DUBAI: Award-winning French music producer DJ Snake has dropped what is perhaps his most personal project.
The French DJ, who is of Algerian descent, released his new single today on Wednesday — and it pays tribute to his North African roots.
Titled “Disco Maghreb,” the rai-infused dancefloor anthem takes its title from the iconic Algerian music label and record shop of the same name. The single, which comes just in time for his upcoming headlining show at Paris Saint Germain’s Parc Des Prince on June 11, is accompanied by a music video filmed in Oran, a coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria from where his family originate.
“I imagined ‘Disco Maghreb’ as a bridge between different generations and origins, linking North Africa, the Arab world and beyond,” wrote the artist on Twitter, calling the song “a love letter to my people.”
The video, produced and directed by a local team, opens with a shot of the iconic record shop’s storefront before panning to clips of a sheep spraypainted with an image of a snake, Algerian sweets, scenes from a traditional wedding and finally, DJ Snake dancing while adlibbing in Darija, a dialect of Arabic spoken in Algeria and Morocco.
The Grammy-nominated producer, whose real name is William Sami Étienne Grigahcine, was born in Paris to Algerian parents and grew up in Ermont, a district outside of the capital.
When he was younger, Grigahcine used to dabble in graffiti, earning him the nickname “Snake” because he was able to consistently evade the police. He started DJing aged 14, and later producing at 19.
He would go on to produce hits such as “Turn Down for What” featuring Lil Jon, “Lean On” with Major Lazer and “Taki Taki” with Selena Gomez and Cardi B.
