DJ Mehdi
DJ Mehdi in February 2011
Background information
Birth name	Mehdi Favéris-Essadi
Born	(1977-01-20)20 January 1977 Hauts-de-Seine, France
Died	13 September 2011(2011-09-13) (aged 34) Paris, France
Genres	hip hop, electro
Occupations	musician
Labels	Ed Banger Records
Associated acts	Mafia K-1 Fry
Website	DJ Mehdi on Myspace

Mehdi Favéris-Essadi (20 January 1977^{[citation needed]} – 13 September 2011^[1]), better known by his stage name DJ Mehdi, was a French hip hop and electro producer of mixed French and Tunisian origin.

Biography[link]

Mehdi was born of Tunisian background in Hauts-de-Seine, the northwestern suburbs of Paris. He was a former disc jockey of the groups Different Teep (ex-group of Manu Key & Lil Jahson), Ideal J and former member of the collective the Mafia K'1 Fry. He was also a long time the quasi-appointed producer of the group 113 and carried out the nearly all the production of the albums for Different Teep and Karlito. Amid his work, Mehdi had remixed various electronic acts and composition soundtracks for many French and international films.

After having been recognized for his efforts and budding into one of the French underground hip hop music scene’s premier producers, DJ Mehdi henceforth pushed boundaries by mixing hip hop and electronic music. He collaborated with such notable artists as Daft Punk, Cassius, MC Solaar, Futura 2000, Asian Dub Foundation and Chromeo among others.^[2] “Coming from a rap music background, it’s always nice to collaborate within other music genres…Paris is very inspiring because a lot of people are making great stuff, music and in other arts related fields also. My music and philosophies revolve around beats and blues, that’s how I would try to describe it.”

Signing to cross-genre label Ed Banger Records, Mehdi and Pedro Winter (aka Busy P) were working on various disco-hop sounds the two as far back as 1997. Together they hosted a very successful monthly night at former Paris nightspot Pulp. “I like to be the DJ, I love it so much. I love to try new things. You would never get into this business to be bored, or you would hope not.”

Mehdi released his first full-length LP in 2002 The Story of Espion, followed by his second album, Lucky Boy, in August 2006. With the popularity of cross genre hip hop into such areas as indie and electronic music, popularization by Timbaland and other labels from the United States in more recent years had assisted to bridge the gap between dance genres.

Mehdi's single "I Am Somebody" was used in a 2007 American commercial for XM radio. More recently, DJ Mehdi was part of a group of friends and DJ's collectively known as "Club 75" which includes Cassius, Busy P and Xavier de Rosnay (Justice). He launched a project together with Riton in 2010 that was titled "Carte Blanche".

Mehdi died on September 13, 2011, when the skylight of his Paris home collapsed while he was celebrating his close friend Riton's birthday with a group of friends on the roof. Mehdi was the only fatality, while three others were injured.^[3][4]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Ideal J

• Original Mc's Sur Une MIssion (1996)
• Le Combat Continue (1998)

113

• Ni barreaux, ni barrières, ni frontières (1998)
• Les Princes De La Ville (1999)
• Fout La Merde (2002)

Karlito

• Contenu Sous Pression (2001)

Mapei

• Cocoa Butter Diaries (2009)

Solo work

• The Story Of Espion (2002)
• Des Friandises Pour Ta Bouche (2005)
• Lucky Boy (2006)
• Lucky Boy at Night (2007)

Singles[link]

• "Wonderbra" ("Paradisiaque", Mc Solaar) (1997)
• "Classik" / "Au Fond De Mon Cœur" / "Esclave 2000" ("Touche D'Espoir", Assassin) (2000)
• "A L'Anciene" / "Les Points Sur Les I Remix" ("Les Points Sur Les I", Intouchable) (2000)
• "Le Ssem" / "Le Jeu de La Mort" ("La Vie Avant La Mort", Rohff) (2001)
• "Couleur Ebène" ("Ouest Side", Booba) (2006)
• "I am Somebody" ("I am Somebody", DJ Mehdi, real: So_Me) (2007)
• "Signatune" (2007)

Remixes[link]

