Kery James in Paris

Kery James is a French rapper and songwriter, born in Les Abymes in 1977 and raised in Orly. He first recorded with Ideal J and became part of the Mafia K'1 Fry collective before establishing a solo catalogue led by albums including Si c’était à refaire, Ma vérité and Réel. “Banlieusards” and “Lettre à la République” are among his best-known tracks, pairing direct storytelling with social and political writing. In 2009, Kery James marked a planned departure from rap with a farewell concert at the Zénith de Paris. After returning to recording and performance, he took the Dernier MC project to the Bercy arena in 2013.