Booba

Born Elie Yaffa on December 9, 1976, Booba is a prominent French rapper hailing from Boulogne-Billancourt. Raised in a humble household in Hauts-de-Seine, his stage name pays tribute to his cousin Boubacar, whom he met during a visit to his Senegalese family. Booba began his career as a hip hop dancer and soon teamed up with Daddy Ali to form the group Lunatic. Their collaboration produced the impactful tracks "Le Crime Paie" and "Les Vrais Savent." However, a setback occurred in 1997 when Booba was incarcerated for over a year due to a taxi robbery.

Upon his release, Lunatic released the groundbreaking album "Mauvais Œil," which made history by becoming the first gold record for an independent French rap album. Following the group's split, Booba embarked on a solo journey, solidifying his dominance in French rap with the seminal album "Temps Mort" in 2002, often regarded as one of the greatest French rap records alongside IAM's "L'École du Micro d'Argent."

With a total of ten studio albums and over 3 million records sold, Booba is ranked fourth in album sales among French rappers. His notable works include "Panthéon," "Ouest Side," and "Futur." In 2018, a highly publicized altercation with fellow rapper Kaaris led to both being arrested. Booba made history again on September 3, 2022, when he became the first French rapper to perform at the Stade de France, captivating 81,000 fans alongside his children, Luna and Omar.