Tangier native Maâlem Hadada (Abdelkader El Khelify in real life) was always surrounded by Gnaoua culture in his family home in Tangier’s medina. Maâlem Hadada learned his craft from the great maâlems of the north: M’Barek Elkasri, Brahim Baha, Tayeb Ouazzani, Abdelkader Zefzaf and Abdlouahed Stitou. He spent his youth amid these great masters, with whom he learned the spiritual essence of the Tagnaouite. In 1996, he began his collaboration with Dar Gnawa Tanger and Maâlem Abdellah El Gourd. They collaborated on many projects with internationally-known music groups such as Randy Weston, Archie Shep, and others. He participated in several concerts at festivals in the US, UK, Canada, Europe and Africa. In 2007, Maâlem Hadada decided to leave Dar Gnawa to pursue a solo career, and created his own group, “Mlouk Gnawa”.