Kaaris

Biography

Armand Okou Gnakouri, known by his stage name Kaaris (, French: [kaʁis]), is a French rapper, actor and record producer.

Early life

Kaaris was born in Cocody, near Abidjan. At age 3, he moved to Sevran in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, northeast of Paris.

Career

Kaaris started rapping in 1999, and released his first mixtape in 2001. He returned to his native Ivory Coast for a while, but returned to France after political unrest in the country. In 2007, he released his street album 43ème Bima×43ème Bima20 November 2007 · Studio album · Mixtape/StreetSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Intro (Bugsy)1:102Aides Moi, Tues Moi3:543Deja Vu4:094Mets Moi Prem's3:175Telephone2:116Mes Pulsions4:047Qu'est Ce Qui Nous Arrive?3:298Aeroport1:499Bouana3:5710On Est Chez Nous Partout3:5311Mes Pulsions (Remix)4:0412Outro2:34 (pronounced "Quarante-troisième Bima"), that led to signing with a new independent label French Cut Music.
However, his meeting with French rapper Booba and producers Therapy gave him his first recording with Booba, "Criminelle league" released as part of Booba's Autopsie Vol. 4. Kaaris had his first charting hit "Kalash", credited to Booba featuring Kaaris appearing in Booba's album Futur.
Kaaris co-writes most of his materials in cooperation with a record producer duo, known as Therapy (made up of producers 2031 and 2093). On 21 October 2013, he released his studio album Or Noir×Or noir21 October 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Bizon3:152Zoo4:493Ciroc4:224Mbm3:175Binks4:156Je bibi5:197Bouchon de Liège4:258Paradis ou enfer4:539L.E.F3:4710Dès le départ4:0711Pas de remède3:3812634:1213Bébé3:2714Plus rien3:5015Or noir3:1116Tu me connais4:06172 et demi4:51 on Therapy Music / AZ / Universal Music. It is considered as one of the most important in the history of French rap. With the 2014 reissue Or Noir Part 2, the album is certified platinum.
On 30 March 2015, Kaaris released his studio album Le bruit de mon âme×Le bruit de mon âme30 March 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Kadirov3:082Se-vrak4:143Four3:54480 ZETREI4:065El Chapo5:126Zone de transit3:457Trap3:538Crystal4:539Tripoli4:1610Magnum5:0611Vie sauvage5:1512Le Bruit de mon âme4:2813Les Oiseaux5:0414Mentalite cailleras4:2115Comme Gucci Mane4:0916Voyageur3:0017Situation5:1018Le Temps3:38. The record includes featuring including Lacrim, 13 Block or Future. In October 2015, he released a mixtape titled Double Fuck.
On 11 November 2016, he released his third studio album Okou Gnakouri×Okou Gnakouri11 November 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Le sang3:332Blow3:343Benz3:204Boyz N the Hood4:085Jack Uzi3:4162 Bigos3:587Tchoin2:368Nador3:539Poussière3:0610Contact3:14112.7 Zéro 10. 174:2612T’étais où2:59134Matic3:4914J'suis perché3:4415Chaos3:09. The album includes featurings with Gucci Mane and Kalash Criminel. In early January 2018, the record was certified double platinum with over 200,000 sold copies.
A year after the release of Okou Gnakouri, on 3 Novembre 2017, he released the album Dozo.
On 25 January 2019, he released the album Or Noir Part 3, going back to a trap style and following his 2013 album.
On 3 September, he released the album 2.7.0. He left Def Jam France and created his own label OG Record while signing for Lutèce Music, affiliated to Caroline France label.
On 28 January, he released a common album with French rapper Kalash Criminel titled SVR. The name of the album is a reference to Sevran, the city where both rappers come from.
In 2023, Kaaris featured in the Netflix film, "In His Shadow".

Legal history

A fight between Booba and Kaaris led to the temporary closure of Hall 1 at Paris-Orly Airport on 1 August 2018. Kaaris was given an 18-month suspended sentence and fined €50,000.

Singles

• Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.

Other charted songs

• Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.

Films

Braqueurs (2015)
Overdrive (2017)
The Bouncer (2018)
Bronx (2020)
The King of Shadows (Netflix Film) (2023)