| Bigg | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Taoufiq Hazeb (Arabic: توفيق حازب) |
| Also known as | "Bigg", Al khasser, Skizo, Tha Don |
| Born | 1983 Casablanca, Morocco |
| Origin | Morocco |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | Rapper, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1997—present |
| Associated acts | DJ Key |
| Website | www.alkhaser.com |
Taoufiq Hazeb (Arabic: توفيق حازب) (born in 1983) better known by his stage name Bigg and Al Khasser (The Corrupt One), is a Moroccan rapper from Casablanca. He is considered one of the pioneers of Moroccan rap, mainly for his aggressive style and for his songs' themes, which express problems existing in Moroccan society.
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Born in 1983 in the "Roches Noires" neighborhood in Casablanca, Bigg grew up in a middle class family. Bigg attended Lycée Imam Malik and after receiving his Baccalauréat, he began to study Law in the Hassan II University in Mohammedia. He is currently in his third year after which he could receive his Bachelor's degree.
From early childhood, Bigg was amazed by the American music culture. He was highly interested in what was at the time East coast-West coast rap war. This influenced his choice for his stage name very much. First, he went on by the name Bigg in reference to the The Notorious B.I.G. who was at that time the star of Bad Boy Records. Even the last group he was in was called Mafia C which is a literal copy of The Notorious B.I.G.'s protegee. He eventually added another stage name, thus calling himself "Bigg Tha Don". This is a clear reference to Makaveli The Don which was the last name Tupac Shakur chose for his last album: The 7 Day Theory. Bigg began his real music career at age 14 by creating, with two friends, a rap group called "Thug Gang". At the age of 16, he went on stage for the first time, with his group, in the Sidi Belyout Theater in Casablanca. He then joined the group Cash Money, then X-Side. Although he began rapping in English, he eventually had the idea to rap in Moroccan Arabic (also known as Darija). He turned his idea into reality by creating a group called "Mafia-C", which participated to the Boulevard des Jeunes Musiciens Festival in 2001 which was a total success after the group won "Best Rap Group" award. Having failed to get recognized by the Moroccan authorities as an artist, he tried to flee the country illegally. He was caught in Malaga and sent back home after spending two weeks in Spanish detention and deported later on. Once he got back to Morocco, he focused all his efforts on a solo career.
Bigg eventually quit the group to pursue a solo career. He participated in the Casablanca Festival in 2006. In April 2007, Bigg appeared on TV for the first time , exactly at Al Aoula channel, in Al Aoula Show.
Bigg was also an integral part of the I Love Hip Hop in Morocco Tour, which was a project of Joshua Asen, Fulbright Scholar, and a documentary film by the same name, directed by Jennifer Needleman and Joshua Asen.
Much of the content of this article comes from the equivalent French-language Wikipedia article, accessed May 30, 2007.