Gandhi Bilel Djuna (; born 6 May 1986), better known by his stage name Maître Gims () and more recently just Gims (, ; sometimes stylized as GIMS), is a
Congolese-French rapper, singer and songwriter. He grew up in France and currently lives in France and Morocco. He is a former member of the
hip hop group
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
and released his first major album,
''Subliminal'' in 2013. The album sold over a million copies in France and peaked at number two in the
Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
The National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (french: Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique; SNEP) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym ...
. His other two albums follow: ''
Mon cœur avait raison
''Mon cœur avait raison'' (; ) is a 2015 double album by Congolese–French singer and rapper Maître Gims. Released on 28 August 2015, the album is divided into ''Pilule bleue'' ("blue pill"), containing 15 tracks and ''Pilule rouge'' ("red pil ...
'' in 2015 and
''Ceinture noire'' in 2018 reached number one in France and Belgium (Wallonia) and peaked in the top 40 in various European countries, including Denmark, Italy and Switzerland.
He has topped the French singles charts four times, including once as a featured artist, most recently in 2018 with his song "
La même
"La même" is a song recorded by Congolese-French singer and rapper Maître Gims in collaboration with Vianney released in 2018. The song has peaked at number one on the French Singles Chart
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
...
". The song was the most performed in France in 2018 and it helped Gims become the most performed artist on French television and radio for the same year.
In 2018, he was the 7th most performed artist in the world on
Deezer
Deezer is a French online music streaming service. It allows users to listen to music content from record labels, as well as podcasts on various devices online or offline.
Created in Paris, Deezer currently has 90 million licensed tracks in i ...
. During his career he has worked with several international artists such as
Sia
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler ( ; born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Adelaide, she started her career as a singer in the acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s. In 1997, when Crisp disbanded, she rel ...
,
Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
,
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
,
Stromae
Paul van Haver (; born 12 March 1985), better known by his stage name Stromae (), is a Belgian singer, rapper, songwriter and producer. He is mostly known for his music blending hip hop and electronic music. Stromae came to wide public attenti ...
,
Maluma
Juan Luis Londoño Arias (born 28 January 1994), known professionally as Maluma, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and actor.
Born and raised in Medellín, he developed an interest in music at a young age, recording songs since age sixteen. ...
,
Sting
Sting may refer to:
* Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger
* Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself
Fictional characters and entities
* Sting (Middle-eart ...
and others. He has sold over 5 million records, including 3 million albums since the start of his career.
In 2020, he won the International Artist of the Year in
Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards
The Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA) is an annual awards show held in Dubai, UAE. It honors distinguished International and Arab personalities in recognition of their annual achievements and contribution towards commit ...
after his featuring in
Mohamed Ramadan's song "Ya habibi". On 17 September 2020,
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
released a documentary about the last ten years of his career titled ''
Gims: On the Record''.
In 2022, he played the song "Arhbo" for the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
along with
Ozuna
Juan Carlos Ozuna Rosado (; born March 13, 1992), known simply by his surname Ozuna, is a Puerto Rican singer. Five of his studio albums have topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums, ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, with ''Aura (Ozuna al ...
, which they also performed during the closing ceremony.
Early life
Gandhi Djuna was born on 6 May 1986 in
Kinshasa
Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...
,
Zaire
Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
(Now the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1997). He comes from a family of musicians: his father Djanana Djuna is the singer of
Papa Wemba
Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba (14 June 1949 – 24 April 2016), known professionally as Papa Wemba (), was a Congolese singer and musician who played Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo. Dubbed the "King of Rumba Rock", he was one of the ...
's
Viva La Musica troupe. He arrived in France in 1988 at the age of two, with his parents who were then foreigners in an irregular situation.
Because of his parents hiding, he explains having had a difficult childhood. He was placed with foster families, before living in squats until he was 18 years old. This passage from his life is mentioned in his book ''Vise le soleil''. He is part of a family of fourteen children. He is the brother of
Dadju
Dadju Djuna Nsungula (; born 2 May 1991), better known by the mononym Dadju or at times Prince Dadj, is a French singer. He was signed to the label Wati B and in 2017 signed with Polydor Records of Universal Music Group. He was a member of the m ...
, member of the group
The Shin Sekaï
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
, of Bedjik, Afi (formerly Xgangs) and Djelass all three rappers. On his first album
''Subliminal'' (2013), they participate in the song "Outsider". Gims grew up in the
3rd arrondissement of Paris
The 3rd arrondissement of Paris (''IIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements (districts) of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is colloquially referred to as the ''"troisième"'' meaning "third" in Fr ...
. His family then moved to the
9th arrondissement and finally to the
19th arrondissement
The 19th arrondissement of Paris (''XIXe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''dix-neuvième''.
The arrondissement, known as Butte-Chaumont, i ...
. Gims studied graphic design and communication.
He takes the nickname "Gims" in reference to Asian cinema and the world of martial arts.
Career
Sexion d'Assaut (2002–2012)
In 2002, Gims formed with the rappers
JR O Crom
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, which is ...
and Makan the trio Prototype 3015. The name of the group was chosen in reference to a film, mainly for its "combative" meaning. The name
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
also includes a reference to the
Sturmabteilung
The (; SA; literally "Storm Detachment") was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi ral ...
(SA), in French "Section d'Assaut", a famous
Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
paramilitary unit, which the group learns by chance during a concert for the City of Paris. In 2005, the trio merged with Assonance, another group from the Sexion d'Assaut collective. The group is now called 3rd Prototype.
After a few pieces produced independently, Sexion d'Assault meets their agent, Dawala, in the cellars of
Châtelet-Les Halles in Paris. With Dawala, the 3rd Prototype released its first mixtape, ''La Terre du Milieu'', on 13 May 2006. Gims designed the CD cover. In 2007, they released the album ''Le Renouveau'', which contained the well-known piece "Anti Tectonick".
