Biography: Kery+James
*Born: December 28, 1977, Les Abymes, GuadeloupePeriod: 2000sBiography:
Kery James is a French rapper of great popularity who was a member of the pioneering duo Idéal J alongside renowned producer DJ Mehdi . In 2001, after some time away from the French rap scene, James made his solo album debut with Si C`était à Refaire, a Top Five hit on the French albums chart. Born Alix Mathurin on December 28, 1977, in Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, West Indies, he was raised in Orly, a suburb of Paris. He began rapping in 1989 and made his recording debut a couple years later with a guest feature on "Raggajam," a song on MC Solaar `s classic debut album, Qui Sème le Vent Récolte le Tempo (1991). Shortly thereafter James founded the rap duo Idéal Junior with DJ Mehdi , and they released the 12" single "La Vie Est Brutale" (1992) on the French dance label On the Beat . Shortening their billing to simply Idéal J, the duo released two full-length albums in subsequent years, O`riginal MC`s Sur une Mission (1996) and Le Combat Continue (1998). Released on Barclay , a subsidiary of Universal , Le Combat Continue is a classic French rap album, featuring the hit single "Hardcore." Around this same time, James was featured as a member of the group Mafia K`1 Fry on the album Légendaire (1998). The violent death of a close friend in 1999 convinced James to give his rap career a rest, however. A couple years later he returned with his solo album debut, Si C`était à Refaire, his first of a series of major-label releases on Warner . Marking a substantial change in direction for James , the album was self-produced, largely autobiographical, and more positive-minded than his past work, which had been "hardcore." Si C`était à Refaire was also a huge success, breaking into the Top Five of the French albums chart and spawning the hit single "Y`a Pas d`Couleur." Firmly established as a French rap star after the success of his solo debut, James reunited with Mafia K`1 Fry for the album La Cerise Sur le Ghetto (2003) and released a double-disc various-artists charity album, Kery James Presente Savoir & Vivre Ensemble (2004). His second solo album, Ma Vérité (2005), was another blockbuster, charting within the Top Five of the French albums chart. The follow-up album, À l`Ombre du Show Business (2008), was similarly popular, peaking at number three on the albums chart.
