Moroccan Rapper Mehdi El Youbi Arrested in Casablanca
The rapper faces prosecution after lyrics cited Tazmamart and support for Gen Z protesters, with a judge ordering custody pending trial.
5 Articles
5 Articles
In an open letter to the Moroccan authorities, a collective of academics, artists, writers and cultural institutions called for the unconditional release of the artist who had been detained in Morocco since 13 July 2026.
Moroccan rapper Mehdi El Youbi arrested in Casablanca
Supporters and rights advocates claim the detention signals a widening crackdown on artists and critics in Morocco. Al Jazeera Moroccan rapper and filmmaker Mehdi El Youbi, also known as Mehdi Black Wind, has been arrested in Casablanca after being questioned by Morocco’s National Brigade of Judicial Police. The politically outspoken artist was detained just days after reportedly being prevented from returning to France, where he has lived since…
Free Outspoken Moroccan Rap Star
“Through rap, I'll stage a coup d’Étatwith my spiteful homies, ‘cause their lives are all stormy weather… Go ahead, take me — blindfold my eyes, reopen Tazmamart, and throw me in.”With these biting lyrics, 34-year-old Moroccan rap star Mehdi Lyoubi, known as Mehdi Black Wind, invoked the infamous Tazmamart prison, where those accused of plotting against the monarchy were jailed in atrocious conditions from the mid-1970s through the early 1990s. …
Moroccan rapper Mehdi El Youbi, based in Marseille and known as "Mehdi Black Wind", is due to appear on Wednesday 22 July before the Casablanca Court of First Instance. In an interview granted to ABC Radio National (Australia), journalist Omar Radi presented this case as a new illustration [...]
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left, 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