Through Prototype 3015 first, then Prototype 3, Gims is part of the
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
supergroup. Sexion d'Assaut released his first songs between 2002 and 2003. Among them, we find Gang yaba Gang, Coup 2 pression and Frères de rue. With Sexion d'Assault, Gims participates twice in the ''12 Inch'All Star'', a famous rap competition in the Parisian underground which takes place at the
Batofar. He came in second place and gained notoriety, now known as one of the best kickers (freestylers) in France.
In 2008, the group presented monthly freestyles called Les Chroniques du mois: each month, at least two freestyle songs were released via audio or video. In January 2009, Sexion d'Assaut published a net-tape renamed ''
Les Chroniques du 75
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, which is ...
'', a compilation also containing previously unreleased tracks, including the solo piece "À 30%" by Gims.
Sexion d'Assaut's second street album, ''
L'Écrasement de tête
L'Écrasement de tête (Head Crush) is the first street album by the Sexion d'Assaut collective (not taking into account the discography of the 3rd Prototype, the internal group of the Sexion d'Assaut). La Sexion d'Assaut was made up of the 3rd P ...
'', was released in May 2009 on Because Music. The last sub-entity of the supergroup, 3rd Prototype, disappears completely. ''LÉcrasement de tête'' acquired a certain notoriety with the general public thanks to titles and music videos, including "T'es bête ou quoi?" and "Wati Bon Son" (in collaboration with
Dry). Sexion d'Assaut goes on tour, notably opening for
Orelsan
Aurélien Cotentin (; born 1 August 1982), better known by his stage name Orelsan, sometimes stylized as OrelSan (), is a French rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor and film director. He has released four studio albums: his debut ''Perdu d ...
and
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
. The Head Crush sells more than 50,000 copies. Following the release of ''LÉcrasement de tête'', the group left Because Music due to misunderstandings and signed with
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
Entertainment.
In 2010, Sexion d'Assaut released the studio album ''
L'École des points vitaux
''L'École des points vitaux'' (The school of vital points) is the second official album by French rap group Sexion d'Assaut composed of Gims, Maître Gims, Lefa (rapper), Lefa, Barack Adama, Maska (rapper), Maska, JR O Crom, Black M, Doomams, and ...
''. Gims is credited there as a singer-songwriter. He composed the instrumental tracks of several pieces, including "Ils appellent ça "Casquette à l'envers". Other beatmakers also participate in the album, such as SoulChildren with "La drogue te donne des ailes". The album met with great success with the general public, selling over 400,000 copies. The group opens for
Suprême NTM
Suprême NTM (), or simply NTM, is a French hip hop band formed in 1989 in Seine-Saint-Denis. The band comprises rappers JoeyStarr and Kool Shen. Their 6 albums were released by Sony Music Entertainment.
The group takes its name from the Fr ...
at the Parc des Princes and performs at the
Zénith de Paris
The zenith is the point in the sky that appears directly above the observer.
Zenith or Zénith may also refer to:
*Summit, a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it
Automotive
* Zenith Carburett ...
.
In April 2011, a controversy broke out over the group's openly homophobic claims. In reaction to criticism,
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
decided to release a mixtape entitled ''
En attendant L'Apogée: les Chroniques du 75'', which despite everything met with success with titles like "Paris va bien" and "Qui t'a dit". The project contains a DVD including one of the clips of the songs present, as well as a documentary retracing the group's journey.
In March 2012, they released their second album, ''
L'Apogée
''L’Apogée'' is the third official album by French rap group Sexion d'Assaut composed of Maître Gims, Lefa, Barack Adama, Maska, JR O Crom, Black M, Doomams, and L.I.O. Petrodollars. This album was released on March 5, 2012 in stores and avai ...
'', which was more successful than the first. The album sold over 700,000 copies. The same year, Gims published an online comic entitled ''Au cœur du vortex''.
In parallel with his career with Sexion d'Assaut, Gims tried his hand at musical composition. At the end of 2006, he released his first solo project, an
Extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. entitled ''
Pour ceux qui dorment les yeux ouverts
''Pour ceux qui dorment les yeux ouverts'' (''For those who sleep with their eyes open'') is an extended play by Congolese-French rapper Gims, which was released on 7 December 2006.
It was also Gims's first solo project produced by Wati B. He a ...
''. The EP is produced by ATK's Fredy K and Noko. Pressed to very few copies, the disc aims to make Gims known to the general public. The record features tracks with
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
,
Scred Connexion
Scred Connexion is a French rap collective launched in the 1990s composed by Fabe, Koma, Haroun, Mokless and Morad, with the assistance of Butch. Fabe decided to quit his rapping career in 2000 and quit the collective after releasing one additiona ...
rapper Koma and a singer named Carole.
''Subliminal'' (2012–2015)
On 29 January 2013, in the video ''Welcome to the Wa Part. 4: La Consecration'', Gims announces the release of his first solo studio album,
''Subliminal'', for 20 May 2013. On 1 March Gims publishes "Meurtre par strangulation". On 15 March he unveils "
J'me tire
"J'me tire" () is a single by Congolese-French rapper and singer Maître Gims, a former member of the band Sexion d'Assaut. It was released on 15 March 2013 as the first single from his debut album ''Subliminal''.
The single was successful, beco ...
", his second single which remains ranked number 1 on the French charts for four consecutive weeks, the clip being released on 10 April 2013. In an interview on the Rapelite.com site, Gims confirms the presence of rapper
Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
on a track entitled "Pas touché". His three brothers, Bedjik,
Dadju
Dadju Djuna Nsungula (; born 2 May 1991), better known by the mononym Dadju or at times Prince Dadj, is a French singer. He was signed to the label Wati B and in 2017 signed with Polydor Records of Universal Music Group. He was a member of the m ...
and X-Gang, from the group MM Solja, are reunited on the track "Outsider".
