Def Bond

Born in Longjumeau in 1969 as Éric Dorgal, Def Bond became part of Marseille's hip‑hop scene early on, initially with Soul Swing at the end of the 1980s alongside DJ Rebel, DJ Majestic, DJ Ralph, Faf Larage and K‑Rhyme Le Roi. His rap, rooted in 1990s French rap, blends measured writing, a fluid delivery and references to soul, funk and R&B. Def Bond gained visibility late in the decade with “Secret défense,” featured on Kheops' Sad Hill with Akhenaton, and later with “Tu me plais,” a duet with K‑Reen on the Taxi soundtrack in 1998. In 1999 he released his first album, Le Thème..., produced by Kheops and featuring several artists from the IAM circle, which clearly placed his work between Marseille rap, sung choruses and production indebted to American groove. The rest of his career shows a stronger openness to melodic forms with the albums Def (2003), Les Def Sessions (Special Funk - R&B) (2005), LOVE (2009) and Soul System (2013). Alongside his records, Def Bond also hosted the radio show Total Kheops on Skyrock, extending his role in promoting Marseille rap beyond the studio.