Keny Arkana

Marseilles rapper Keny Arkana rose to fame as a member of the politically charged hip-hop collective La Rage du People before mounting a solo career in 2004. Her debut solo single, "Le Missile Est Lancé," outlined her anti-capitalist and antiwar stance, and guest appearances on mixtapes as well as records headlined by Soprano, Kayna Samet, and Alonzo further established her as a rapper of rare talent and political commitment. In 2006 she issued her first full-length, Entre Ciment et Belle Etoile. It turned into a word-of-mouth smash, selling over 50,000 copies before year's end. The album was followed by Désobéissance, a 2008 EP, and L'Esquisse 2, her second full length studio outing in 2011, echoing her initial street album L'Esquisse in 2005. ~ Jason Ankeny