![Maitre_Gims](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Maitre_Gims.jpg)
On 4 May he published "
Bella
Bella is a feminine given name. It is a diminutive form of names ending in -bella. ''Bella'' is related to the Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Latin words for beautiful, to the name Belle, meaning ''beautiful'' in French. It increased in ...
". On 13 May it broadcasts "
VQ2PQ" exclusively on Skyrock. On 14 May it broadcasts, still exclusively, It Works, in collaboration with
The Shin Sekaï
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
. Subliminal is released on 20 May.
To promote it, Gims unveils previously unreleased tracks, which will not be part of the album, in the form of a series of video clips entitled This is not a clip. On the commercial side, the album is certified double diamond disc with more than 1 million sales.
On 31 May 2013, he performed his first solo concert at the
Olympia
The name Olympia may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games
* ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
. He participates in the album ''
Racine carrée
Jean-Baptiste Racine ( , ) (; 22 December 163921 April 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille as well as an important literary figure in the Western traditio ...
'' of
Stromae
Paul van Haver (; born 12 March 1985), better known by his stage name Stromae (), is a Belgian singer, rapper, songwriter and producer. He is mostly known for his music blending hip hop and electronic music. Stromae came to wide public attenti ...
on the song "AVF" featuring with
Orelsan
Aurélien Cotentin (; born 1 August 1982), better known by his stage name Orelsan, sometimes stylized as OrelSan (), is a French rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor and film director. He has released four studio albums: his debut ''Perdu d ...
. Gims announces that he wants to take a break after the last date of the
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
tour, 28 September 2013 at the
Stade de France
The Stade de France (, ) is the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 80,698 makes it the sixth-largest stadium in Europe. The stadium is used by the France national foot ...
for Urban Peace, which also brings together IAM,
Orelsan
Aurélien Cotentin (; born 1 August 1982), better known by his stage name Orelsan, sometimes stylized as OrelSan (), is a French rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor and film director. He has released four studio albums: his debut ''Perdu d ...
,
Youssoupha
Youssoupha Mabiki (born August 29, 1979), better known by his nickname Youssoupha () is a French rapper of Congolese descent.
Early life and career
He was born to a Congolese father, the musician and Congo-Kinshasa political figure Tabu Ley Ro ...
,
La Fouine
Laouni Mouhid ( ar, العوني محيد , ; born 25 December 1981), commonly known by his stage name La Fouine (, ; ), with additional aliases such as Fouiny Babe or just Fouiny (), is a French rapper and singer of Moroccan descent. He is own ...
,
Psy 4 de la Rime
Psy 4 de la Rime () are a French hip hop band formed 1995 in Marseille comprising several rappers with immigrant backgrounds from former French colonies. Their original name was KDB, Kid Dog Black. The band was signed to 361 Records, a Marsei ...
,
Rohff
Housni M'Kouboi (; born 15 December 1977), better known as Rohff and at times stylized as Roh2f, is a French rapper.
Born in Antananarivo, Madagascar, to a family of Comoran origin, he immigrated in 1985 to France living in Vitry-sur-Seine, in ...
and
Stromae
Paul van Haver (; born 12 March 1985), better known by his stage name Stromae (), is a Belgian singer, rapper, songwriter and producer. He is mostly known for his music blending hip hop and electronic music. Stromae came to wide public attenti ...
. He also intends to take care of his couple and his four children, whom he says he has seen too little because of his career (the oldest of his four children was born around 2008 and the youngest in 2013). The new
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
album is then scheduled for November 2015.
In September 2013, he participated in the single "
Game Over" by singer
Vitaa
Charlotte Bendaoud (; born 14 March 1983), known by her stage name Vitaa (), is a French singer-songwriter.
Biography
Vitaa was discovered by DJ Kost, who paired her with Dadoo in a duet . They sang "Pas à pas" ('Step by Step'). It was at this e ...
. The song ranks first in sales of singles in France. On 22 November 2013, Gims unveils his new clip "Changer", which ranks 17th for the week of 1 December 2013. With this ballad, Gims hopes to reach a new, wider audience.
In February 2014, Gims was nominated in the Urban Music category at the
Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la Musique (; en, Victories of Music) is an annual French award ceremony where the Victoire accolade is delivered by the French Ministry of Culture to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. The classical and jazz ...
, but the award was finally awarded to the 1995 group. His solo career was nonetheless a success. According to the magazine
Challenges
Challenge may refer to:
* Voter challenging or caging, a method of challenging the registration status of voters
* Euphemism for disability
* Peremptory challenge, a dismissal of potential jurors from jury duty
Places
Geography
*Challenge, C ...
, the singer is the second highest paid French artist of 2013, behind
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Jeanne Gautier (; born 12 September 1961), known professionally as Mylène Farmer (), is a Canadian-born French singer, songwriter, occasional actress, writer, and entrepreneur. Having sold more than 30 million records in France, she is ...
but just ahead of
Johnny Hallyday
Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and pop singer and actor, credited for having brought rock and roll to France.
During a career spanning 57 ...
.
''Mon cœur avait raison'' (2015–2016)
In parallel with the announcement of his ''Warano Tour'', Gims published videos via social networks with extracts of songs that turned out to be those of his future album. In addition, he announces the release on 20 February 2016 of the seventh video of This is not a clip with Fuck Ramses which could not take place.
