Kery James

Biography

Alix Mathurin (French pronunciation: [aliks matyˈʁɛ̃]) (born 28 December 1977), publicly known as Kery James, is a French-Haitian rapper, singer, actor, director, and screenwriter from Les Abymes, Guadeloupe. His music often addresses suburban life and social inequalities in contemporary France. He was a member of the rap collectives Idéal J and Mafia K-1 Fry.

Idéal J (1991–1999)

James began his rap career in 1991 as a co-founder of the group Idéal J, with DJ Mehdi joining as a producer the following year. The group released the singles "Hardcore" and "Pour une poignée de dollars", followed by their debut album, Original MC's sur une mission. In 1992, they released the single "La vie est brutale", and Alter MC (later known as Jessy Money) left the group. In subsequent years, as DJ Mehdi developed as a producer, James increasingly focused on writing material addressing subjects such as confrontations with police, street rivalries, and the fear of death.
In 1996, Idéal J released the singles "Ghetto français", "Show Business," and "Je veux du cas"." The group also appeared on several EPs and as featured artists on recordings by other musicians. Their single "J'désole mes parents" was featured on the compilation album Nouvelle Donne. Idéal J disbanded in 1999 following the death of Las Montana, a close friend of James, leading him to take a hiatus from his musical career.

Solo musical career

In October 2001, after a two-year break, James released his debut solo album, Si c'était à refaire (If I Had to Do It Again). The album features collaborations with Nubian musicians and Salif Keita. The music incorporates African, Arabic, and Cuban influences, using percussion and traditional instruments.
In 2005, after contributing the track "Je ne crois plus en l'illicite" ("I No Longer Believe in the Illicit") to the soundtrack for the film Illicite Projet, he released his second solo album, Ma vérité×Ma vérité12 April 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1J'aurais pu dire6:182Les Miens5:453En feu de détresse5:304Ghetto super classe4:545Jusqu'à quand et jusqu'où ?5:496C'est votre choix4:357Jusqu'au bout4:018Je revendique6:519Universel5:2810Sincérité5:1111Hardcore 20056:3212La vie c'est6:4913Nos rêves4:1514Combien ?5:21 (My Truth). The album featured a guest appearance by Iron Sy. The lyrics addressed topics such as the Iraq War and reality television. He also collaborated with artists such as Diam's, Mélanie Giorgadès, and Amel Bent.
His third solo album, À l'ombre du show business×À l'ombre du show business31 March 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Le combat continue, Part 36:562En sang ble4:203L'Impasse7:194Ghetto3:475Pleure en silence4:366Foolek4:017Banlieusards7:498Encore3:389Laisse-nous croire4:0910Égotripes (intro)0:3711Égotripes3:4212Je m'écris4:2113Vrai Peura3:5714Après la pluie3:5315X & Y6:3616Thug Love3:5417À l'ombre du show business5:45 (In the Shadow of Show Business), was released in 2008 and debuted at number three on the French charts in its first week.
In March 2008, he released his third studio album, À l'ombre du show business, the title track of which was a collaboration with chanson singer Charles Aznavour. In its first week of release, the album reached third place on the French charts with 24,459 albums sold. James worked with Luc Besson, Mathieu Kassovitz, J.G. Biggs, and Chris Macari to create music videos for the album's tracks.
In 2016, James released his sixth album, Mouhammad Alix×Mouhammad Alix30 September 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Mouhammad Alix4:272Douleur ébène5:103Pense à moi4:084Jamais3:425La rue ça fait mal4:016Des morceaux de nous3:587D’où j’viens4:488Prends le temps4:459Paradoxal4:5310Rue de la peine4:2611Vivre ou mourir ensemble6:1012Musique nègre6:0613Ailleurs4:0614N’importe quoi3:4815Racailles6:0316J’suis pas un héros4:18.

Film career

James has also worked as an actor and director. In 2003, he appeared in the documentary Si tu roules avec la Mafia K'1 Fry (If You Roll with the Mafia K'1 Fry). Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, he directed Savoir et vivre ensemble (Know and Live Together), a project featuring rappers, singers, and athletes promoting unity. He appeared as a juror in the 2017 film À voix haute (Speak Up).
In 2019, his film Banlieusards (Street Flow) was released on Netflix, with the sequel premiering on Netflix on September 27, 2023. He co-wrote and directed both films with Leïla Sy.

Personal life

James moved to France at age seven, where he began rapping, dancing, and writing. He was raised by his mother in Orly, a suburb of Paris. At the age of 10, he was noticed by MC Solaar in a cité (suburban housing estate) in the Paris area. According to James, the influence of Islam in his environment led him to adopt the name Ali.

Other albums and EPs (collaborations)

with Idéal Junior / Idéal J
1992: La vie est brutale (Maxi-single) (credited to Ideal Junior)
1996: O'riginal MC's sur une mission (credited to Ideal J)
1998: Le Combat Continue (credited to Ideal J)
with Mafia K-1 Fry
1997: Les liens sacrés
1999: Légendaire
2003: La cerise sur le ghetto
2007: Jusqu'à la mort (+ reissue)

Collaborations

(Refer to relevant section in French Wikipedia)