MAITRE GIMS
Well, people say that you become better at something, if only you just start -and continue- anyways. I actually had no idea of what to write rn but I know it’ll come through just like in the exam hall during my secondary school days, haha.
I want to write about French or perhaps Francophone Artistes, but I’ll be focussing on Cogolese-born French rapper Gandhi Bilel Djuna better known by his stage name as Maitre Gims.
What actually got me hooked to him was me listening to his Est-ce-que-tu-m-aimes song and watching the accompanying video. I was more than thrilled, this was also my go-to song after heartbreaks. I just can’t miss J’me tire which was released on 15 March 2013 off the Subliminal Album, a big commercial success at the time, which made it to number 2 in the French albums chart and number 1 in the Belgian French charts. He’s such a big star yunno.
Watching his GIMS : On The Record documentary on Netflix says more about how humble he is really, he talks about showbiz a lot which isn’t his lifestyle but then, he has to do it for his fans else “you’re a scumbag”. He really is a vibe to be with, he isn’t just an artiste, he’s an artist too! He paints and draws with his kids. In his words, “I like to win, I like victory”, Gandhi was named after the famous Gandhi by his father, Djanana Djuna, a vocalist in Papa Wemba’s band, a famous musician back then in Kinshasa. Not to bore you with stories, but he’s a brother to Dadju! Music definitely runs in the family.
Maitre Gims had his share of ups and downs in life, from migrating to France in the 80s to having his parents divorced, nonetheless, he rose against all odds becoming France’s number one rapper. His biggest concert ever, Stade De France was a massive success. You can listen to his
EPs
Albums
- 2013: Subliminal
- 2015: Mon cœur avait raison
- 2018: Ceinture noire
- 2020: Le Fléau
My best songs? Je te pardonne (featuring Sia), Laissez passer, Est-ce-que-tu-m-aimes, J’me tire, Bella. You should definitely check them out, no regrets, Je t’assure!