Although announced for the month of March, the release of the first single from the album "
Est-ce que tu m'aimes?" took place on 28 April on Skyrock. In addition, he announces that the album will be divided into two parts: the Blue Pill which is a part made up of urban pop songs, and the Red Pill which is oriented towards
rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
. This concept was inspired by the movie ''
The Matrix
''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
''. Some time later, the first single from The Red Pill titled "Melynda Gates" followed by a clip is released.
Then, Gims unveils the second extract of the Blue Pill called "
Laissez passer", the clip of which brings together his family, his father and his brothers. At the end of July, Gims continues with "Longue vie" (Red Pill) with Lefa which marks his return to the music scene, the clip brings together all the
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
.
The tracklist and the release date of the album are announced by Gims on social networks: the album will be released on 28 August. At the end of August, a new single: "
Brisé", is available. Subsequently, he released 4 other singles from his double album ("
Tu vas me manquer", "
Je te pardonne", "
ABCD
ABCD is a list of the first four letters in the English alphabet. It may also refer to:
Film
* ''ABCD'' (film), a 2005 Tamil romance film
* ''ABCD 2'', a 2015 Indian dance film
* '' ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi (2013 film)'', a 2013 Mal ...
" as well as "
Sapés comme jamais
"Sapés comme jamais" (English: ''Dressed like never'') is a song by Congolese-French singer and rapper Maître Gims
Gandhi Bilel Djuna (; born 6 May 1986), better known by his stage name Maître Gims () and more recently just Gims (, ; somet ...
"). Then he announced the reissue of his album which will be released on 26 August 2016. ''Mon cœur avait raison'' runs out to 700,000 copies.
On 23 April 2016, Gims gave a concert before the football match between
Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. As Fr ...
and
Lille OSC
Lille Olympique Sporting Club (), commonly referred to as LOSC, LOSC Lille or simply Lille, is a French professional football club based in Lille, Hauts-de-France that competes in Ligue 1, the top flight of French football. Lille has played its ...
for the
2016 Coupe de la Ligue Final. He performs there excerpts from three of his hits "
Est-ce que tu m'aimes?", "
Bella
Bella is a feminine given name. It is a diminutive form of names ending in -bella. ''Bella'' is related to the Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Latin words for beautiful, to the name Belle, meaning ''beautiful'' in French. It increased in ...
" and "
Sapés comme jamais
"Sapés comme jamais" (English: ''Dressed like never'') is a song by Congolese-French singer and rapper Maître Gims
Gandhi Bilel Djuna (; born 6 May 1986), better known by his stage name Maître Gims () and more recently just Gims (, ; somet ...
".
The singer is booed by the spectators, upon his arrival on the lawn. When the rapper shouts to the audience "Shall we continue?" ", The spectators shout" No! ". Interviewed in Morocco, Gims reveals that he did not hear the whistles when he sang and that these violent criticisms did not shock him. He argues that the supporters are alcoholic and some of them were for Lille, while Gims is Parisian. The rapper ends by acknowledging that there are a lot of people who do not like his music but would be ready to redo the experience for his fans.
''Ceinture noire'' (2016–2019)
![Maître Gims Cannes 2016 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Ma%C3%AEtre_Gims_Cannes_2016_2.jpg)
Gims announces the release of ''Ceinture noire'' on 9 November 2016. Having left the
Wati B
Wati B () is an independent French record label established in 2000 by Dawala and rap band Intouchable. "Wati B" comes from , a Bamanankan expression that means "all the time". Dawala directs the operations of the label.
Due to the popularity of ...
label in December 2016, the album is released on
TF1 Group
TF1 Group (french: Groupe TF1) is a French media holding company. Its best-known property is the broadcast network TF1.
The group was formed after TF1 was privatized in April 1987. It is controlled with a 43% stake by Bouygues, and is quoted ...
under the Play Two label. On 7 May 2017, shortly after his official announcement, Gims published an extract on
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
entitled "Marabout". The title accompanied by a clip is officially released on its new YouTube channel on 12 May 2017.
On 10 November 2017, Gims broadcast the first official clip of ''Ceinture noire'', titled "
Caméléon
Chameleons or chamaeleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, bein ...
" on streaming platforms. On 12 December he posted the clip on his YouTube channel. The clip exceeds 10 million views in 2 weeks. ''Ceinture noire'' is released on 23 March 2018.
Gims unveils the tracklist and release date of his third solo album ''Ceinture noire'' for 23 March 2018, with 31 tracks + 3 bonus tracks to choose from. Then he reissued 4 bonus tracks on the ''Ceinture noire'' album in full version for 24 August 2018. On 14 March 2019 on YouTube, Gims finally released the reissue of the ''Ceinture noire'' album entitled ''Transcendance'' with 13 bonus tracks.
It includes South American superstar
Maluma
Juan Luis Londoño Arias (born 28 January 1994), known professionally as Maluma, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and actor.
Born and raised in Medellín, he developed an interest in music at a young age, recording songs since age sixteen. ...
and
J Balvin
José Álvaro Osorio Balvín (born 7 May 1985), known professionally as J Balvin, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. He has been referred to as the " Prince of Reggaeton" (from Spanish: "Príncipe del Reggaetón"), and is one of the best-sell ...
as well as
Vitaa
Charlotte Bendaoud (; born 14 March 1983), known by her stage name Vitaa (), is a French singer-songwriter.
Biography
Vitaa was discovered by DJ Kost, who paired her with Dadoo in a duet . They sang "Pas à pas" ('Step by Step'). It was at this e ...
, his brother
Dadju
Dadju Djuna Nsungula (; born 2 May 1991), better known by the mononym Dadju or at times Prince Dadj, is a French singer. He was signed to the label Wati B and in 2017 signed with Polydor Records of Universal Music Group. He was a member of the m ...
