Since the announcement of the show, Moroccan social networks had mobilized. A Booba concert, scheduled for June 21 in Casablanca, was canceled by local authorities, amid a boycott campaign accusing the French rapper of sexism.
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In question: the producers of the French rap star, very popular in Morocco, have never received the required authorization. It must be said that an unprecedented “anti-Booba” campaign, accusing the rapper of sexism, had emerged on Moroccan social networks, denouncing “degrading remarks towards Moroccan and North African women” in some of his songs.
Among the decried titles of the rapper on which the detractors of the French star relied to mobilize their support: ELEPHANTin 2017 where the star raps “Moroccan girl fucks Berlusconi“, in reference to a Moroccan nicknamed Ruby who had participated in the “bunga bunga” evenings of the formerrider Italian when she was a minor. But also assassin generationwhen Booba sings: “I only go to chicha for Arabs“.
Social networks, politics and former protege of Booba
In a context of diplomatic crisis between Rabat and Paris, these words were perceived as contemptuous and provocative against Moroccan women in general. An online petition to have the show canceled has so far collected nearly 4,500 signatures. “Moroccans were offended to learn that rapper Booba was going to perform in Morocco“, can we read in the introduction of the petition. The call for the cancellation of the concert of the “Duke of Boulogne” had been supported by the French rapper of Moroccan origin Maes. The latter, a former protege of Booba, has urged his Twitter followers to sign the petition and challenged him: “Know that you are not welcome“.
The political sphere was also mobilized: the Islamists of the PJD went directly to the Minister of Youth and Culture, and the Club of Lawyers in Morocco filed a complaint against Booba “for defamation and insults against Moroccan women”.
For a few weeks, the organizers did not seem optimistic about the holding of the concert, because the authorization to perform on the Casablanca scene was slow to arrive. On Wednesday June 7, in the morning, the approximately 6,000 spectators who had purchased their ticket received an email confirming the cancellation and offering them to recover their money in vouchers.