Rapper ElGrande Toto was taken into police custody on Monday in Morocco after five complaints against him for "defamation, insults, threats and incitement to violence".
The complaints were filed by three artists, a journalist and a policeman.
ElGrande Toto, whose real name is Taha Fahssi, is the subject of a preliminary investigation which should cover all of his publications, digital content and statements “likely to contain elements punishable by law”.
This Sunday, the Moroccan rapper apologized to "people offended" by his statements after a recent concert.
"We do rap and rap is not bad"
On September 23, the singer, very popular in the Arab world, had admitted and assumed in front of the press that he consumed cannabis.
“I smoke hashish, so what?
“, he had declared.
“It doesn't mean that I am a bad example for the public.
His remarks caused outrage in Morocco, a country with conservative mores where the recreational use of the plant is prohibited by law.
“We are not bad people.
We do rap and rap is not bad, ”conceded the 26-year-old artist, apologizing.
“Rap has a particular language, maybe I didn't make good use of it at the right time.
This did not prevent a Moroccan journalist based in Belgium from filing a complaint against him, accusing him of "incitement to drug consumption" and "defamation".
ElGrande Toto is the most searched Arab artist in the Maghreb and the Middle East on Spotify and recorded more than 50 million plays in 2021. His YouTube channel has 2.7 million subscribers and more than 431 million views.
People
Balenciaga announces the end of its collaboration with Kanye West
Culture
Luv Resval, the rising star of French rap, died at the age of 24
World
Rapper
Morocco
Jail
Cannabis
Dope