Nights in Rabat usually end after the sun sets but this August they’ll begin with one, a different kind of devotion.

Rabat – Bouregreg’s stage prepares to host its most explosive cultural gathering of the year: Rab’Africa Festival. 

From August 8 to 17, the city’s historic Bouregreg Marina will transform into a pulsating epicenter of rhythm, uniting Africa’s brightest stars and Morocco’s homegrown icons under the stars.

At the heart of the festival stand titans of Moroccan artistry. Nass El Ghiwan, the legendary folk collective whose poetic protest anthems galvanized generations, will deliver a rare performance of their timeless repertoire.

They are joined by Ahmed Bensaïd, master of Andalusian-Maghreb fusion, and Zina Daoudia, the undisputed queen of modern chaabi, whose electrifying stage presence commands nationwide adoration.

Hatim Amour’s raw Rai narratives and Oumaima Amsaadi’s transcendent Sufi vocals further root the event in Morocco’s rich sonic tapestry.

Representing the pulse of today’s African renaissance are genre-defying innovators:DYSTINCT, the Casablanca-born trailblazer, merges Afroswing with Moroccan dialect, crafting global hits that dominate streaming platforms. 

Revolutionary rapper 7liwa channels socio-political urgency through his razor-sharp lyricism, while trap phenomenon Stormy and viral duo Jaylann & Hajib embody youth culture’s fearless evolution. 

Electro-chaabi pioneer Badr Soultan and producer 7ari will deconstruct traditional sounds with avant-garde beats.

Egyptian powerhouse Hind Ennaira fuses Nile Delta soul with contemporary production. 

Franco-Moroccan stars Lartiste and Douzi bridge elegance with North African grit, and Belgian-Moroccan jazz-rap virtuoso Benny Adam reinterprets Gnawa motifs through a cosmopolitan lens.

Curating the festival’s rhythmic foundations are maestros of sound design. DJ D33PSOUL’s vinyl-centric sets explore deep house roots, while DJ BIGK ID orchestrates chaabi-EDM hybrids for the dancefloor. 

Said Mosker’s guembri-led Gnawa fusion and Cherradi & Habib Salam’s oud-qanun dialogues offer immersive cultural journeys, complemented by Snor’s atmospheric electronica.

Rab’Africa isn’t just a festival. It’s a 10-day explosion of rhythm, sweat, and confetti where ancient medinas shake hands with bass drops and sunset sing-alongs turn into midnight rap battles.

This August, Rabat’s Bouregreg Marina becomes your ultimate summer playground, mint tea in one hand, new friends in the other, and the whole continent’s heartbeat thumping under your feet. Let Rabat rewrite your summer story.