Oxmo Puccino

Born Abdoulaye Diarra, Oxmo Puccino is a French rapper originally from Mali. His family moved to Paris when he was five. In 1995 he joined the promising collective Time Bomb alongside Pit Baccardi. Gradually Oxmo Puccino attracted attention from the public and his peers: he collaborated with Booba in 1997 and with DJ Kheops, before releasing his debut album Opéra Puccino a year later. Critics praised the record and it went gold. Oxmo Puccino established himself on the French rap scene with a lyrical and committed style. In 2001 he released the dark, powerful album L’amour est mort, which again won praise from press and critics. He explored jazz and blues rhythms collaborating with the Jazzbastards on the 2006 album Lipopette Bar, released on the renowned Blue Note label. Through collaborations, concerts and recordings, Oxmo Puccino became a leading figure in French rap with increasingly refined albums. In 2012 he released his seventh album Roi sans carrosse, blending rap and rock and proving he is at ease across styles.