Kohndo (also known as ''Doc Odnok'', full name ''Kohndo Assogba'') is a
French rap
French hip hop is the hip hop music style developed in French-speaking countries. France is the second largest hip-hop market in the world after the United States.
History
Beginning of French hip hop: the 70s and 80s
By 1982 and 1983, a numb ...
per and producer born on June 17, 1975, in
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France, from the centre of Paris. Like other communes of Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of France's wealthiest tow ...
, a suburb of Paris. Kohndo is known as one of the best lyricist in
french rap
French hip hop is the hip hop music style developed in French-speaking countries. France is the second largest hip-hop market in the world after the United States.
History
Beginning of French hip hop: the 70s and 80s
By 1982 and 1983, a numb ...
. He gained recognition as a
rapper
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 ...
during the 1990s as a part of the influential rap group,
La Cliqua.
Biography
Early career
After his birth in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, Kohndo moved to
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...
(West Africa) where his family originated. A few years later he moved back to France, and grew up in
Bobigny
Bobigny () is a commune, or town, in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, Île-de-France, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Bobigny is the prefecture (capital city) of the Seine-Saint-Denis department, as well as the seat of the A ...
, a suburb located north-east of
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 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), ma ...
. In 1984, he discovered part of Hip-Hop culture through the TV Show, H.I.P. H.O.P. hosted by
Sidney. In 1987, he relocated to the "Cité du Pont de Sèvre" (Pont de Sèvre Housing Projects) in
Boulogne Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt (; often colloquially called simply Boulogne, until 1924 Boulogne-sur-Seine, ) is a wealthy and prestigious commune in the Parisian area, located from its centre. It is a subprefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and ...
, a wealthier suburb located west of Paris. There he befriended his downstairs neighbor whose family, like his, came from Benin, and who would be later known in the rap scene as
Zoxea
Jean-Jacques Kodjo (; born November 11, 1974), known as Zoxea (), is a French rapper.
He was brought up in the Castéja Project of Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine.
He is one of the three members of Les Sages Poètes de la Rue (The Wise Poe ...
, a member of
Les Sages Poètes de la Rue. With Zoxea, Kohndo discovered the deeper aspects of
Hip-Hop, and after having learned ‘human
beatboxing
Beatboxing (also beat boxing) is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of mimicking drum machines (typically a TR-808), using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. ’ began rapping. Zoxea introduced Kohndo to his cousin:
Egosyst, with whom he formed the band: "Coup d’Etat Phonique" alongside producer
Lumumba and then-young rapper,
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...
.
In 1994, at a radio show, Egosyst and Kohndo met
Daddy Lord C, a rapper and former member of the Black Dragons, a Parisian gang. With Daddy Lord C, producer
Chimiste,
dj Jelahee and
Rocca they would form
La Cliqua.
The La Cliqua years
With the stage name Doc Odnok and as a part of
La Cliqua, Kohndo toured radios and stages, and then released, in 95, a first EP, now considered a master piece of
French Rap
French hip hop is the hip hop music style developed in French-speaking countries. France is the second largest hip-hop market in the world after the United States.
History
Beginning of French hip hop: the 70s and 80s
By 1982 and 1983, a numb ...
: "Conçu pour durer" (Built to Last) on Arsenal Records. Doc Odnok delivered, for the first time on record, his then eccentric rhyming style alongside his microphone associates: Daddy Lord C, Rocca, Raphael and Egosyt. The record was an immediate success in the
French Hip-Hop
French hip hop is the hip hop music style developed in French-speaking countries. France is the second largest hip-hop market in the world after the United States.
History
Beginning of French hip hop: the 70s and 80s
By 1982 and 1983, a numb ...
scene. Quickly Arsenal Records signed with major label
Barclay, and La Cliqua worked on their next project released in 1996 as a compilation album: "''Arsenal Represente le Vrai Hip-Hop''" (Arsenal represents the Real Hip-Hop). The record featured all members of La Cliqua and their young affiliates: Petit Boss and Cercle Vicieux.
Critically acclaimed, La Cliqua became a major feature on the French Hip-Hop landscape. They opened for
Arrested Development
The term "arrested development" has had multiple meanings for over 200 years. In the field of medicine, the term "arrested development" was first used, ''circa'' 1835–1836, to mean a stoppage of physical development; the term continues to be use ...
at the
Olympia in Paris and performed in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
at the
Zulu Nation Anniversary. Following in the footsteps of "Represente le Vrai Hip-Hop",
Rocca was the first emcee from La Cliqua to release a solo album: "''Entre Deux Monde''" which featured Kohndo on: "''Mot pour mot''" and "''Rap Contact 2''".
In 1997, Egosyst, Kohndo's rhyme partner on "Coup d’Etat Phonique" decided to leave La Cliqua. Kohndo would remain with the band until 1998, when he left the crew to develop his solo projects and career.
