Cheb Khaled accused of treason, Morocco and Algeria at the heart of the discord

"I remain Algerian, and if I have offended anyone, it was not intentional... I apologize to everyone," he said in a video posted on social media, addressing his compatriots who have in the meantime accused him of renouncing his origins and his homeland in favor of Morocco, whose interests he favors. He will add that he will remain Algerian, no matter what: "No one can uproot me from my homeland, whatever happens. We are all brothers and may God have mercy on the martyrs."

For many years, many Algerians have held a grudge against Cheb Khaled, a native of Oran married to a Moroccan (through his mother), because of his proximity to certain high-ranking Moroccan officials, particularly King Mohammed VI. The holder of Moroccan nationality is often the target of a boycott campaign in his country of origin, Algeria. In 2019, the interpreter of "Morocco forever" had faced criticism from Algerians because of the song he had composed for the Moroccan national team, as part of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN Egypt).

The king of raï music had also been criticized for the appearance of the Moroccan flag in the music video of the tribute single entitled "Ismouha Beyrouth" ("She is called Beirut") in solidarity and support of the Lebanese people following the deadly double explosion that occurred on August 4, 2020 in Beirut. To punish him for his remarks on Morocco, the Algerian public does not hesitate to boycott his concerts.