Youssoupha

Youssoupha Bio

Youssoupha Mabiki (popularly known as just Youssoupha) is a French rapper of Congolese origin who was born on August 29th, 1979 in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His father Tabu Ley Rochereau (aka Lord Ley) was an African musician. Youssoupha was born in Congo but later moved to Beziers when he was 10. He finished his French baccalaureate at the Académie de Versailles with high grades and moved on to Cultural Mediation and Communication at Roanne and La Guillotière. He gained his masters degree and following a university course at the Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris III), he devoted himself to music. Youssoupha first formed the Frères Lumières trio with two of his friends and released a single. He also collaborated in the album Tendance released by the band Bana Kin with Sinistre, Kozi, Philo, and Mike Genie. Youssoupha’s first DVD was released in 2005 and Eternel Recommencement followed in 2006 under the Hostile record label. He moved on to work with several famous American rappers including 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Nas, Method Man, and Redman. Next, his debut studio album À chaque frère dropped in 2007 featuring guest appearances from Diam’s, Kool Shen, S-Pi, and Mike Genie. Sur les chemins du retour, his second album came out in October 2009 and third Noir désir dropped in 2012 featuring Taipan, Corneille, S-Pi, Sam’s, Indila, LFDV, and Tabu Ley Rocherau (his own father.)