Rabat – A new music video by Moroccan rapper Draganov has gone viral online and caused strong reactions across North Africa.
The song Tach, released only a week ago, has already reached more than 5 million views on YouTube. While many fans praised it in Morocco, Algeria, and even France, the video has also created controversy in Algeria.
The video features well-known Algerian comedian Mohammed Khassani dancing in front of Draganov, who remains seated on a stack of chairs. For many viewers, this was just a normal artistic choice as Draganov often uses chairs in his videos.
But some Algerians said the scene looked like a “humiliation,” suggesting that the Moroccan artist appeared in a dominant position while the Algerian was shown in a lesser role.
Others, however, saw the collaboration as a sign of unity between the two neighboring countries.
Algerian journalist and political analyst Oualid Kebir celebrated the collaboration. “Shoutout to the artists Draganov & Khassani. Much love to Oujdan & Oranian people,” he wrote on X.
“And for anyone who doesn’t like the clip… go take a swim in the sea, bump your head against a wall, or just explode,” Kebir added.
The song itself mixes rap and rai, a music style deeply rooted in Algeria but also popular in Oujda, Draganov’s hometown. Its lyrics talk about everyday struggles, the desire for peace, loyalty to friends, and escaping difficulties through celebration. Nothing in the song directly targets Algeria or promotes rivalry.
While many enjoyed the energy of Khassani and welcomed the collaboration, some Algerians criticized him harshly, even calling his appearance “a disgrace.”
“And you can live normally after the humiliation you did? You’ve become a dancer for the Moroccans. You really disgraced us, honestly, from the bottom of my heart,” an Instagram user commented on one of Khassani’s posts.
Draganov later addressed the controversy in a video on social media. He reminded fans that Moroccans and Algerians share much of the same culture and music.
The song has garnered nearly six million views on YouTube.
