Ali B facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ali B
Ali B in 2018
Born	Ali Bouali (1981-10-16) 16 October 1981 (age 43) Zaanstad, Netherlands
Occupation	Rapper singer-songwriter television presenter cabaret performer stand-up comedian
Years active	1999–present

Ali Bouali, known as Ali B (born 16 October 1981), is a famous Moroccan Dutch rapper and entertainer. He is one of the most well-known rappers in the Netherlands. He has worked with many musicians, including Akon and Marco Borsato. Many people see him as an important person for good relations between different groups in the Netherlands.

Ali B has released three music albums and many singles. One of his songs, "Wat zou je doen" with Marco Borsato, was a number-one hit in the Netherlands in 2004. He has performed at big national events, like the 2005 Queen's Day celebration and the 2013 inauguration of Willem-Alexander. He has also been a judge on popular TV talent shows. These include The Voice of Holland, The Voice Kids, X Factor, Holland's Got Talent, and Ali B op volle toeren.

Early Life and Music Career

Ali B was born in Zaanstad, Netherlands. When he was two years old, his family moved to Amsterdam. Later, they moved to Almere when he was 14. To help him find his way, his mother sent him to live with his grandparents in Morocco for ten months. During this time, he found comfort in his faith and in rapping.

In 2004, Ali B worked with Marco Borsato on the song "Wat zou je doen." This song became number one in the Netherlands. The money from its sales went to War Child, a charity that helps children affected by war. He had other popular songs too, like "Leipe mocro flavor." He also made a new version of a football song called "Wij houden van Oranje" with the original singer, André Hazes.

In 2004, Ali B became the first rapper to get a wax figure at Madame Tussauds Amsterdam. He also worked with the international artist Akon on a remix of Akon's song "Ghetto." In 2006, Ali B was given a special honor. He was named the "Baron of Ooit" at the children's theme park Land van Ooit. He even got a statue there. The park gave him this honor because they felt he helped children in a special way.

Ali B in 2008

In 2005, Ali B hugged Queen Beatrix during the Queen's Day celebration. After this, people often called him the "knuffelmarokkaan," which means "cuddly Moroccan." At first, he didn't like this name. But he later tried to make it sound more positive. He wanted to show that it was a good thing to connect with people from different backgrounds.

In 2015, a magazine called The Economist wrote about Ali B. They said his kind actions probably helped Dutch people accept Muslims more than any government plan could. This was important because there were growing tensions in the Netherlands. Ali B was seen as a symbol of different cultures coming together.

In 2020, Ali B started "Ik Wil Groeien" (I Want to Grow). This was an online platform to help people with coaching and self-improvement. In 2021, he wrote a book called De Ali B-Methode (The Ali B Method). It shared 12 life lessons from his experiences.

Later, some companies decided to stop working with Ali B. For example, his book was no longer printed or sold. Also, a vegetarian chicken brand he promoted was taken off shelves. TV channels like RTL Nederland and NPO 1 stopped playing his songs or having him as a judge on their shows.

Television Career

Ali B is also well-known for his work on television. In 2011, he got his own TV show called Ali B op volle toeren. On this show, young rappers and famous artists from other music styles would cover each other's songs. In 2013, he was a mentor on X Factor.

From 2013 to 2022, Ali B was a coach on The Voice of Holland and The Voice Kids. In 2020, he was a judge on Holland's Got Talent. He also served as a judge in 2020 and 2021 on the singing talent show We Want More. In 2017, he started acting and appeared in the Belgian movie Patser, which came out in 2018.

Personal Life

Ali Bouali is married to Breghje Kommers. She is the half-sister of professional football player Abel Tamata. Ali B and Breghje have three sons together. His cousin, Yes-R, is also a rapper and a TV personality.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Featured in

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

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  Ali B in 2018

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  Ali B in 2008