,
Alonzo
Alonzo is both a given name and a Spanish surname. Notable people with the name include:
Mononym
*Alonzo (rapper), French singer and hip hop artist, formerly Segnor Alonzo of Psy 4 de la Rime
Given name
*Alonzo de Barcena, 16th-century Spani ...
and
Sting
Sting may refer to:
* Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger
* Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself
Fictional characters and entities
* Sting (Middle-eart ...
. In 2019, he sang "
Reste" with
Sting
Sting may refer to:
* Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger
* Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself
Fictional characters and entities
* Sting (Middle-eart ...
. The clip was shot in
Transports en commun lyonnais
The Transports en commun lyonnais ("Lyon public transport" in French language, French; usually referred to as TCL) is the Lyon public transport agency. It is the second largest public transport system in France (after Paris), and covers 73 Commune ...
. The album is currently certified diamond disc with over 990,000 sales. It is approaching 1,000,000 in sales, synonymous with the double diamond disc. On 28 September 2019, he officially became the first French-speaking rapper to fill the
Stade de France
The Stade de France (, ) is the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 80,698 makes it the sixth-largest stadium in Europe. The stadium is used by the France national foot ...
with more than 72,000 spectators.
''Le Fléau'' (since 2020)
In 2020, Gims plans to release an album entirely in rap. The latter will be released on 6 November 2020 and will be called ''
Le Fléau''. On 27 March 2020, during a live
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
with
Dadju
Dadju Djuna Nsungula (; born 2 May 1991), better known by the mononym Dadju or at times Prince Dadj, is a French singer. He was signed to the label Wati B and in 2017 signed with Polydor Records of Universal Music Group. He was a member of the m ...
, Gims replied that he confirmed a new album ''Le Retour des Rois'' for this year. "Here we are in the negotiations, of who, or, the album will be released, with whom it will be distributed. You know, the things a little technical."
On 30 March 2020 in this recording, Gims listens to several songs from the
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
album ''Le Retour des Rois'' while driving in his car. On 2 May 2020, during a live return to Instagram with
Sniper
A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...
,
Sefyu
Youssef Soukouna (born 20 April 1981 in Goutte d'Or, Paris), better known by his stage name Sefyu (, his first name in ''verlan''), is a French rapper of Senegalese descent. He comes from Aulnay-sous-Bois, a city in the French department of Seine ...
and
Gradur
Wanani Gradi Mariadi (born November 28, 1990), better known by his stage name Gradur (), is a French rapper of Congolese origin from Roubaix, Hauts-de-France. He first gained recognition from a series of freestyles called Sheguey. He started as pa ...
. Gims has formalized his 100% rap album for the start of the 2020 school year at the latest, and ''Le Retour des Rois'' for the end of 2020, or even the beginning of 2021. After the end of the first confinement on 11 May 2020, Gims announces the return of the Sexion d'Assaut with the new album ''Le Retour des Rois'', scheduled for the fall.
The Sexion d'Assaut will make its comeback in concert at
Paris La Défense Arena
Paris La Défense Arena (originally known as the U Arena) is a multi-use domed stadium in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris. Opened in October 2017, it was developed by the rugby union club Racing 92, and replaced Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoi ...
on 25 September 2021, a date officially set for January but postponed due to the raging health crisis. On 28 August 2020,
Kendji Girac
Kendji "Girac" Jason Maillié (; born July 3, 1996), also known mononymously as Kendji, is a French singer-songwriter. He is the winner of season 3 of the music competition '' The Voice: la plus belle voix'' as part of Team Mika. He has released ...
and Gims will unveil their title "Dernier Métro", produced as a duo. The same day, he released the first single from the album entitled "
Yolo", an urban pop sound, very dancing in which he recounts his journey in music. On 17 September 2020, on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
, a documentary was released retracing the last ten years of his career titled ''
Gims: On the Record''.
On 25 September 2020, he released the second single from the album entitled "
Immortel", a purely rap sound featuring a very kicker Gims, from the time of the Sexion d'Assault. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, the release of his album ''
Le Fléau'' has been delayed indefinitely. On 26 November 2020, Gims announced on his social networks that his album ''Le Fléau'' would be released on 4 December. On 2 December 2020, Gims therefore unveils the tracklist of his fourth album ''Le Fléau'' with 17 tracks for 9 featurings. Among the featurings, we find some big names of French rap like
Vald
A municipality ( et, omavalitsus, plural ) is the smallest administrative subdivision of Estonia. Each municipality is a unit of self-government with its representative and executive bodies. The municipalities in Estonia cover the entire terri ...
,
Kaaris
Okou Gnakouri Armand Olivier (; born 30 January 1980), better known by his stage name Kaaris (, ; stylized as KΛΛRIS), is a Ivorian-born French rapper, record producer, composer and actor. ''Or Noir'', his major album on Therapy Music / AZ / U ...
,
Heuss l'Enfoiré
Karim Djeriou ( ar, كريم جريو; born August 20, 1992), better known by his stage name Heuss l'Enfoiré (; , sounding like "Huss"), is a French rapper of Moroccan descent.
Early life
He was born in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, In a family o ...
or the revelations
Leto
In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Leto (; grc-gre, Λητώ , ''Lētṓ'', or , ''Lātṓ'' in Ancient Greek dialects#Provenance, Doric Greek) is a goddess and the mother of Apollo, the god of music, and Artemis ...
,
Bosh
Bosh or BOSH may refer to:
* BOSH (protocol), a transport protocol in computer networking
* Bosh (band), a Christian rock band from Bournemouth, United Kingdom
*Bosh (rapper), French rapper
* BOSH (software), a project for release engineering, dep ...
and Gazo. The album was certified platinum a month and a half after its release. On 17 March 2021, Gims publishes a new freestyle named "Pyongyang" in collaboration with l'nsolent.
