Moroccan Band Faces Concert Censorship Storm

The Mohammed V Theater in Rabat indefinitely postponed Hoba Hoba Spirit’s concert on January 22, 2025, following a boycott campaign by supporters of AS FAR, a Moroccan football club with deep institutional ties to the military2714. The decision highlights the precarious balance artists face when addressing sensitive topics in Morocco, where cultural expression often intersects with political and social taboos.

Reda Allali’s Controversial Remarks
During a radio interview, Hoba Hoba Spirit’s frontman Reda Allali compared AS FAR to rival club Raja de Casablanca, stating, “You can’t compare AS FAR and Raja; they’re different institutions”214. He emphasized AS FAR’s unique recruitment strategies, which leverage its military affiliations, and suggested such models “no longer exist in the modern world”514. Supporters interpreted these comments as dismissive of the club’s legacy, accusing Allali of undermining its achievements. The backlash intensified when social media campaigns labeled the band’s remarks as disrespectful to Morocco’s armed forces, which oversee AS FAR714. Protesters demanded a public apology, prompting the theater’s management to postpone the event without announcing a rescheduled date29.

AS FAR’s Cultural and Institutional Significance
Founded in 1958, AS FAR (Association Sportive des Forces Armées Royales) is more than a football club; it symbolizes national pride and military identity14. Its historical dominance in Moroccan football-with 13 Botola Pro titles-and affiliation with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces make criticism of the club politically sensitive. Fans view attacks on AS FAR as indirect challenges to the military’s prestige, a red line in Moroccan society514. This incident mirrors past controversies where artists faced repercussions for perceived insults to state institutions, such as rapper El Haqed’s imprisonment over lyrics criticizing police corruption69.

Hoba Hoba Spirit’s Legacy of Social Commentary
Formed in 1998, Hoba Hoba Spirit gained fame for blending Gnawa rhythms, rock, and Moroccan folk into a genre they call “Morocc’n Roll”312. Their lyrics, often in Darija (Moroccan Arabic), tackle themes like youth disorientation and societal hypocrisy. Songs like Blad Schizophrene critique Morocco’s cultural duality, while Fine Ghadi Biya Khouya became an anthem during the 2011 pro-democracy protests812. Despite their popularity, the band has navigated censorship risks, particularly when satirizing authority figures or addressing taboo subjects612.

Artistic Freedom in Morocco: Systemic Pressures
The concert’s postponement reflects broader systemic challenges to artistic freedom in Morocco. While the 2011 constitution guarantees free expression, artists routinely face censorship, harassment, or self-censorship when addressing religion, monarchy, or territorial integrity49. For example:

  • Visual Arts: Khadija Tanana’s Hand of Fatima was removed from a 2018 exhibition for blending Islamic and erotic imagery4.

  • Cinema: Filmmaker Abdellah Taia faced backlash for depicting LGBTQ+ themes in Cabo Negro (2024)4.

  • Music: Rappers like El Haqed have been jailed for criticizing police brutality, while festivals often cancel performances deemed culturally subversive56.

Economic marginalization compounds these issues. Actor Ahmad Jawad’s 2023 self-immolation protest highlighted the financial despair among artists, many of whom earn less than 1,800 MAD monthly4. State mechanisms like the Film Screening Board enforce vague “moral” criteria, and penal code articles criminalize “insulting state institutions”-a charge frequently weaponized against critical voices95.

Navigating the Red Lines
Morocco’s artistic community operates within a complex framework of formal and informal restrictions. While the government promotes a modernist image internationally, domestic tolerance for dissent remains limited59. Artists like Hoba Hoba Spirit often use metaphor or humor to bypass censors, but even indirect critiques can trigger backlash, as seen in the AS FAR controversy. The band’s case underscores how sports, religion, and military affairs remain especially volatile topics, often conflated with national identity145.

Art at a Crossroads
The postponement of Hoba Hoba Spirit’s concert exemplifies the tightrope artists walk in Morocco. While their music celebrates cultural hybridity, the backlash reveals enduring sensitivities around institutions perceived as pillars of national unity. For Morocco to foster a thriving arts scene, reforms must address both legal ambiguities in censorship laws and the socioeconomic precarity forcing artists into self-silencing. As Hoba Hoba Spirit’s members noted in a 2014 interview, their goal is to “make people happy with who they are”12-a mission that remains fraught in a landscape where creative expression and institutional authority often collide.

Posted
AuthorLitangen
CategoriesCensorship in Arts, Censorship SWANA
TagsMarocco, The Mohammed V Theater, AS FAR, Reda Allali, Association Sportive des Forces Armées Royales, Hoba Hoba Spirit