• 1997 Koma – "Realite Rap" (DJ Mehdi RMX)
• 1998 113 – "Les Evadés" (Remix)
• 1999 Cassius – "Feeling for You" (Cambridge Circus Mix)
• 2000 Joakim Lone Octet – "Oleg Dans Les Bois" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
• 2000 Manu Key – "Si Tu Savais" (Remix)
• 2001 Akhenaton – "K (AKH)" (DJ Mehdi Remix/DJ Mehdi Instrumental Remix)
• 2002 Next Evidence – "Dance On" (DJ Mehdi Remix/DJ Mehdi's Dub)
• 2002 Etienne de Crécy – "Out of My Hands" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
• 2003 Asian Dub Foundation – "Fortress Europe" (Techno Organisation Remix)
• 2004 Wayne Shorter – "Footprints" (Dub aka DJ Mehdi Remix)
• 2006 Architecture in Helsinki – "In Case We Die"
• 2006 New Young Pony Club – "Ice Cream" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
• 2007 Outlines- "Just a Lil' Lovin" (album)
• 2008 Sam Sparro – "21st Century Life"" (DJ Mehdi Secret Disco Dub)
• 2009 Erol Alkan & Boys Noize – "Death Suite" (DJ Mehdi's Simple Acid Edit)
• 2009 Miike Snow – "Burial" (DJ Mehdi Remix)
• 2009 Miike Snow – ANDY FING P.
• 2010 Zombie Nation – Overshoot (DJ Mehdi Remix)

References[link]

External links[link]

• DJ Mehdi on Myspace
• Discogs.com: DJ Mehdi

Pedro Winter
Background information
Birth name	Pedro Winter
Also known as	Busy P
Origin	France
Genres	Electro House Hip House
Occupations	Manager, DJ, Producer
Labels	Ed Banger Records
Associated acts	The Headbangers

Pedro Winter aka Busy P is a French electrohouse DJ, producer, manager and owner of the Ed Banger Records label. Pedro Winter manages Cassius, Cosmo Vitelli, artists on his Ed Banger Records label, and managed Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008.^[1][2]

Life[link]

Winter performed on a Rapman synthesizer on "Funky Squaredance" in Phoenix's debut album, United.^[3] His Fancy remix single "What's Your Name Again" was a club hit on its release. The music video for this was again created under the Ed Banger Records label.^[4] He was married to Nadege Winter, head of public relations at Parisian boutique Colette.^[5] His brother, Thomas Winter, has a successful music career as an indie and electro house vocalist.

Discography (as Busy P)[link]

Remixes[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• MySpace: Busy P
• Busy P Interview with Dave Owen AAA/I Cant Breathe Media
• Paris Voice interview (2008)
• Busy P interview at Festival First Night (2009)
• The Guardian: Ed Banger (04/2007)
• The End: Pedro interview (2006)
• Scion Video Interview with Busy P
• Video Interview with Busy P
• Busy P RBMA lecture
• Seenandheard.com

This article about a French musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

So Me (Bertrand Lagros de Langeron) is a Parisian graphic designer/animator. He is the art director for Ed Banger Records.

He has created videos for DJ Mehdi, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Justice,^[1] and MGMT. He won the 2005 MTV European award for his video for Justice called "We Are Your Friends."^[2] He is also the main designer for the clothing company CoolCats. 2010 saw Bertrand direct Duck Sauce's music video for "Barbara Streisand", making a cameo in the process. In 2011, de Langeron joined the Los Angeles agency Caviar that also represents directors Alexander Payne, Ruben Fleischer, and Peter Farrelly.^[3]

In 2011 So Me directed the Embody music video for Ed Banger artist SebastiAn.

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1568729/20070831/justice__dance_.jhtml
2. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15536834/
3. ^ http://www.caviarcontent.us/596006/SO-ME

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Kery James
Show in France, in Rennes (2008)
Background information
Birth name	Alix Mathurin
Born	(1977-12-28) December 28, 1977 (age 34) Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, West Indies
Genres	French rap, hardcore rap, conscious rap
Occupations	Rapper, songwriter, dancer, record producer, philanthropist
Years active	1992–present
Associated acts	Mafia K'1 Fry, Idéal J
Website	keryjames-officiel.skyrock.com

Alix Mathurin (born, December 28, 1977) better known as Kery James, is a French rapper, singer, songwriter, dancer and record producer, who was born in West Indies from Haitian parents. His mother raised him in Orly, a suburb of Paris. Nowadays with his three solo albums, he is one of the most respected French rappers. The media labelled him "the rapper repented through Islam". Kery James is aware of it, he really assumes this image. " I prefer to be the one who hold this role rather than somebody else. Numerous young Muslims are tempted to be intolerant or extremist. If I can open their eyes it is a good thing for them."

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Kery James arrived in continental France at the age of seven. He started at a young age to rap, dance, and write his own texts. The famous MC Solaar noticed him when he was only 10 years old in a cité (suburban housing estate) of Paris. He described the setting as "A place where the Islamic faith was omnipresent. All my friends in , and the symbols of the religion.

