ElGrandeToto at Rockhal

After a spell in a call centre in Casablanca, Taha Fahssi committed to rap at 20. As ElGrandeToto, he has since been the most streamed artist in Morocco five years running.

ElGrandeToto plays the Rockhal Club on Tuesday 10 November. Doors at 20:00.

Taha Fahssi is the biggest rapper to come out of Morocco, and he moves between Darija, French and English inside the same verse, which is a fair description of how a lot of his audience actually speaks.

Part of Rockhal’s Hip Hop Snacks series, which brings rap to the Club. Standing.

Who is ElGrandeToto?

ElGrandeToto, born Taha Fahssi in Casablanca in 1996, is the leading name in Moroccan rap. He grew up dancing krump, which his older brother showed him at seven, and committed to rap in 2016, at 20, after a spell working in a call centre. He raps in Darija, French and English over trap beats laced with North African sounds, and fans also know him as Toto or EGT.

The breakthrough came with “Pablo” in 2017. In 2021 he was the most streamed artist in the Middle East and North Africa on Spotify, and he has been the most streamed artist in Morocco five years running, from 2021 to 2025. “Mghayer”, a tribute to his mother, is his most viewed video on YouTube.

His records

• Illicit (2018): a short record that came before the albums.
• Caméléon (2021): his debut album, with guests including Damso, Hamza and Lefa, ranked among the top six album debuts worldwide on Spotify in March 2021.
• 27 (2023): entered Spotify’s global album debut chart at number three and took him on tour across Europe and North America.
• SALGOAT (2024): his third album, nominated for Album of the Year at the All Africa Music Awards in 2025.

Songs to know before the night: “Pablo”, “Hors Série”, “Mghayer”, “Love Nwantiti (North African Remix)” with CKay, “Blue Love” and “Diplomatico”.

Awards and milestones

• His “Love Nwantiti” remix with CKay was certified diamond in France, a first for a Moroccan artist rapping in Darija.
• Three Billboard Arabia Music Awards in 2024, including Artist of the Year in Arabic hip-hop and Top Arabic Hip-Hop Song for “Blue Love”.
• Most Promising African Artist at the All Africa Music Awards in 2021.
• On 28 June 2025 he became the first Moroccan artist to play his own set on the OLM Souissi stage at the Mawazine festival in Rabat, a stage usually kept for international stars.