''Jefe'' (; ) is the third studio album by French rapper
Ninho
William Nzobazola better known by his stage name Ninho (; born 2 April 1996)Warner Music France
Warner Music Group's labels include the following.
Flagship labels
*Atlantic Records
*Elektra Records
*Parlophone Records
*Warner Records
Atlantic Records Group
* 1st & 15th Entertainment
* All Money In
* Artist Partners Group
* Asylum Reco ...
and Rec. 118.
In promotion of the album, the rapper will kick off a 19-date tour through France, Switzerland and Belgium in 2022, starting in Grenoble on 15 April 2022.
Background and composition
The album is described as a "voyage" through the rapper's success story. In an interview with ''
AFP'', he explained that people never really know the former life and the hardships of a man that makes it big. He said that no one ever knows the beginning of the story, comparing it to looking at a completed house while dismissing the fundaments. For the first time, he decided not to include any guest appearances on a studio album. He explained his decision by saying that he could have achieved cross-over success in other countries by including features but eventually decided to take the risk and release a solo album. Prior to its release, it was rumoured that American rapper
Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
would appear on the album but plans were scrapped due to her pregnancy.
Sonically, the album offers a blend of danceable pop sounds and pure rap songs. Some songs were interpreted as a nod to
Raï
Raï (, ; ar, راي, Latn, ar, rāʾy, ), sometimes written rai, is a form of Algerian traditional music, folk music that dates back to the 1920s. Singers of Raï are called ''cheb'' (Arabic: شاب) (or ''shabab,'' i.e. young) as opposed ...
, a form of Algerian folk music.
Commercial performance
''Jefe'' debuted at number one in France, moving 66,865 total units in its first week, 9,676 of which were physical sales. This marks the second-biggest opening week in France in 2021, only behind
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 ...
's ''Civilisation''.
Elsewhere, the record reached number 12 in Flanders and number two in Wallonia.
Track listing
All tracks produced by Fabrice Landry.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{reflist
2021 albums
French-language albums