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In Moulay Hassan Square in Essaouira, you don’t need a festival program to know there’s an extraordinary show going on. Just look at the people dancing in broad daylight, young and old alike, around a bearded man wearing loose clothes and round glasses, standing behind a simple mixer connected to two speakers… lighting up the place.
This is Abderahman Elebbar, known as «DJ Mask Off», who chose to make the sidewalk his stage and music his language, a language «that brings everyone together, regardless of their appearance, nationality, or even religion» says the artist, who is affectionately called the «People’s DJ» in Essaouira.
Born in Rabat into a well-known family, Abderahman refused to be defined as «so-and-so’s son». He believed that a person is measured by their choices, not their name. At 19, guided only by an inner intuition and no map, he set out on a journey that took him to the United States, France, Turkey, England, and Cyprus—not as a tourist or immigrant, but in search of himself.
In Miami, he played guitar and took on odd jobs. Though he never regularized his legal status, he never stopped playing music or dreaming.
At 24, he returned to Morocco, heading to Essaouira, a city that breathes art. There, his true journey began. «I started playing music on the street and worked as a tour guide», leveraging the languages he had learned during his travels.
«I had an honesty that made tourists seek me out, not the other way around. My goal wasn’t primarily money, but building genuine connections with people. I wanted to earn the tourists’ trust before anything else, and that paid off», he shared.
Abderahman is someone who doesn’t waste opportunities or time. He also sold small metal statues he crafted by hand from scrap iron, along with jewelry and other handmade items.
Thanks to these ventures, he saved enough money to launch a unique project: converting a tricycle into a mobile home he named «Christina». He decorated it with colors, equipped it with necessities, and flew the Moroccan flag on top. Then he embarked on a journey across Morocco, covering over 9,700 kilometers with his two dogs, sleeping wherever he stopped, earning a living through his music and by selling his handmade crafts.
One night, he met a German musician in a parking lot. «We quickly got to know each other and spent a whole month sharing music and conversation». From this friendship came a new idea: a space for artists from around the world to share their art in exchange for accommodation.
They rented a place in the Diabat, near Essaouira, and transformed it into an art hotel called Le Paradis des Pirates, with the help of sixteen artists from various countries. The space welcomed singing, painting, dancing, and all forms of artistic expression, free from formal constraints.
Alongside this, Abderahman founded an association called «Why Not Now», which organized charity initiatives for those in need and oversaw Essaouira’s first street art festival.
«I fully understood that these artists are often marginalized and looked down upon, despite their real talent. They are simply seen as beggars», DJ Mask Off lamented.
But the road to success wasn’t smooth. He clashed with some tour guides and others in the sector who saw him as a competitor, even a direct threat. He faced harassment; bottles were thrown onto the roof of the hotel he founded, forcing him to install a safety net to protect guests. Despite complaints, no one listened.
Then came the final straw: tensions with local residents over his artistic initiatives forced him to make a tough decision… to leave everything behind.
Abderahman headed to Latin America, continuing his free-spirited journey. He visited Colombia, renting a house where he welcomed tourists and hosted private music nights with his guitar. He began producing exploratory content from dangerous places, sharing it on social media. He also worked as a photographer for various hotels, promoting them online in exchange for lodging, and eventually started organizing paid tours.
Later, he moved to Ecuador, where he rented sea-view land and opened a simple restaurant with reed huts. He hosted musical nights by firelight. But his success drew envy and threats, forcing him to leave once again.
He stayed abroad until his passport expired, then returned to Morocco—not discouraged, but «more mature, confident, and with decent savings». While sorting through old belongings, he found a small mixer a friend had left with him. Suddenly, something inside called out to him. He taught himself how to DJ online and quickly decided to return to the streets, but this time as a DJ.
At first, the authorities challenged him. «The police came, then the local authorities, then others. But I didn’t give up. I kept playing day after day until they finally left me alone after seeing how much people loved me and connected with my music», he says proudly.
He wanted to prove that electronic music isn’t just for clubs and drugs, it can be experienced openly in daylight, among families, fully aware and joyful. And he succeeded.
Today, Abderahman is a familiar face in Moulay Hassan Square, attracting tourists from all over who say they came specifically to see him.
His fame grew even more after performing alongside DJ Omary, where they played together from hotel balconies during the Essaouira Festival, in front of thousands dancing below.
Abderahman didn’t wait to be given a platform, he made his own on the sidewalk. So if you visit Essaouira and pass through Moulay Hassan Square, don’t be surprised to see a bearded man in loose clothes and round glasses standing behind a small mixer, spinning beats for passersby. Don’t just walk on by—stop, listen, and maybe… dance.