At around thirteen years old, he became a member of the group Idéal Junior (later abbreviated to Idéal J). They garnered a few singles with explicit titles like Hardcore, Pour une poignée de dollars and a first album titled Original MC’s sur une mission. In 1992, their single La vie est dure was released showing great promise though one of the talented artists, Alter, promptly left the group. In subsequent years while colleague Mehdi progressed as a prominent producer, Kery worked extensively on writing new material, his texts reflecting a life that involved altercations with the police, street rivalries and an omnipresent fear of death.

In 1996 the band's first album under the moniker Ideal J led the group to became renowned and respected as amongst the top French rappers with well-known singles like Ghetto français, Show business and, Je veux du cash. Ideal J multiplied their appearances on Maxis and as featured acts, reaching a surprising maturity with the single J'désole mes parents present on the compilation Nouvelle donne. However, Kery's career was put temporarily on hold in 1999 when his close childhood friend Las Montana was shot and killed. Kery took refuge in religious faith and took the name Ali as a symbol of his full conversion to Islam.

Solo career[link]

In October 2001 his solo album "Si c'était à refaire" with, among others, the tracks "28 décembre 1977", "Si c'était à refaire", "Soledad", "Y'a pas d'couleur". Released in 2001, this album is very personal and benefits from numerous collaborations: Nubians, Salif Keita... The rap is influenced by African, Arabic, Cuban musical influences, without forgetting the use of percussions and original instruments for this music style as the xylophone. He sings his African roots but also the problems of society like money, violence, and moral values. This album reflects the surprising maturity of Kery.

In 2004, Kery James' second album, Ma vérité continued to underline social and political militant messages taking positions on such subjects as the war in Iraq and on reality TV. However, at the same time, duets with very popular stars such as Diam's Mélanie Giorgadès and Amel Bent, started to distance him from his underground image.

In March 2008 this metamorphosis to mainstream popularity was underlined by a new album À l'ombre du show business whose title track was a collaboration with legendary French chanson star Charles Aznavour. Other tracks included Le combat continue part III, Banlieusards and Vrai Peura. On its first week of release the album reached third place on the French charts with 24,459 albums sold. For the music videos of this album, he worked with Luc Besson, Matthieu Kassovitz, J.G Biggs and Chris Macari.

Discography[link]

Albums and EPs[link]

Solo albums

• 2002 : Si c'était à refaire
• 2004 : Savoir et vivre ensemble
• 2005 : Ma vérité
• 2008 : À l'ombre du show business
• 2009 : Réel
• 2010 : À mon public (live album)
• 2012 : 92.2012

with Ideal Junior

• 1992 : La vie est brutale (Maxi-single)

with Ideal J

• 1996 : O'riginal MC's sur une mission
• 1998 : Le Combat Continue

with Mafia K'1 fry

• 1997 : Les liens sacrés
• 1999 : Légendaire
• 2003 : La cerise sur le ghetto
• 2007 : Jusqu'à la mort (+ reissue)

Singles[link]

Solo

• 2001: "Y'a pas d'couleur"
• 2004: "Relève la tête" (Kery James pres. Lino, AP, Diam's, Passi, Matt & Kool Shen)
• 2012: "Lettre à la République"

Collaborations[link]

1991

• MC Solaar feat. Raggasonic & Kery James - "Raggajam" on MC Solaar's album, Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

1995

• Ideal J - Mauvais garçon on the soundtrack of Raï (1995)
• Ideal J - Ce soir, on est down on the soundtrack of Raï (1995)
• Ideal J - Orly City Bronx on the mixtape Orly City Bronx

1996

• Ideal J - Attaque/Contre attaque on the mixtape Invasion

1997

• Kery James feat. 113 & Rohff - "Dans Ta Race" on the compilation Mysta D. presents L'invincible armada
• Different Teep feat. Kery James - "Ras" on Different Teep's album, La rime urbaine
• Ideal J - "Cash Remix" on the compilation L 432

1998

• 113 Feat Kery James - Association sur le EP du 113, Ni Barreaux, Ni Barrières, Ni Frontières
• Manu Key Feat Lil Jahson & Kery James - "Triste point en commun" sur l'album éponyme de Manu Key
• Ideal J Feat 113 & Intouchable - "La voie que j'ai donnée à ma vie" sur la compile Nouvelle Donne

1999

• Alibi Montana Feat Kery James - "Le monde a cracké" sur l'album d'Alibi, T'as ma parole
• Prodige Namor Feat Kery James - "L'année de tous les dangers" sur l'album de Prodige Namor, L'heure de vérité
• Daomen Feat Kery James - "J'émerge" sur l'album de Daomen, Underground Classic
• Kery James Feat Rocca, Shurik'N & Hamed Daye - "Animalement votre" sur la mixtape Première classe vol. 1
• 113 Feat 113 Clan - Main Dans La Main sur l'album du 113, Les Princes de la ville