On 5 April 2021, he published on streaming platforms a new title called "GJS" in collaboration with
Jul
Jul most commonly refers to:
* July, as an abbreviation for the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian calendar
Jul or JUL may also refer to:
Celebrations
* ''Jul'', Scandinavian and Germanic word for Yule
* ''Jul (Denmark)'', the Danish Yu ...
and
SCH, as well as the title called "
Belle", in collaboration with
Dadju
Dadju Djuna Nsungula (; born 2 May 1991), better known by the mononym Dadju or at times Prince Dadj, is a French singer. He was signed to the label Wati B and in 2017 signed with Polydor Records of Universal Music Group. He was a member of the m ...
and
Slimane
Slimane or Sliman is an alternative of Suleiman (in Arabic name ) being the Arabic version of the name Solomon. The name means "man of peace". It is also a common given name and surname. It may refer to
Given name
;Sliman
* Sliman Mansour (bor ...
. He appears in a video supporting right-wing candidate
Valérie Pecresse in the run-up to the 2021 regional elections in
Île-de-France
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 = +01:00
, timezone1_DST = CEST
, utc_offset1_DST = +02:00
, blank_name_sec1 = Gross regional product
, blank_info_sec1 = Ranked 1st
, bla ...
.
Personal life
Gandhi Djuna married two women: a Frenchwoman who lives in Morocco, and with whom he had two children, from whom he is separated but would never have divorced; then a Frenchwoman of Malian origin Demdem, married in 2005 and with whom he has three children. He spends his time between France and Morocco.
In more recent interviews, Gims has actually denied the rumours, calling them "absolutely false" and going on to say that he has only been married once.
He converted to
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
in 2004. In 2005, he joined the fundamentalist movement of the
Tablighi Jamaat
Tablighi Jamaat (, also translated as "propagation party" or "preaching party")
is a transnational Deobandi Islamic missionary movement
that focuses on exhorting Muslims to be more religiously observant
and encouraging fellow members t ...
, which he then left and now considers a sect. He says in a documentary dedicated to him on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
: "There were people who ended up dead, committed suicide in Iraq, People who were next to me, And that freaked me out, I don't know where I could have ended up." Originally a Catholic, he indicated in 2016 that
Barack Adama
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, which is ...
, his friend from the group
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
, convinced him to convert to Islam, as well as after an interview with an imam.
In March 2018, he indicated that he applied for
French nationality
French nationality law is historically based on the principles of ''jus soli'' (Latin for "right of soil") and ''jus sanguinis'', according to Ernest Renan's definition, in opposition to the German definition of nationality, ''jus sanguinis'' ( ...
and that it was refused. According to the press, this decision would be because of his “
bigamy
In cultures where monogamy is mandated, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their marital status as married persons. I ...
”, which is not authorized in
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
or
European law
European Union law is a system of rules operating within the member states of the European Union (EU). Since the founding of the European Coal and Steel Community following World War II, the EU has developed the aim to "promote peace, its valu ...
.
In early 2022, he relaunches the procedure for obtaining French nationality. The
Minister of the Interior
An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
,
Gérald Darmanin
Gérald Moussa Darmanin (; born 11 October 1982) is a French politician who has been serving as Minister of the Interior in the governments of Prime Ministers Jean Castex and Élisabeth Borne since 2020.
A former member of The Republicans (LR) ...
, estimated on 25 January 2022 on ''
France Inter
France Inter () is a major French public radio channel and part of Radio France. It is a "generalist" station, aiming to provide a wide national audience with a full service of news and spoken-word programming, both serious and entertaining, li ...
'' that the rapper's recent comments on the New Year did not demonstrate "good proof of assimilation into French society", going to against article 21-24 of the
Napoleonic Code. However, the minister assures that his request would be, like all the others, re-examined by his services.
Monstre Marin Corporation
In 2013, Gims founded
Monstre Marin Corporation
Monstre Marin Corporation (Sea Monster Corporation) known as MMC was a French record label, located in Paris. It is founded by rapper and singer Gims, and affiliated with the Universal Music France record company. The first compilation of the lab ...
with Pascal Nègre. The latter announces the direct integration of MMC into Universal. "Gims is one of the most gifted artists of his generation! I am delighted to accompany him with Universal Music in his discovery of new talents and in the development of his label Sea Monster", he explains on his Twitter page. The label's logo was unveiled in early 2014.
In February 2014,
L'Algérino
Samir Djoghlal (born 2 May 1981), better known as L'Algérino (), is an Algerian-French rapper and singer whose family came from the Chaoui- Berber tribes in Khenchela, Algeria.
A childhood friend of JUL, he was discovered in 2001 by rapper Akh ...
joined the label, followed in June 2014 by
Mac Tyer
Socrate Petteng (born April 23, 1979), better known as Mac Tyer (), is a French rapper of Cameroonian descent, from Aubervilliers, Île-de-France
The Île-de-France (, ; literally "Isle of France") is the most populous of the eighteen regions o ...
.
Monstre Marin Corporation
Monstre Marin Corporation (Sea Monster Corporation) known as MMC was a French record label, located in Paris. It is founded by rapper and singer Gims, and affiliated with the Universal Music France record company. The first compilation of the lab ...
published its first compilation ''La Monster Party chapitre 1'' on 30 June 2014. According to
BFM TV, Gims sold 50% of the label Monstre Marin Corporation in 2014 for 500,000 euros. This structure sold to
Universal Music France
Universal Music Group owns, or has a joint share in, many of the record labels listed here.
According to UMG official site, the main labels are Abbey Road Studios, Bravado, Capitol Music Group, Decca Records, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammopho ...
brought together many artists such as
Vitaa
Charlotte Bendaoud (; born 14 March 1983), known by her stage name Vitaa (), is a French singer-songwriter.
