Born in Algeria, Mohamed Tarik Belgot spent most of his career in Paris, France, where he arrived in 1989. While he moved to the capital to study computer science, his love for the music and cultures of his homeland pushed him towards an artistic career. As Cheb Tarik, his stage name, he met Maghni, an influential composer and arranger on the raï scene, and gained maturity in composition. His first album, Option raï (1994), received encouraging reviews. Building on the success of his hit song "La jalousie", the following year the singer returned to the mythical figure of Cheb Hasni on Hommage à Hasni (1995), which won over Algerian audiences. Little by little, Cheb Tarik incorporated new aesthetics into his music, notably rap and reggae, and presented "Reggae raï" in 1998, a cover of "Reggae Night " by Toya Jackson and Amir Bayan. Spotted for the originality of his approach, Cheb Tarik made a name for himself in the music world, winning over numerous stages. As a symbol of the blending of different cultures in his music, the singer presented Metisstyle in 2001, a new album on the Atoll Music label. Featuring a new hit, "Je n'ai pas besoin", the album once again won over the public and gave the singer a new lease of life. Cheb Tarik continued to experiment in the early 2000s with Raï'Tistick (2004) and Deux milliards balak ktar (2006), before taking a back seat on the production front, preferring to focus on live performances. Appearing on a number of compilations, Cheb Tarik enjoyed further success in 2009 with "Chebka ya l'Algérie", a song in support of the national soccer team, and in 2022 he took part in the compilation L'Algérie en chansons to mark the 60th anniversary of the country's independence.
