Rabat- Moroccan rapper Taha Fahssi, known by his stage name El Grande Toto, expressed his apologies to all those who felt slighted by his words on stage during a press conference on October 23.
The Moroccan rapper stirred controversy for his stance supporting the recreational use of weed during a press conference at the Rabat African Capital Festival. During his musical performance at the festival, he also used profanities.
The Moroccan rapper was accompanied by his lawyer, Abdelfattah Zahrach. “This controversy was not planned, we did not want it, and we have no idea how it was sparked,” he stated during the press conference. “I apologize if some people felt disturbed by my words. Maybe they didn’t understand what I meant, maybe I didn’t make myself clear.”
“This all began in Rabat, so I apologize to the authorities, the concertgoers, the elderly, the women, the organizers, and everyone else,’’ the rapper continued.
The musician also emphasized that he will continue “expressing his art without any modifications.”
In September, Toto sparked outrage after saying on camera: “We smoke weed, so what?!”
“It is widely known that Morocco is the birthplace of weed, and people from all over the world come to Morocco to smoke weed,” he added.
The Moroccan government’s spokesperson Mustapha Baitas commented on the controversy surrounding Toto’s statements and stated that “the government rejects such behavior and considers it to be unacceptable.”
Echoing the Moroccan government’s stance, journalist Mohammed Tijjini filed a complaint against Toto for his “conduct on stage and on social networks, including his use of cannabis and alcohol.”
Following Mohamed Tijjini’s complaint, the Moroccan rapper was denied permission to leave Moroccan territory.
Despite his controversial statements. Toto is regarded by many as the top name in Morocco’s rap scene. He was the most-streamed artist in the MENA region on Spotify in 2021, with over 135 million streams from 178 countries.