Biography
Vitaa was discovered by DJ Kost, who paired her with Dadoo in a duet . They sang "Pas à pas" ('Step by Step'). It was at this e ...
,
Souf
Souf (سوف) is a town in Jerash Governorate, Jordan, set over a series of mountains at an altitude of 1,000 meters. Souf is situated 35 miles north of Amman, the capital of Jordan. The total population of Souf exceeds 14,000 people, while it ...
,
Mac Tyer
Socrate Petteng (born April 23, 1979), better known as Mac Tyer (), is a French rapper of Cameroonian descent, from Aubervilliers, Île-de-France
The Île-de-France (, ; literally "Isle of France") is the most populous of the eighteen regions o ...
,
L'Algérino
Samir Djoghlal (born 2 May 1981), better known as L'Algérino (), is an Algerian-French rapper and singer whose family came from the Chaoui- Berber tribes in Khenchela, Algeria.
A childhood friend of JUL, he was discovered in 2001 by rapper Akh ...
, MA2X,
Lartiste
Youssef Akdim (Berber languages, Berber: ⵢⵓⵙⴻⴼ ⴰⵇⴷⵉⵎ, ar, يوسف أقديم, link=no; born 4 July 1985), better known as Lartiste (), is a Moroccans in France, French-Moroccan singer and rapper. Born in Imintanoute, Mo ...
or even the Marin Monster duo, now all gone and replaced by emerging artists like
DJ Arafat, DJ Last One, Amalya or Savana blues. The label ends its activities on 13 January 2020.
Gims and sunglasses
Gims is famous for always wearing
sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades or sunnies; more names below) are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can s ...
in public, in fact, it is rare to find pictures of him without glasses on the Internet, and the reason for this is so that he is not recognized on the street when he is without glasses because of his wide popularity in France and
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
in particular, and he previously stated that this method works. The only time Gims took off his glasses in public was at a live concert with the group
Sexion d'Assaut
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Paris, Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, wh ...
when he danced with the group members but little was noticed on his face because the stage was almost dark.
Artistic environment
Gims' music is influenced by
hip-hop and dance, with pop and Latin touches. Just before his first album, Les Inrocks compares Gims to footballer
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés Messi (; born 24 June 1987), also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the ...
for his versatility: "Gims has a vast arsenal. He sings, raps, composes and produces." For his first album, the artist addresses his joys, his questions, his anger and his rants. In September 2013, he told Liberation that "he is not forbidding himself anything. A rock or even varietal album 'does not scare him'.
![Gims et moi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Gims_et_moi.jpg)
The second album is divided into two parts: an "urban pop /
R&B" oriented, widely broadcast by radio and music channels, and a "
rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
" oriented as it did when it started. The humorist of the web Jhon Rachid deplores that the second part "old-fashioned rap" is less known than the first, which hurts him "rap" (title of his show on YouTube). As for
Joeystarr, he often criticizes him on social networks, calling his music "music for prepubescent". The slammer Grand Corps Malade said in an interview that he does not adhere to the music of Gims, which is "teenage pop" with "poor lyrics and an unpleasant voice".
The Booska-P site evokes "Gims-bashing" in an article presenting the most hated French rappers which also include
Bigflo & Oli
Bigflo & Oli is a French hip-hop duo from Toulouse. The duo is composed of two brothers, Florian "Bigflo" Ordoñez and Olivio "Oli" Ordoñez. Their debut album ''La Cour des grands'' was released in 2015 and received a gold record award in France ...
,
Jul
Jul most commonly refers to:
* July, as an abbreviation for the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian calendar
Jul or JUL may also refer to:
Celebrations
* ''Jul'', Scandinavian and Germanic word for Yule
* ''Jul (Denmark)'', the Danish Yu ...
and
Booba
Élie Yaffa (; born 9 December 1976), better known under his stage name Booba, is a French rapper. After a brief stint as a break dancer in the early 1990s, Booba partnered with his friend Ali to form Lunatic. The duo released a critically ac ...
. Rap "purists" like
Joeystarr or Jhon Rachid cited above reproach him for the touches of pop and dance; some calling his music "camping music" or "
zumba
Zumba is a fitness program that involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance. It was founded by Colombian dancer and choreographer Beto Pérez in 2001, and by 2012, it had 110,000 locations and 12 million people taking classes weekly. Zumba is a ...
". Hated by a part of the rap fans, he is also hated by a part of the general public who do not like rap and prefer variety or rock. Part of the press considers Gims as an artist of the subculture with very weak texts, like the literary critic
Éric Naulleau
Éric Naulleau (born 11 March 1961) is a French literary critic, editor, essayist and columnist. He is best known for his appearances on television shows such as ''On n'est pas couché'' (2007–2011), hosted by Laurent Ruquier on Saturdays at 11 ...
declaring that Gims made "the worst texts of French song".
Influences
He cites artists such as
Booba
Élie Yaffa (; born 9 December 1976), better known under his stage name Booba, is a French rapper. After a brief stint as a break dancer in the early 1990s, Booba partnered with his friend Ali to form Lunatic. The duo released a critically ac ...
,
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American singer and rapper. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals for a multitude of hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the ...
,
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...
,
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
,
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
,
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
or even Tandem as his main influences.
Controversies
In April 2017, it was said that he cancelled a concert in
Alès
Alès (; oc, Alès) is a Communes of France, commune in the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie regions of France, region in southern France. It is one of the Subprefectures in France, su ...
due to the lack of a private jet to take him there; the organizer did not have the means to pay for it. The headlines criticised it as a "star whim". Following the media coverage, he gave a free and improvised concert in the
Paris metro
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Sin ...
. In the program ''
Touche pas à mon poste !
