Niska

Embodying the definition of “charo”—a term he takes to mean determined and resilient—French rapper Niska is well on his way to becoming an international superstar. • Niska is from the Parisian suburb of Evry. He’s the son of immigrants from the Republic of the Congo. • He began his rap career in the early 2010s, when he and his friend Skaodi formed the rap duo Negro Deep. • After signing to Universal Music’s Barclay Records imprint, Niska released his 2015 solo debut mixtape, Charo Life. • In 2016, Niska delivered his debut album, Zifukoro. Supported by French rap heavyweights Booba, Maître Gims, and Gradur, the album earned a platinum certification. • His 2017 LP Commando became the third-most-streamed French album that year. Of the project’s four diamond-certified singles, “Réseaux” was its most notable cut, garnering hundreds of millions of streams across platforms. • Niska received a 2018 BET Awards nomination for Best International Act, an acknowledgement of his increasing worldwide influence. • After a two-year hiatus, he returned in 2019 to deliver his third album, Mr Sal, which topped the charts in France, Belarus, and Switzerland.