Whatup Go Where? Mr. C again with another new artist from across the globe. This time, I'm taking you to France, home of frog legs and crappy cars, to hear from Claude M'Barali a.k.a. MC Solaar. MC Solaar is one of the most international artists I've come across, born to parents from Chad, in Senegal; he was educated in France and Egypt, and his music draws influences from these several languages and locales. Listen closely, and you'll hear French, English, and local dialects from Senegal and Chad. His lyrics touch on everything from Colonialism in Africa to pop culture in America, as diverse as his upbringing. The name Solaar comes from his tag names "SOAR" and "SOLAAR" when he was tagging in high school. Growing up wanting to record, he credits his mom for keeping him in school, and supporting the art as well. After his breakout album, he went on to tour over a dozen nations on 2 continents, and has since worked with artists like De La Soul, Missy Elliot, and Gang Starr.
His music pays homage to the ways of Afrika Bambaataa, whose old school stylings had a heavy influence on the young Solaar. His songs have an R&B vibe that flows nicely with his fluid lyrics. The French language itself lends itself to rap naturally, and Solaar makes great use of this. French speakers, check out his website here and enjoy!
FULL, CDQ, Track off first hit album, Prose Combat
FULL, CDQ, Title track off second hit album, Paradisiaque
MC Solaar "Hasta La Vista Mi Amor [Spanish Version]"
FULL, CDQ, (Bilingual) Track off the album, Cinquieme As
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MC Solaar "RMI"
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