' (TPMP), literally "Don't Touch My TV Set!", is a French live television talk show. It is broadcast on C8 (French TV channel), C8 and produced by Productions. The show, hosted by Cyril Hanouna, deals with media news; it is broadcast from Monda ...
'', Gims explained that the concert was initially only a proposal which was ultimately not accepted. However, the promoter had already started selling the tickets. Faced with the risk of financial loss, the promoter contacted the rapper's producer offering to fly Gims to the concert by private jet, but Gims could not attend due to a scheduling conflict with another concert.
Plagiarism
Gims and
Vianney were accused of
plagiarism
Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one's own original work.From the 1995 '' Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary'': use or close imitation of the language and thought ...
by the Belgian director
Charlotte Abramow
Charlotte Abramow (born 30 September 1993 in Brussels) is a Belgian photographer and filmmaker.
Biography
Charlotte Abramow was born in Brussels and made her first pictures around the age of 7. At the age of 16, she was spotted by photographer ...
for the clip "
La même
"La même" is a song recorded by Congolese-French singer and rapper Maître Gims in collaboration with Vianney released in 2018. The song has peaked at number one on the French Singles Chart
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
...
". Abramow had directed a video for the International Women's Day of 8 March 2018, with which "
La même
"La même" is a song recorded by Congolese-French singer and rapper Maître Gims in collaboration with Vianney released in 2018. The song has peaked at number one on the French Singles Chart
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
...
", according to her, had many similarities: "
he video for La même hasthe same structure, the same esthetics, the same decorations in pastel colors and especially the same types of portraits". Maitre Gims responded by accusing Charlotte Abramow of having herself violated copyright by using a clip from the music video for the song "
Silent All These Years
"Silent All These Years" is a song by American singer-songwriter and musician Tori Amos. It was released as the second single from her debut studio album ''Little Earthquakes''. It was originally released in the United Kingdom in November 1991 vi ...
" by
Tori Amos
Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...
.
Christmas
At the end of 2021, he believes that celebrating
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
or wishing a happy
new year
New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system to ...
"is not Muslim". He is also opposed to
birthday
A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage.
Many relig ...
celebrations because this tradition is of non-Muslim origin.
Diversification
At the beginning of 2013, Gims founded his own clothing brand, Vortex Vx, sold in particular at
Veepee
Veepee (named vente-privee.com until January 2019) is a French retailer company that sells products through online flash sales. The site, that celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011, was developed in an online environment to host sales of design ...
and Gémo. On 31 October 2018, the
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
''Devil's Relics'' was published, imagined by Gims with his brother Darcy, and co-signed by the two brothers with screenwriter
Jean-David Morvan
Morvan in 2017.
Jean-David Morvan (born 28 November 1969 in Reims, Marne, France) is a French comics author.
Morvan studied arts at the Institut Saint-Luc in Brussels. Morvan started out as a comics artist, but soon realised that his true str ...
and designer Yoshiyasu Tamura.
Lyricist
In addition to writing his own lyrics, he also writes for other artists. In 2013, Gims participated as a "guest" in the
Popstars
''Popstars'' is an international reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Realit ...
program, in which he gave young groups advice for their career. Following this intervention, he wrote the first single of the winning group,
The Mess
The Mess was a French girl group who took part in season 5 of French reality television series ''Popstars'' in 2013 on D8, winning the final on 2 July 2013 against eventual runner-ups, the duo Oslo, which consists of Eugénie and Vincent. The ...
, entitled Au Top. This single reached 8th on the
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
chart.
Discography
Solo
* ''
Subliminal
Subliminal may refer to:
* Subliminal stimuli, sensory stimuli below an individual's threshold for conscious perception
* Subliminal channel, in cryptography, a covert channel that can be used over an insecure channel
* Subliminal (rapper) (born ...
'' (2013)
* ''
Mon cœur avait raison
''Mon cœur avait raison'' (; ) is a 2015 double album by Congolese–French singer and rapper Maître Gims. Released on 28 August 2015, the album is divided into ''Pilule bleue'' ("blue pill"), containing 15 tracks and ''Pilule rouge'' ("red pil ...
'' (2015)
* ''
Ceinture noire
''Ceinture noire'' (Black Belt) is the third studio album by Congolese-French singer and rapper Gims, released on 23 March 2018 on the TF1 Group and Play Two labels.
The album has been reissued several times: the full version was released on 24 ...
'' (2018)
* ''
Le Fléau'' (2020)
* ''
Les Dernières Volontés de Mozart'' (2022)
With Sexion d'Assaut
*''
L'Ecrasement de tête'' (2009)
* ''
L'École des points vitaux
''L'École des points vitaux'' (The school of vital points) is the second official album by French rap group Sexion d'Assaut composed of Gims, Maître Gims, Lefa (rapper), Lefa, Barack Adama, Maska (rapper), Maska, JR O Crom, Black M, Doomams, and ...
'' (2010)
* ''
L'Apogée
''L’Apogée'' is the third official album by French rap group Sexion d'Assaut composed of Maître Gims, Lefa, Barack Adama, Maska, JR O Crom, Black M, Doomams, and L.I.O. Petrodollars. This album was released on March 5, 2012 in stores and avai ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Le Retour des Rois
Sexion d'Assaut (), formerly known as 3ème Prototype (for "Troisième Prototype" ; en, "3rd Prototype"), is a French hip hop band formed in 2002, composed of eight Parisian rappers. They are signed to independent record label Wati B, which is ...
'' (2022)
Filmography
Film
Concert tours
* Warano Tour (2016)
* Fuego Tour (2019)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Biography, Music, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France
1986 births
Living people
People from Kinshasa
Converts to Islam
Democratic Republic of the Congo rappers
Democratic Republic of the Congo Muslims
French rappers
French Muslims
Democratic Republic of the Congo emigrants to France
Masked musicians
Black French musicians