Keny Arkana

A French-Argentine rapper born in 1982 in Boulogne-Billancourt and settled in Marseille from an early age, Keny Arkana stands in the tradition of socially engaged Francophone hip-hop, blending conscious rap, Latin American influences, and alter‑globalization stances. Initially active on the Marseille scene within collectives such as État-Major, she developed a solo project in the early 2000s in which social issues, criticism of inequality, and a spiritual dimension took center stage. The mixtape L’Esquisse (2005) and the album Entre ciment et belle étoile (2006) defined her first period, followed by the mini-album Désobéissance (2008) and L’Esquisse 2 (2011), which carried forward a direct, narrative rap firmly rooted in urban realities. With Tout tourne autour du soleil (2012), then L’Esquisse 3 (2017) and Exode (2021), Keny Arkana continues to weave together introspection, activist references, and a political imagination, while maintaining strong roots in Marseille. Active on numerous stages in France and abroad, often in connection with civic collectives or alternative events, she champions a style that puts writing front and center, driven by a taut, hard‑edged flow and productions oscillating between boom-bap, melodic textures, and echoes of South American music.

upcoming events 3

past events 5

from Jul 18, 2013 to Jul 21, 2013
from Jul 4, 2013 to Jul 7, 2013
from Jun 28, 2013 to Jun 30, 2013
Apr 30, 2013
from Apr 23, 2013 to Apr 28, 2013