Mehdi Damir

A multi-talented artist, Mehdi Damir was one of the most influential personalities in the music world in Morocco. Passionate about urban art, he created the first Moroccan street-art festival which consisted in having the white walls of the city of Azemmour covered with frescoes and graffiti by Moroccan and foreign artists. Apart from this great cultural premiere, he was especially known in Casablanca in the world of electronic music in the early 2000s before his notoriety spread to Morocco and then internationally. The one who was to celebrate his 39th birthday soon, was suffering from acute diabetes which had forced the doctors to amputate his lower limbs but that did not discourage him from continuing to mix under his nickname "Inspactah Deep", and animate from his wheelchair the most hype musical evenings in Casablanca with a radiant and contagious smile. Even if it is fashionable to praise the deceased, it should be noted that the one his friends nicknamed "Dam" was known for his empathy, his unfailing benevolence and above all for his great culture, especially musical (funk, soul, hip hop, afrobeat ...) that few Moroccan DJs can claim to have. "It was he who launched house music in Morocco at the beginning of this millennium because he created and managed the biggest clubs in Casablanca (Choc'late, Voodoo, Boom Boom Room, Kube...). "Mehdi can be proud of having brought back to Morocco, among others, the first house DJs, many of whom are legends (Louie Vega, Quentin Harris, etc.). This pioneering role has allowed him to inspire the entire current wave of local producers who are gaining momentum and exporting internationally. "What's crazy is that everyone knew he was sick but he didn't show it, never got angry and always had a smile for everyone. He took his illness with a lot of philosophy and it can be said without exaggeration that he was a true example for all of us who humbly try to follow in his footsteps. "With his courage and his humility, he commanded respect and everyone is grateful to him for having given so much of himself because without him, the electronic scene would never be where it is today in Morocco. Beyond the surge of messages of compassion from relatives, friends and admirers on the internet and social networks, we must believe that his imprint has crossed borders because several personalities, creatives of all stripes, and DJs of international sizes of house music also posted tributes expressing their great emotion. This is particularly the case of Boddhi Satva or Louie Vega, a New York producer of house music, considered one of the biggest stars in the world of this musical repertoire who expressed his sadness after the departure of his "Brother Mehdi". ...