MC Solaar
| MC Solaar | |
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MC Solaar
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Claude M'Barali |
| Born |
5 March 1969 Dakar, Senegal |
| Origin | Saint-Denis, France |
| Genres | French hip hop, jazz-rap |
| Years active | 1990–2010 |
| Labels | Phonogram, Elektra |
Claude M'Barali better known by his stage name MC Solaar (French pronunciation: [ɛm si sɔˈlaʁ] (born March 5, 1969) is a French hip hop and rap artist with Senegalese and Chadian origins. He is one of France's most internationally popular and influential hip hop artists.
MC Solaar is known for his complex lyrics, which rely on word play, lyricism, and inquiry. In the English-speaking world, Solaar was signed by London acid jazz label Talkin' Loud and recorded with British group Urban Species and the late Guru, member of the acclaimed New York duo Gang Starr. He has since released seven studio records and one live album.
Claude M'Barali was born in Dakar, Senegal, to parents from Chad. When he was six months old, his parents emigrated to France where they settled in the Parisian suburbs; initially in Saint-Denis, subsequently Maisons-Alfort and finally Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. At twelve he went to live with an uncle in Cairo, Egypt for nine months where he discovered the Zulu Nation and became fascinated with the rapping styles of Afrika Bambaataa. Upon his return he passed the baccalauréat. It has been said that his constant support from his mother was one of the reasons that he was able to pass the baccalauréat and still create music. He coined the stage name MC Solaar in his teens from his graffiti tags "SOAR" and "SOLAAR".
He studied languages at the Jussieu university campus and was a post-graduate in philosophy. He released his first single in 1990. MC Solaar went to Paris in the summer of 1991 with his friend Jimmy Jay in hopes of succeeding in the music industry. Success came quickly when his first single, Bouge de là ("Get Out of There"), based on a sample from Cymande's song The Message (1973) became a hit in early 1990s. Many rappers who came out of Africa at the time spoke a lot about slavery and other topics in order to bring the history of their people into light. Nevertheless, the song went platinum in France and ascended to number five on the national charts.
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