Maska (rapper)
Bastien Vincent, better known by his stage name Maska (born 21 May 1985 in Paris), is a French rapper and dancer. He is a founding member of the French rap / hip hop collective Sexion d'Assaut. in October 2014, Maska released his first solo album entitled "Espace-temps", which ranked 14th on the Top Albums in France. Early life. Originally from Lozère, he grew up in Paris in the 9th arrondissement with most of his friends from Sexion d'Assault. A rather turbulent child, he grew up in a rich neighborhood while being poor. Paradox which very early on in  Bastien, a feeling of unease, of shift. Having experienced a musical awakening quite early on by his parents, Maska is a French rap fan who, unlike Gims, received a rather American musical education, influenced by Sisqó, Michael Jackson, elevated to the rank of The Beatles melodies, of The Rolling Stones and Johnny Clegg. High school student, Maska multiplies the small acts of delinquency, from the simple theft of cellphones to the sale of hash, including burglaries and the numerous fights which could have been fatal to him if Gims had not helped him. As a teenager, benefiting from a parental  education which he describes as "rather cool", he often hangs out in the squares, the subways, the cellars on rue du Paradis or at the Galeries Lafayette with his friends. Career. Sexion d'Assaut (2002–2013). Maska is not bad at school: he obtains his baccalaureate around 2003 and undertakes higher studies. Close to Black M and Barack Adama, he spent sleepless nights with them writing and rapping. He says he is saved by music and religion (as explained in the text of the single "La tâche"). With the group Sexion d'Assaut, Maska released two studio albums: "L'École des points vitaux" (2010 ) and "L'Apogée" (2012), two mixtapes: "Les Chroniques du 75" (2009) and "" (2011), two street albums: "Le Renouveau" (2008) and "L'Écrasement de tête" (2009), a mixtape: "La Terre Du Milieu" (2006), a reissue (2012), a live album: "" (2012), three DVDs and a compilation: "Best Of" (2013). Solo career (since 2012). After the success of the Sexion d'Assaut, in October 2014, Maska released his first solo album entitled "Espace-temps", which ranked 14th on the Top Albums in France. Before the release of the album, he uploaded the music video for the song "Rahh". To keep his audience patient, he too, offers  a series of videos, Espace temps: "Mon mal être" (feat. Dr Bériz), "Un grain de folie", "Ca va rire", "Parcours de rêve", and "Laisse passer l'artiste". On March 14, 2014, Maska unveils the first track of his album named "Drapeau Taché de Sang". During Planète Rap of Black M, he will also unveil an excerpt from a new title entitled "Prie pour moi" featuring Gims. This title was released in full on the Internet on May 9, 2014. After more than two years of work, he unveils, on October 13, 2017, his first mixtape, "Akhal-Teke", then his second, "Préliminaires , Vol. 1", released on June 29, 2018, where we notice a radical change of style. From September 2018, he worked on his third mixtape, "Préliminaires Vol. 2", which was released on March 29, 2019. Achievements. "Subliminal" of Gims, "Où Est Ton Arme?". A founding member of the Sexion d'Assaut group, Maska takes part in many of the collective's great classics: "Avant qu'elle parte", "Ma Direction", "Problèmes D'Adultes", "Cérémonie", "A Bout de souffle" or even "Ils appellent ça". Renowned for his pen, Maska contributes strongly to the writing of the collective texts. The rapper of the Sexion d'Assaut collaborates a  lot with French singers such as Kendji Girac, Vianney, Dadju or Zaho.