Ray David Grammont (12 October 1967 in

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 ...

– 16 February 2021 in Nancy, France), better known under his stage name Tonton David was a French

Reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

singer born in Réunion. He was renowned for his

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muffin performances, but used influences of

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, gro kâ (from the French West Indies), the Zairian

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Biography

Tonton David had a turbulent childhood in a suburb of Paris. He left his family aged 14 and had a successful career in music with songs featuring powerful and political lyrics. In 1990, Tonton David had his big break when he was featured in a TV report about " Black Paris". Following that performance, Tonton David was signed by the Virgin record label. Shortly after, he recorded "Peuples du monde", which was featured in French rap compilation ''Rapattitudes''. ''Le blues de la racaille'' released on 2 December 1991, was his debut album in which he explored social issues such as unemployment, poverty and racism, becoming a figurehead for a whole generation of disenchanted French youth. In 1991, he performed in front of an audience of 12,000 music fans at the Fête des Kafs in Saint Denis, La Réunion and in 1992 at Reggae Sunsplash festival in Kingston, Jamaica. In 1993, he released his second album ''Allez leur dire'' recorded in Memphis, Tennessee. "Sûr et certain" taken from the same album was released as a single. 1995 saw his biggest success to date with the release of the song "Chacun sa route", which was used in the soundtrack of the film ''

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''. His third album ''Récidiviste'' in 1995 included the single "Pour tout le monde pareil" and featured a collaboration with rai star Cheb Mami in "Fugitifs". His fourth album ''Faut qu'ça arrête'' was more heavily influenced by Haitian music, after he collaborated with Haitian musician Papa Jube. Victim of a stroke (CVA) in Metz (France), his death was announced 2 days later in hospital of Nancy, on 16 February 2021.Mort de Tonton David : un AVC évoqué, une pluie d'hommages
''lintern@ute''. Retrieved on 17 February 2021

Discography

Albums

*1991: ''Le blues de la racaille'' *1994: ''Allez leur dire'' *1995: ''Récidiviste'' *1999: ''Faut qu'ça arrête'' *2002: ''Best Of'' (compilation album) *2005: ''Babelou, la gagne'' *2006: ''Livret de famille'' *2006: ''Il marche seul'' *2009: ''Ma gouille''

Singles

*1990: "Peuple du monde" (FR #32) *1994: "Chacun sa route" (with K.O.D.) *1994: "Sûr et certain" (FR #9) *1994: "Ma Number One" (FR #17) *1994: "Il marche seul" (FR #29) *1995: "Fugitif" (with Cheb Mami (FR #30) ;Featured in *2005: "La gagne" ( Intouchable feat. Tonton David) (FR #40)

References

1967 births 2021 deaths French reggae musicians French reggae singers Musicians from Réunion {{france-musician-stub Réunionnais singers