# Kery James

Alix Mathurin (French pronunciation:), known publicly as Kery James, is a French-Haitian rapper, singer, actor, director, and screenwriter. James was born on 28 December 1977 in Les Abymes, Guadeloupe. His work addresses themes of suburban life and social inequalities in contemporary France, often through a critical lens. James is a member of the rap collective Mafia K'1 Fry.

## Career

James began his rap career in 1991 as a co-founder of the group Ideal J. Fellow artist DJ Mehdi joined as a producer for the group the following year. The group disbanded in 1999 following the murder of Las Montana, one of James's close friends. Following the death, James paused his career.
After a two-year hiatus, he returned as a solo artist and released his debut album, Si c'était à refaire (If I Had to Do It Again), in 2001. In 2005, after contributing to the compilation Illicite Projet with his track "Je ne crois plus en l'illicite" (I No Longer Believe in the Illicit), he released his second solo album, Ma vérité (My Truth). The album featured songs such as "J'aurais pu dire", "Les miens," and "Hardcore," with a guest appearance by Iron Sy.
His third solo album, À l'ombre du show business (In the Shadow of Show Business), released in 2008, debuted at number three on the French charts in its first week. In 2016, James released his sixth album, Mouhammad Alix.
James is also an actor and director. In 2003, he appeared in the documentary Si tu roules avec la Mafia K'1 Fry (If You Roll with the Mafia K'1 Fry). Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, he directed Savoir et vivre ensemble (Know and Live Together), a project in which rappers, singers, and athletes promote unity. He played a juror in the film À voix haute (Speak Up). In 2019, his film Banlieusards (Street Flow) was released on Netflix, and on September 27, 2023, the sequel to this socially conscious story premiered on Netflix. He co-wrote and directed both films alongside Leïla Sy.

## In Idéal J

Idéal J released singles "Hardcore", "Pour une poignée de dollars" and a first album titled Original MC's sur une mission. In 1992, their single "La vie est brutale" was released and Alter MC (who is nowadays known as Jessy Money) left the group. In subsequent years, while colleague DJ Mehdi progressed as a producer, Kery worked on writing new material, with subject matter such as altercations with the police, street rivalries, and fear of death.
In 1996, the band's first album under the moniker Ideal J put out singles "Ghetto français", "Show business" and "Je veux du cash". Ideal J multiplied their appearances on Maxis and as featured acts, with the single "J'désole mes parents" present on the compilation Nouvelle donne. James's career was put temporarily on hold in 1999 when his childhood friend Las Montana was shot and killed. James took the name Ali as a symbol of his conversion to Islam.

## Solo career

In October 2001, he released his solo album "Si c'était à refaire" with, among others, the tracks "28 décembre 1977", "Si c'était à refaire", "Soledad", and "Y'a pas d'couleur". This album features collaborations with Nubians and Salif Keita. The rap is influenced by African, Arabic, Cuban musical influences, with the use of percussion and original instruments.
In 2004, James' second album, Ma vérité, handled subject matter such as the war in Iraq and reality TV. At the same time, he had duets with stars such as Diam's Mélanie Giorgadès and Amel Bent.
In March 2008, he released a new album, À l'ombre du show business, whose title track was a collaboration with French chanson Charles Aznavour. Other tracks included Le combat continue part III, Banlieusards and Vrai Peura. On its first week of release, the album reached third place on the French charts with 24,459 albums sold. For the music videos of this album, he worked with Luc Besson, Mathieu Kassovitz, J.G Biggs and Chris Macari.

## Personal life

James moved to mainland France at the age of seven, where he was raised by his mother in Orly, a suburb of Paris. He started at a young age to rap, dance, and write his own texts. MC Solaar noticed him when he was 10 years old in a cité (suburban housing estate) of Paris. He described the setting as "A place where the Islamic faith was omnipresent," then added Ali to his name.

## Discography
### Albums and EPs
#### Solo studio albums

| Year | Album | Peak positions | Peak positions | Peak positions | Certifications |
| Year | Album | FR | BEL (Wa) | SWI | Certifications |
| 2001 | Si c'était à refaire | 5 | – | – | SNEP:Gold |
| 2004 | Savoir et vivre ensemble | 15 | 54 | 89 | |
| 2005 | Ma vérité | 8 | 69 | – | SNEP:Gold |
| 2008 | À l'ombre du show business | 3 | 27 | 59 | SNEP:Platinum |
| 2009 | Réel | 1 | 12 | 33 | SNEP:Platinum |
| 2012 | 92.2012 | 12 | 72 | – | |
| 2013 | Dernier MC | 3 | 9 | 47 | SNEP:Gold |
| 2016 | Mouhammad Alix | 3 | 6 | 16 | SNEP:Gold |
| 2018 | J'rap encore | 19 | 6 | 42 | |

##### Others

* 2013: Coffret integral

#### Live albums

| Year | Album | Peak positions | Peak positions | Peak positions | Certification |
| Year | Album | FR | BEL (Wa) | SUI | Certification |
| 2010 | À mon public | 30 | 81 | – | |

### Other albums and EPs (collaborations)
#### with Idéal Junior / Idéal J

* 1992: La vie est brutale (Maxi-single) (credited to Ideal Junior)
* 1996: O'riginal MC's sur une mission (credited to Ideal J)
* 1998: Le Combat Continue (credited to Ideal J)

#### with Mafia K-1 Fry

* 1997: Les liens sacrés
* 1999: Légendaire
* 2003: La cerise sur le ghetto
* 2007: Jusqu'à la mort (+ reissue)

### Singles

| Year | Single | Peak positions | Peak positions | Album |
| Year | Single | FR | BEL (Wa) | Album |
| 2001 | "Y'a pas d'couleur" | 61 | – | Si c'était à refaire |
| 2004 | "Relève la tête" (Kery James presente Lino, AP, Diam's, Passi, Matt & Kool Shen) | 39 | – | Savoir et vivre ensemble |
| 2009 | "Le retour du rap français" | – | 22 (Ultratip) | Réel |
| 2012 | "Lettre à la République" | 33 | 40 (Ultratip) | 92-2012 |
| 2012 | "Dernier MC" | 133 | – | Dernier MC |
| 2013 | "Des mots" (featuring LFDV) | 177 | – | Dernier MC |
| 2013 | "À l'horizon" (featuring Corneille) | 82 | 31 (Ultratip) | Dernier MC |
| 2013 | "Contre nous" (featuring La Ligue: Youssoupha et Médine) | 145 | – | Dernier MC |
| 2013 | "Le mystère féminin" (featuring Imany) | 120 | 10 (Ultratip) | Dernier MC |
| 2013 | "94 c'est le Barça" | 141 | – | Dernier MC |
| 2016 | "Mouhammad Alix" | 78 | – | |
| 2016 | "N'importe quoi" | 154 | – | |
| 2016 | "Racailles" | 26 | – | |
| 2016 | "Vivre ou mourir ensemble" | 167 | – | |
| 2016 | "Musique nègre" (featuring Lino and Youssoupha) | 112 | – | |
| 2019 | "À qui la faute" (featuring Orelsan) | 94 | – | |

### Collaborations

(Refer to relevant section in French Wikipedia)