. The music he finds ranges widely, from disco to funk, and Gnawa to Stembali. Now based in London, he hosts a monthly show onNTS Radio and has played live in the UK, Germany and around the Mediterranean in Beirut and Tunis, his hometown….