Biography
Farid Kessaissia (فريد قسايسي), better known as "Farid Rockeur", born July 24, 1963 in Algiers (Belouizdad district), is an Algerian humorist and actor.
Farid began his artistic career in 1985 through the film "Pour L'Amour De l'Algérie" and by designing and producing jingles for the Channel 3 radio show "Local Rock" directed by Aziz Smati. Adept at wit, excelling in verbal jousting, this is how he appeared on television with his punclines, Farid Rockeur sauce, looking like Elvis Presley, his idol, in the cult show tailor-made for him and his acolytes Kamel Dynamite, Samia Belkherroubi “Bled Music”, always produced by Aziz Smati. The irreverent tone of the program, mixing music, culture, comedy and caustic interviews, was a real cultural revolution on Algerian television in its program schedule aimed at adolescents and young adults. Music lover, fine connoisseur of rock music and culture, encyclopedia of rock, pop which earned him his nickname, Farid could talk for hours on end about the Smiths, Johnny Marr. References that he placed in his sketches where he pastiched for example The Cars, Sharif Dean, Memphis Slim, Carte de Séjour, Rachid Taha and all those of whom he was a fan...
A fervent defender of the specificity of Algerian culture and Raï music, he also adored Cheb Hasni, who was the perfect synthesis and whom he had worked with. But also the immense raï producer, Boualem Disco Maghreb and many others. Farid traveled all over Algeria to discuss music, cinema, television, which made him a jack of all trades, at the same time, actor, actor, singer, host, film buff, collector, producer and even nurse at the hospital. Mustapha hospital, where he provided service to many patients from the artistic world and others.
The artistic career of Farid Rockeur, in broad terms: Designer of jingles on channel 3 (shows: Local Rock), Host in "Rock Dialna" by Aziz Smati 1984-1988. Actor in “Bouzenzel” by Moussa Haddad 1987-1989. Actor in "Bled Music" by Aziz Smati 1990. Actor in "Qabsa Chemma" by Moussa Haddad 1990. Actor in "Mélodies De l'Espoir" by Djamel Fezzaz 1991. Actor in "Hiwar Fi Djiwar" by Salim Benkadi 1992. Actor in "Nass Mlah City"" by Djaâfar Kacem with Biyouna 2006. Actor in the film "Le Branché De La Télévision". Actor in "El Hadj Lakhdar" by Lakhdar Boukhors. Actor in "Dar El Adjeb" by Amine Boumediène 2018.
He died on July 12, 2021 in Algiers of a heart attack. He is buried in the Sefsafa cemetery in Algiers. The Algerian Minister of Culture and Arts, Wafa Chaâlal, praised, in a message of condolences, the memory of the deceased, regretting this “immense loss for Algerian culture”.