2000

• Kery James - "J'émerge (remix)" sur la compile Nouvelle Donne Collector Vol.1
• Kery James - "Les frères ne savent pas" sur la compile Time Bomb Session Vol.1
• Kertra Feat Kery James - "Face à face" sur l'album de Kertra, Le labyrinthe

2003

• Mafia K'1 Fry Feat Kery James - "Nuage de fumée Part II" sur l'album de la Mafia, La Cerise Sur Le Ghetto

2004

• Rim'K Feat Kery James - "Intact" sur l'album de Rim'K , L'enfant du pays
• Kery James Feat Booba - "Chacun Sa Manière" sur la compile Street Lourd Hall Stars
• Rohff Feat Kery James - "Mal aimé" sur l'album de Rohff, La Fierté Des Nôtres
• Kery James - "Laissez" sur la compile Des 2 cotés

2005

• Kool Shen Feat Kery James & Sinik - "That's my people" lors du dernier concert de Kool Shen au Zénith de Paris
• Tandem Feat Kery James, Faf La Rage, Diam's, Tunisiano & Kazkami - "Le Jugement" sur l'album de Tandem, C'est toujours pour ceux qui savent
• Kery James - "Je N'crois Plus En L'illicite" sur la compile Illicite Projet
• Mac Tyer Feat Kery James - "Patrimoine Du Ghetto" sur la compile Patrimoine Du Ghetto
• Kery James Feat Manu Key & A.P. - "Humanity" sur la compile Zone Caraïbes
• Kery James - "Attention" sur la compile Rap Performance
• Samat Feat Kery James & Larsen - "Le repentir" sur le Street CD de Samat, Samat Feat Hip Hop de rue
• Kery James - "Outro" sur la compile De la poudre au Rap

2006

• Heckel & Geckel Feat Kery James - "Moins de 20 ans" sur l'album d'Heckel & Geckel, Street Show

OGB Feat Kery James - "Ninety Four Side" sur l'album d'OGB, Enfermé Dehors

• Mac Tyer Feat Kery James - "Suicide carcéral" sur l'album de Mac Tyer, Le Général
• Rim'K Feat Kery James - "T'as Le Choix" sur la compile Illegal Radio
• Apash Feat Kery James - "3 horizons Differents" sur le Street CD d'Apash, Du Bon Son Pour Une Bonne Cause

2007

• M. Toma Feat Kery James - "Ouvrir ton cœur" sur l'album de M. Toma, Identité
• Kery James - "Symphonie d'amour" sur la B.O. du film Taxi 4
• Kery James - "1 pour la cause" sur la mixtape Ghetto Truand & Associés
• Manu Key Feat Kery James, F.dy Phenomen, Die & Tiwony - "Babylon System" sur l'album de Manu Key, Prolifique Vol.2
• Melissa M Feat Kery James - "Lettre à la tristesse" sur l'album de Melissa M, Avec tout mon amour
• Kery James Feat K'libre 13 - "Avance" sur la mixtape Opinion sur rue 3
• Kery James Feat Heckel & Geckel, Youssoupha, Smoker, Kamel L'ancien, Ben-J, Pit Baccardi, Diam's, Kalash L'afro, Ikbal Vockal, Seth Gueko, Sear Lui Même, Baba, Dosseh, Salif, James Izmad, Despo Rutti, Mister C, Alibi Montana, Mr Toma & Mac Tyer - "On ne sait pas abandonner" en hommage à l'émission Couvre Feu sur Skyrock
• Rohff Feat Kery James & Dragon Davy - "9.4 Mental" sur le Street CD de Rohff, Le chauchemar du Rap français
• TLF Feat Kery James - "Le box" sur l'album de TLF, Rêves de rue
• Kamelancien Feat Kery James - "J'résiste" sur la réédition de l'album de Kamel L'ancien, Le charme en personne
• Bakar Feat Kery James - "N'incite pas" sur l'album de Bakar, La rose du béton
• Idjal Feat Kery James & Farenheit - "Victimes du passé" sur l'album d'Idjal, Enfant du monde
• Légende Urbaine Feat Kery James - "D'humeur guerrière" sur l'album de Légende Urbaine, L'école de ma rue

2008

• Grand Corps Malade feat Kery James & Oxmo Puccino - "À la recherche" sur l'album de Grand Corps Malade, Enfant de la ville
• Zap Mama feat Kery James - "Apres La Pluie," A L’Ombre Du Show Business

External links[link]

• (French) Site officiel, sur Skyrock.com
• (French) « J'aurais pu dire », version audio
• (French) « J'aurai pu dire », version vidéo
• (French) Biographie et airplays de Kery James