After La Cliqua
Shifting lyrical styles for a more relaxed and mature approach, in 1998, Kohndo was invited on
NAP's album "La fin du Monde", on Koma's "Le Reveil" and to participate in the compilations: "ZonZon" (Soundtrack) and "Paris, New York, Marseille" (along with
Jay-Z and
IAM
IAM may refer to:
Concepts
* Identity and access management, a concept that combines business processes, policies and technologies
* Indo-Aryan migration, the theory that speakers of Indo-Aryan languages migrated into the Indian subcontinent dur ...
). In 1999, Kohndo released a first EP: "Prélude à l’Odysée", establishing himself as a solo artist. The following year he released another EP: "Jungle Boogie", and then a 3rd one in 2001: "J’entends les Sirènes". On those solo projects, Kohndo exposed his vision of a
Hip-Hop far from the clichés of violence and fake gangsterism.
2003 saw the release of his long-awaited album, the critically acclaimed: "Tout est écrit", presented as a recollection of "
urban poetry" with welcome hints of soul and jazz. In 2004, Kohndo released "Blind Test", a compilation of older tracks and previously-unreleased materials.
Over the years Kohndo has open stages for
Masta Ace,
Edo G
Edward Anderson (born November 27, 1970) is a hip-hop artist from Boston, Massachusetts, better known by his stage name Edo G. Edo is the seniormost hip-hop artist from Boston (if not from anywhere in Massachusetts), in the sense that he was ...
(at Nouveau Casino),
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene (; born October 3, 1975) is an American rapper. He earned recognition early on through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with ...
,
Mobb Deep (La Scène Bastille) and
Isaac Hayes (
Olympia).
"Stick to Ground"
Kohndo released his second solo album in 2006: "Deux Pieds sur Terre / Stick to ground", a new masterpiece partly mixed in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, featuring the Motor City's very own:
Slum Village and
Dwele
Andwele Gardner (born February 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Dwele, is an American R&B singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.
Biography
Gardner was raised on the west side of Detroit in a musical fam ...
. Other American artists contributed to this album such as
Jaheim
Jaheim H. Hoagland (born May 26, 1978), known mononymously as Jaheim, is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer. He was signed by Naughty by Nature's Kaygee to Divine Mill Records in 2000, and released his debut album ''Ghetto Love (album), Ghe ...
and
Insight
Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings:
*a piece of information
*the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intui ...
with who Kohndo delivers one of the best combination of French and English lyrics ever recorded. The album was released with a DVD which featured 3 new videos, including "Dis-moi" with
Slum Village and "Stick to Ground" with
Insight
Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings:
*a piece of information
*the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intui ...
, both shot in Paris. Kohndo produced 4 tracks on the album. Other producers on the album include
20Syl
Sylvain Richard (born 17 February 1979), better known by his stage name 20syl (pronounced "vain-seel", ), is a French rapper, disc jockey and producer. He is a composer and MC in the group Hocus Pocus, member of beatmaker collective of DJs C2 ...
of
Hocus Pocus, dj Brasco as well as Jee 2 Tuluz and Stix who were already featured on "Tout est écrit".
[Review on ]
It must be pointed out that "Deux Pieds sur Terre / Stick to Ground" offers an international angle of Hip-Hop, not only because of the featured American artists but also because it has been released in Europe, Japan, Australia and in the USA.
Kohndo & Velvet Club
It was following the release of "Deux Pieds sur Terre / Stick to Ground", and after various collaborations with musicians that Kohndo decided to form a live band to share the stage with him. In a few months of meetings and auditions, Kohndo had created the "Velvet Club" - composed of: Sebastien Artigue (Bass), Yann Massoubre (Drum), David Santhino (Keys), Thomas Agrinier (Guitar) and Dj Kozi (Turntables). Kohndo & Velvet Club have performed all over France, noticibale performances have been at the festivals "La Rue au Grand Palais", "Nancy Jazz Pulsation" and the "Printemps de Bourges".
La Cliqua Reunion
In April 2008, Kohndo and the other members of La Cliqua (minus Raphael) came back together for a performance at the Festival l'Original in Lyon. This successful, unexpected, reunion which resurrected on stage some of La Cliqua's classic repertoire, was followed in January 2009 by a sold out concert in Paris, at the Elysée Montmartre.
Soul Inside
After touring with his live band for years, Kohndo worked on his third album "Soul Inside", influenced by live instrumentation, the album was released in May 2011 in Europe and a year later in the United States with 2 additional tracks inviting
Rasco
Keida Brewer (born September 6, 1970), known professionally as Rasco (a bacronym for "Realistic, Ambitious, Serious, Cautious, and Organized"), is an American rapper.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Rasco became associated with hip hop in California. ...
