MC Solaar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
MC Solaar
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MC Solaar in 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Claude Honoré M'Barali |
| Born | 5 March 1969 Dakar, Senegal |
| Origin | Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Claude Honoré M'Barali (born 5 March 1969), known as MC Solaar, is a famous French rapper. He was born in Senegal and has roots in Chad. Many people think he is one of the best French hip hop artists ever.
MC Solaar is known for his smart lyrics and unique rapping style. He often uses word play and asks deep questions in his songs. He became popular in the English-speaking world too. He worked with British band Urban Species and rapper Guru. MC Solaar has released eight studio albums and one live album. His album Géopoétique won the best album award at the Victoires de la Musique in 2018.
Contents
About MC Solaar
His Early Life
Claude M'Barali was born in Dakar, Senegal. His parents were from Chad. When he was six months old, his family moved to France. They lived in the suburbs of Paris, in places like Saint-Denis and Villeneuve-Saint-Georges.
When he was twelve, he lived in Cairo, Egypt for nine months. There, he learned about the Universal Zulu Nation. He became very interested in the rapping styles of Afrika Bambaataa. After returning to France, he finished high school. His mother always supported his music dreams. He chose his stage name "MC Solaar" from his graffiti tags "SOAR" and "SOLAAR."
He studied languages and philosophy at Jussieu university campus. In 1990, he released his first song. MC Solaar moved to Paris in 1991 with his friend Jimmy Jay. They hoped to make it big in music.
First Big Hits and Prose Combat
MC Solaar quickly found success. His first single, "Bouge de là" ("Get Out of There"), became a hit in the early 1990s. This song used a sample from "The Message" by Cymande. It sold over 400,000 copies in France. The song also reached #5 on the national music charts.
After this success, Solaar opened for the American rap group De La Soul in Paris in 1991. In December 1992, he toured twelve countries in West Africa. His French rap style was very popular there.
In 1994, MC Solaar released Prose Combat. This album sold 100,000 copies in its first week. It became a bestseller in 20 other countries. In 1995, he won an award for Best Male Singer at the French "Victoires de la Musique" awards.
MC Solaar also appeared on the Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool album in 1994. This album helped raise money and awareness for a health crisis. Time magazine called it Album of the Year.
In 1997, Solaar recorded his third album, Paradisiaque, with his friend Jimmy Jay. This album was also a big success. He then went on a large European tour. MC Solaar toured internationally, visiting Germany, Japan, and the United States. He was a guest on American rapper Guru's "Jazzmatazz" project. One of his songs was also on a rap album in the United States.
Early in his career, Solaar wanted to share the challenges faced by Black people who moved to France. Much of his music aimed to share deeper messages. For example, in "Leve-toi et rap," he talks about his parents' journey from Senegal to Paris. He also describes his teenage years and how he found rap music.
Cinquième As and Mach 6 Albums
Solaar released Cinquième As in 2001. Critics praised this album. He then released Mach 6 in 2003. In the song "Lève-Toi et Rap," Solaar talks about his parents moving to France. He also shares about growing up in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges and Cairo.
One critic, Dan Gennoe, noted Solaar's amazing "flow and vocabulary." He said Solaar's words flow wonderfully. He added that Solaar's music overcomes any language barriers.
In 1998, MC Solaar started a tour at the Zénith de Paris. His shows included DJs and dancers like Bintou Dembélé. The album cover for Cinquième As shows Solaar in a wrestler's costume. This connects to African culture and "blackness," which are important in his music. He mentions Senegalese boxer Battling Siki, who faced racism despite winning a championship.
Solaar's songs often discuss topics like colonial times and moving from Africa to France. For example, "Les Colonies" talks about how Africans were treated in the past. It also connects this to how some "third world" countries are treated today. Cinquième As has lyrics in French, English, and Spanish. This shows his belief that rap should include everyone. In 2004, his song "La Belle et Le Bad Boy" was used in the TV show Sex and the City. It was also featured in the MTV series "The Hills."
Chapitre 7 and Global Recognition
"Da Vinci Claude" was the first single from Solaar's album Chapitre 7. It came out in March 2007. The full album was released on 18 June 2007.
MC Solaar is well-known outside France for his work on Guru's Jazzmatazz project. He also featured on the Missy Elliott song "All N My Grill". This collaboration made him more popular in the U.S. The song "Le Bien, Le Mal" (The Good, The Bad) was a hit. MTV described his work as having "fluid phrasing." They also praised the music production by DJ Jimmy Jay and Boom Bass.
MC Solaar is one of the few French rappers who found success in the American hip hop scene. American rapper will.i.am even said he prefers MC Solaar over American rapper Tupac Shakur.
Personal Life
MC Solaar studied humanities in special preparatory classes. On 7 December 2003, he married Chloé Bensemoun. Their son, Roman, was born in 2004. In 2007, they had a daughter named Bonnie. They divorced in 2012.
Helping Others
MC Solaar has been a member of the Les Enfoirés charity group since 1997. This group raises money for people in need.
Music Albums
MC Solaar has released many successful albums and songs. Here are some of his main albums:
- Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo (1991)
- Prose Combat (1994)
- Paradisiaque (1997)
- MC Solaar (1998)
- Cinquième As (2001)
- Mach 6 (2003)
- Chapitre 7 (2007)
- Géopoétique (2017)
- Triptyque: Lueurs célestes (2024)
- Triptyque: Éclats cosmiques (2024)
He also released a live album:
- Le tour de la question - Album live à L'Olympia (1998)
Some of his popular singles include:
- "Bouge de là" (1991)
- "Victime de la mode" (1991)
- "Caroline" (1992)
- "Nouveau western" (1993)
- "Solaar pleure" (2001)
- "Hasta la vista" (2001)
- "Inch'Allah" (2002)
Film Appearances
MC Solaar has also appeared in some films:
- 1991: Pour Kim Song-Man - a short film
- 2005: Mort à l'écran as Jonathan - another short film
- 2011: Illegal Love - he did the voice-over for this documentary
Images for kids
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MC Solaar in 2009
See also
In Spanish: MC Solaar para niños
