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 |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Claude Honoré M'Barali (born March 5, 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 most important and best hip hop artists in France.
MC Solaar is known for his clever lyrics and unique way of rapping. He often uses wordplay and asks interesting questions in his songs. He became popular in the English-speaking world too. He worked with British bands and American rappers like Guru from Gang Starr. MC Solaar has released twelve studio albums and one live album. His album Géopoétique won the "Best Album of the Year" award at the Victoires de la Musique in 2018.
About MC Solaar
His Early Life and Music Journey
Claude M'Barali was born in Dakar, Senegal. When he was six months old, his family moved to France. They lived in different suburbs of Paris, including Saint-Denis and Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. When he was twelve, he spent nine months in Cairo, Egypt. There, he learned about the Universal Zulu Nation, a group that promoted hip hop culture. He was very interested in the rapping styles of artists like Afrika Bambaataa.
After returning to France, he finished high school. His mother always supported him, which helped him balance school and music. He chose his stage name "MC Solaar" from his graffiti tags, "SOAR" and "SOLAAR."
He studied languages and philosophy at university. In 1990, he released his first song. MC Solaar moved to Paris in 1991 with his friend Jimmy Jay to start his music career. He quickly became successful. His first single, "Bouge de là" ("Get Out of There"), became a big hit in the early 1990s. This song sold over 250,000 copies and reached number 5 on the French music charts.
First Big Success and Prose Combat
After "Bouge de là" became popular, MC Solaar opened for the American rap group De La Soul in Paris in 1991. Later that year, he released his first album, Qui Sème le Vent Récolte le Tempo. This album sold more than 400,000 copies in France. Because of this success, MC Solaar toured in Poland and Russia. In 1992, he performed in twelve countries in West Africa, where his French rap style was very popular.
MC Solaar released his album Prose Combat in 1994. It sold 100,000 copies in its first week and became a bestseller in 20 other countries. In 1995, he won "Best Male Singer of the Year" at the French "Victoires de la Musique" awards. In 1994, he also appeared on an album called Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. This album helped raise money and awareness for the AIDS epidemic. Time magazine called it "Album of the Year."
In 1997, Solaar went back to the studio with his friend and producer Jimmy Jay. They made his third album, Paradisiaque. This album was also a big hit. He started a large European tour in 1998, performing in places like Germany, Japan, and the United States. He was also a guest on American rapper Guru's "Jazzmatazz" project. One of Solaar's songs was even included in a rap collection in the United States.
Early in his career, MC Solaar wanted to share the challenges faced by Black people who moved to France for a better life. Much of his music aimed to teach people about important messages from his own life. For example, in his song "Leve-toi et rap," he talks about his parents moving from Senegal to a Parisian suburb. He also describes his teenage years and how he found rap music. MC Solaar once said that he writes his lyrics quickly, especially when he has the music and rhythm.
Albums Cinquième As and Mach 6
MC Solaar released Cinquième As in 2001 and Mach 6 in 2003. Both albums were praised by critics. In the song "Lève-Toi et Rap" from Cinquième As, Solaar talks about his parents' move to France and his own childhood in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges and Cairo.
One music critic, Dan Gennoe, noted how amazing Solaar's "flow and vocabulary" are. He said that the way Solaar uses words is incredible, and his music is so good that it breaks through any language barriers.
In 1998, MC Solaar started a tour that included a big show in Paris. His concerts featured DJs and dancers, going beyond just music. The cover of Cinquième As shows Solaar in a wrestler's costume. This album and his songs often refer to Africa and "blackness," which is very important in French hip hop. Solaar honors the African presence in France by using boxing and wrestling references. He mentions Senegalese boxer Battling Siki, who faced racism even after winning a championship in 1922. This, along with songs about colonial oppression and moving from Africa to France, highlights Solaar's connection to his heritage. For example, in "Les Colonies," Solaar compares the oppression of Africans by colonialists to how "third world" countries are treated today. Cinquième As includes lyrics in French, English, and Spanish, showing his belief that rap should be for everyone. In 2004, his 2001 song "La Belle et Le Bad Boy" was used in the final episode of the U.S. TV show "... and the City." The MTV show "The Hills" also featured this song.
Chapitre 7 and Global Recognition
"Da Vinci Claude," the first song from Solaar's album Chapitre 7, came out in March 2007. The full album was released on June 18, 2007. Outside of France, MC Solaar is best known for his work on Guru's Jazzmatazz project. He also appeared on the Missy Elliott song "All N My Grill." His collaboration with Missy Elliott helped him become more popular in the U.S. The song "Le Bien, Le Mal" (The Good, The Bad) was a popular hip hop and dance hit and was played on MTV. MTV described his work by saying his smooth way of rapping makes up for any language differences, and his solo music is better than most other hip hop artists.