, Amad-Jamal, Flip and Rascue (Rasta Cue Tip of
Various Blends). The first video for the single Soul Inside was released in December 2010. Other videos extracted from Soul Inside include "Rock On" featuring Song and Karl The Voice, "Mon Ghetto", "My Tribute (Mon Ghetto remixed by Flip)", "Mes Nuits" featuring Marie M, and "Vise le Ciel Remix" featuring
Brother Amir.
Career developments and engagements
A rapper, beatmaker and executive producer, Kohndo is also working as a sound engineer on various projects, such as on the album of dj Brasco "Fill the Gap" which features American rappers:
Frank n Dank
Frank n Dank (real names Frank Bush and Derrick Harvey) are an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. They also go by the names Frank Nitt (previously known as Frank Nitty, which is a reference to the 1930s crime boss Frank Nitti) and D ...
,
Phat Kat,
Black Milk,
Wildchild,
Rasco
Keida Brewer (born September 6, 1970), known professionally as Rasco (a bacronym for "Realistic, Ambitious, Serious, Cautious, and Organized"), is an American rapper.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Rasco became associated with hip hop in California. ...
,
Declaime
Dudley Perkins is an American rapper and singer from Oxnard, California. He has released records on Stones Throw Records under his own name and the alias of Declaime. In 2008, he co-founded the SomeOthaShip Connect record label with his partner ...
, etc. Kohndo is a member of the French
Zulu Nation. He has collaborated on various projects and shows with french pioneer Hip-Hop Dj and main representative of the French Zulu Nation:
Dj Deenasty.
Discography
With Coup d'Etat Phonique and La Cliqua
* ''Conçu pour durer (EP - Arsenal Records)'' (1995)
* ''Dans ma tête II (12 inch - Arsenal Records)'' (1995)
* ''Arsenal Re-présente "Le Vrai Hip Hop" (Compilation Album - Arsenal Records)'' (1996)
* ''Mot pour Mot & Rap Contact II (on Rocca's Album "Entre deux mondes" - Arsenal Records)'' (1997)
* ''Mot pour Mot (12 inch Promo, Arsenal Records)'' (1997)
Albums as a solo artist
* ''Tout est écrit (Album - Ascetic Music)'' (2003)
* ''Blind Test (Album compilation - Jungle Boogie Records)'' (2004)
* ''Deux Pieds sur Terre / Stick to ground (Album - Ascetic Music, Greenstone Records)'' (2006)
* ''Soul Inside (Album, Greenstone Records)'' (2011)
* ''Soul Inside - US Edition (Album, Greenstone Records)'' (2012)
* ''Tout est écrit - Anniversary Edition (Album - Greenstone Records)'' (2014)
* ''Intra Muros (Album, Greenstone Records)'' (2016)
Singles, 12 inches, EP and mixtapes as a solo artist
* ''Prélude à l’odyssée (EP - Exil Records)'' (1999)
* ''Jungle Boogie (EP - Exil Records)'' (2000)
* ''J’entends les sirènes (Woop ! Woop !) (EP - Nothing but soul records)'' (2001)
* ''Dis-Moi ce qu’elles veulent feat. Slum Village b/w Stick to ground feat. Insight (12 inch - Ascetic Music, Greenstone Records)'' (2005)
* ''D’un mot à l’autre / Sur le toit du monde (12 inch - Ascetic Music, Greenstone Records)'' (2006)
* ''Classic and Rare Joints (Mixtape, Greenstone Records)'' (2009)
* ''Soul Bag (Compilation Mixtape by Dj XYZ, Greenstone Records)'' (2012)
* ''Jee Van Cleef presents The Soul Brother Blends (Compilation Blends, JVC)'' (2012)
* ''Artchives vol.1 (by Jee Van Cleef) (Compilation of unreleased materials, Greenstone Records)'' (2016)
Notable appearances
* ''On se retrouvera - East feat. Kohndo & Daddy Lord C'' (1997)
* ''Front Nubien - Kohndo, IMS, Cercle Vicieux ("Sachons dire non")'' (1998)
* ''Au Sommet de Paris - NAP ("La fin du monde")'' (1998)
* ''Zonzon (Soundtrack)'' (1998)
* ''Paris, New York, Marseille (Compilation)'' (1998)
* ''Un parmi des millions - Koma feat. Kohndo and Rocé (Le Réveil)'' (1998)
* ''Qui Sommeille en moi - Triptik (TR-303) '' (2003)
* ''Du Sable sur les Paupières - Hocus Pocus'' (2006)
* "Regretter le Temps" (Hommage à Fredy K) - Madison, Mokobe, Manu Key, Kohndo, Daddy Lord C, Ill, Zoxea (2008)
* ''Music Hall - Blackstamp Music'' (2009)
* ''Hip Hop Ninja Remix'' - Vicelow (2012)
External links
*
Kohndo's official homepage "Dis-Moi / What she wants" feat. Slum VIllage - Music video "Faiseur de Pluie" feat. Gas - Music video
References
{{Authority control
French rappers
French people of Beninese descent
Living people
1975 births