MC Solaar (real name Claude M'barali) was born in Dakar in Senegal in 1969 and moved to France as a young child. When he arrived in Paris, he lived in the suburb called Villeneuve St Georges. In France, he was interested in literature, music and the TV, and at an early age, started rapping. He was a fan of Serge Gainsbourg. Proof of this is his 1994 hit Nouveau Western where he sampled a part of the song.
His success came from his first single in 1991, a song called Caroline which reached number one. His debut album, Qui séme le vent recolte le tempo also released in 1991 was quite influential on French rap music, as rappers used his style as a basis for their music. Another big hit which made him famous was bouge de lá, with its comic rhymes. There was also a collaboration with Soon E MC on the song L'histoire de l'art, where he rapped about people stealing his style.
His second album, Prose Combatwas also very big in France, and it got Solaar a golden disc. The album sold over one million copies. Songs such as Nouveau Western, Sequelles and Obsolete brought Solaar into the limelight. The album was also liked because of the collaboration with Les Sages Poéts de la rue, and also for his work with Bambi Crutz, Soon E MC and other rappers.
The following year, Solaar was asked to do a song for a film called La Haine. A popular movie about life in the French suburbs. The song Comme dans un film was totally different to what he normally does, as it had more remarks to violence, and Solaar is not into violence, but more of a pacifist, with his rhymes about making peace, and about love and life in general. Later on in 1995, he had an argument with Jimmy J, his DJ, and decided to work with Pigale Boom Bass. This meant an end to a good partnership. Solaar's style progressed, as his rapping became more fluid, as he rapped over mellow beats and 70's samples.
In 1997, Solaar released his third album Paradisaque which was also big. Solaar changed his style here, with collaborations with Ziggy Starr, Pigale Boom Bass and Phillipe Zadar. His biggest hit from the album was Gangster Moderne where he rapped about gangsters lifestyles. Les temps changent, his second hit off Paradisaque was very nostalgic, and made it big in France.
In 1998, MC Solaar released his best album to date, which is self-titled. His latest hit, 5éme saison is more chilled out than some of his latest stuff, with Solaar rapping over a stuttered sample with lush strings and laid back beats. He also released Galaktika, and his first double CD, which is a live CD called La tour de la question.
Solaar's style can be described as fluid, with non-violence portrayed in lyrics and uses words to make rhymes, which are well formed, and have good alliteration and uses very good metaphor. He has been known for his lack of violence over the years. MC Solaar has won many awards for his work, and his DJ's have been acclaimed for their work.
Bio written by: anon |
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