MC Solaar is one of the few French rappers who has found success in the American hip hop scene, which is mostly English-speaking. The American rapper will.i.am even said he prefers MC Solaar to American rapper Tupac Shakur.
Personal Life
MC Solaar studied humanities in special preparatory classes. On December 7, 2003, MC Solaar married Chloé Bensemoun. They had their first child, a son named Roman, on May 7, 2004. In 2007, they had a daughter named Bonnie. They divorced in 2012.
Charity Work
MC Solaar has been a member of the Les Enfoirés charity group since 1997. This group raises money for people in need.
Music Albums
Studio Albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Sales | Certifications | ||||
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| FR |
AUT | BEL (Wa) |
GER | SWI |
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| 1991 | Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo | – | – | 6 | – | 37 |
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| 1994 | Prose Combat | – | 28 | 6 | 81 | 12 |
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| 1997 | Paradisiaque | 1 | – | 6 | 96 | 8 |
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| 1998 | MC Solaar | 9 | – | 14 | – | 19 | ||
| 2001 | Cinquième As | 2 | – | 2 | 98 | 5 |
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| 2003 | Mach 6 | 2 | – | 12 | – | – |
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| 2007 | Chapitre 7 | 5 | – | 6 | – | – |
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| 2017 | Géopoétique | 1 | – | 3 | – | 14 |
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| 2024 | Triptyque: Lueurs célestes | 7 | – | 11 | – | – | ||
| Triptyque: Éclats cosmiques | 33 |
– | 33 | – | – | |||
Live Albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR |
BEL (Wa) |
SWI |
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| 1998 | Le tour de la question - Album live à L'Olympia | 8 | 19 | – |
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Compilation Albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR |
BEL (Wa) |
SWI |
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| 2010 | Magnum 567 | – | – | – | |
Maxis and EPs
- Solaar Power EP
- Inch'Allah EP
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR |
BEL (Wa) |
SWI |
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| 1991 | "Bouge de là" | 22 | – | – | Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo |
| "Victime de la mode" | 32 | – | – | ||
| 1992 | "Caroline" | 4 | 31 | – | |
| "Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo" | 39 | – | – | ||
| 1993 | "Nouveau western" | 4 | – | – | Prose Combat |
| 1994 | "Séquelles" | 19 | – | – | |
| "Obsolète" | 29 | – | – | ||
| 1995 | "La concubine de l'hémoglobine" | 42 | – | – | |
| 1997 | "Gangster moderne" | 31 | 25 | – | Paradisiaque |
| "Les temps changent" | 13 | 26 | – | ||
| 1998 | "Paradisiaque" | 41 | 28 | – | |
| "Galaktika" | 64 | – | – | Cinquième As | |
| 2001 | "Solaar pleure" | 4 | 2 | 22 | |
| "Hasta la vista" | 1 | 5 | 23 | ||
| "RMI" | 22 | 3* (Ultratip) |
– | ||
| 2002 | "La la la, la" | 39 | 2* (Ultratip) |
– | |
| "Inch'Allah" | 1 | 16 | 13 | Inch'Allah EP | |
| 2004 | "Hijo de Africa" | 32 | – | – | Mach 6 |
| "Au pays de Gandhi" | 37 | – | – | ||
| 2007 | "Clic clic" | 19 | 7* (Ultratip) |
– | Chapitre 7 |
| 2008 | "Le rabbi muffin" | 20 | 1 | – | |
| 2017 | "Sonotone" | 3 |
46 | – | Géopoétique |
| 2018 | "Eksassaute" | 60 | 40 | – | |
| "Aiwa" | – | 33 | – | ||
*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
Songs with Other Artists
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
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| FR |
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| 2014 | "À quoi ça sert l'amour" (live) (Lavoine / Zazie / Mathy / MC Solaar / Ségara / Les Enfoirés / Chœurs du Collège du Kochersberg) |
105 | Les Enfoirés album Bon anniversaire |
Featured Songs
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | |||||||
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| FR |
AUT | BEL (Vl) |
BEL (Wa) |
GER | NED | SWE | SWI |
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| 1993 | "Le bien, le mal" (Guru feat. MC Solaar) |
33 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1995 | "Listen" (Urban Species feat. MC Solaar) |
29 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1999 | "All n My Grill" (Missy Misdemeanor Elliott feat. MC Solaar) |
16 | – | 7 (Ultratip) |
9 | 22 | 86 | 39 | 23 | |
Movies and Documentaries
- 1991: Pour Kim Song-Man - a short film by Costa-Gavras
- 2005: Mort à l'écran as Jonathan - a short film by Alexis Ferrebeuf
- 2011: Illegal Love voice over - a documentary by Julie Gali
See also
In Spanish: MC Solaar para niños
