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Youssoupha
Youssoupha performing inBrussels,Belgium
Background information
Birth name	Youssoupha Mabiki
Born	(1979-08-29)August 29, 1979 (age 45) Kinshasa,Democratic Republic of Congo
Genres	French rap conscious rap
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Bomayé Musik
Members	solo

Youssoupha Mabiki (French pronunciation:[jusufamabiki]; born August 29, 1979), better known by his nicknameYoussoupha is a French rapper ofCongolese descent.

He was born to a Congolese father, the musician andCongo-Kinshasa political figureTabu Ley Rochereau and a Senegalese mother. After spending his childhood in Congo-Kinshasa, at the age of 10, he moved to France to live with relatives inBeziers, then Osny, Cergy and Sartrouville. He finished his French baccaleureat atAcadémie de Versailles with high grades and continued with Cultural Mediation, Communication at Roanne and La Guillotière. After obtaining his master's degree, he dedicated himself to music.

His first albumFrères Lumières was a trio with two other friends. They released a maxi single. He was also involved in many musical projects including the albumTendance by the bandBana Kin (with Sinistre Kozi Philo and Mic genie).

His own street DVD was released at end of 2005 asEternel Recommencement followed in 2006 and was signed to Hostile record label. After working with a number of renowned rappers, he released his debut studio album in March 2007 titledÀ chaque frère ("To Every Brother") containing collaborations fromDiam's,Kool Shen, S'Pi and Mike Génie.

His second album came out in October 2009 calledSur les chemins du retour ("On the Ways of Return"), alongside an international tour. In preparation of his third album, he also released a downloadable Digi-tapeEn noir et blanc - En attendant Noir Désir ("Black & White, Waiting for Black Desire") where he included some remixes of the album. In January 2012, he released his third studio albumNoir désir ("Black Desire") featuringTaipan,Corneille, S-Pi, Sam's,Indila, LFDV and his own father Tabu Ley Rochereau"

On 22 April 2025, Youssoupha—alongside co-headlinersFally Ipupa andGims—curated and led a sold-outbenefit concert,Solidarité Congo, at theAccor Arena.^[1][2] The philanthropic event, which assembled 30 prominent artists from the French rap scene as well as internationally acclaimed and Congolese artists, sought to mobilize resources for children impacted by theRwandan-backed M23 insurgency in eastern DRC. The entirety of the proceeds was designated forDadju's Give Back Charity.^[3][4][5] Initially slated for 7 April, the event was postponed in observance of the International Day of Remembrance of the1994 Rwandan genocide.^[6][7]

• He took part as songwriting teacher at the French reality television programPopstars.
• In 2009, French journalistÉric Zemmour opened a lawsuit against him accusing him of public threats for diabolizing thebanlieues.^[8] Youssoupha responded in an interview withLe Parisien that he advocated non-violence, but was pointing out the contradictions of Zemmour.^[9] He also responded with his singleMenace de mort (meaning Death threat in English) with clips from various television programs quoting anti-immigrant sentiments expressed by media figures.[1]
• His songLa Foule featured in the second episode of the first season of the Amazon streaming seriesThe Boys.

• MTV Africa Music Awards 2014 - Best Francophone (Nominated)^[10]

• Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (2016)^[11]

• French hip hop

• Official website
• Youssoupha discography atDiscogs
• Youssoupha atIMDb

• Living people
• 1979 births
• French male rappers
• Black French musicians
• Black French rappers
• Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
• French people of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent
• French people of Senegalese descent
• Musicians from Kinshasa
• People from Sartrouville

• CS1 French-language sources (fr)
• Webarchive template wayback links
• Biography articles needing translation from French Wikipedia
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
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