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Morocco band nominated for 2018 Grammys

The six man band plays Gnawa which is ritual trance music of Morocco’s black communities

December 14, 2017 at 2:01 pm

A Moroccan band has been nominated for the 2018 Grammy Music Awards.

Innov Gnawa was formed in the summer of 2014 by Moroccan expat Samir LanGus in New York City and has six members and plays Gnawa music.

According to the group’s website, Gnawa is the ritual trance music of Morocco’s black communities, originally descending from slaves and soldiers once brought to Morocco from northern Mali and Mauritania.

The band’s song, “Bambro Koyo Ganda”, which was performed in collaboration with music producer Bonobo, is nominated for Best Dance Recording.

The song was released in February.

“It’s the craziest news I’ve ever heard in my life … Dream BIG,” band member Nofal Ateeq wrote on Facebook.