123 Soleils formed in 1998 around Hicham Bahloul, who sang and played guitar. The original lineup included Abderrahim Moumen on bass, Yacine Boulares on drums, and Mustapha El-Khouni on vocals and percussion. They put out albums like 'Layali al-Ousk' in 2000, 'L'Islam' in 2003, and 'Ya Rayah' in 2006.
Their songs often dealt with social issues, and one called 'Abdelkader' drew criticism from some religious figures for its commentary on religion's role in society. The band played festivals and worked with artists including Youssou N'Dour and Ziggy Marley.
They mixed traditional Moroccan sounds with reggae, rock, and funk. The lineup changed at times, but Bahloul remained central. Their music was heard both in Morocco and abroad.
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