Passi
Encyclopedia
Passi is a French hip hop
artist who became famous in the mid-1990s with the group Ministère AMER
, which included himself and Stomy Bugsy
. He is most widely known, however, as a solo artist, as well as a participant in many other groups, such as Bisso Na Bisso
and Dis l'heure 2 zouk.
, Republic of the Congo
. In 1979, his family moved to Sarcelles
, a suburb
of Paris
. He graduated from lycée
and created the band Ministère AMER
with Stomy Bugsy
, who he had gone to school with. The group's first album, Pourquoi tant de haine?, was released in 1992, and Passi was forced to end his agronomy
studies at the University of Paris
(Nanterre
) to be able to focus on music. Ministère AMER
followed up with "95200" which was released in 1994.
Passi's first solo album, Les tentations, was released in 1997, and it sold 450,000 copies. The project Bisso na Bisso (meaning 'Just between ourselves' in Lingala
, Congo's most widely spoken language), which was a collective of French hip hop artists with Africa
n origins, including names such as Ärsenik, released their album Racines
in 1999. The same year, Passi released his second solo album, Genèse.
In 2002, Passi was asked to create the anthem for the African Nations Cup football
competition together with Congolese singer Papa Wemba
. The two eventually managed to attract into the project such names as Youssou N'Dour
and Cheb Mami
. Passi's third album, Odyssée, came out in 2004.
Passi is also known as the artist whose song, "Il Fait Chaud" ("It's Hot"), was featured in the last episode in the television show, Sex & the City. The song was not credited at the end of the show, leaving many viewers to call the song simply "The French Rap."
French hip hop
French hip hop is the hip hop music style which was developed in France, and is considered the second worldwide hip hop scene after the U.S....
artist who became famous in the mid-1990s with the group Ministère AMER
Ministère AMER
The Ministère AMER is a French hip hop group from Sarcelles, consisting of the rappers Passi and Stomy Bugsy , DJ Ghetch, and the producer/manager Kenzy. The group is also associated with other major French hip hop artists such as Doc Gyneco and Hamed Daye...
, which included himself and Stomy Bugsy
Stomy Bugsy
Stomy Bugsy is a French rapper from Sarcelles.Born of parents from Cape Verde, Duarte helped found hip hop group Ministere AMER, however in 1996 he decided to launch his own solo career...
. He is most widely known, however, as a solo artist, as well as a participant in many other groups, such as Bisso Na Bisso
Bisso na bisso
Bisso Na Bisso is a music collective of rappers and singers with origins from Congo Brazzaville formed in 1999. The group consisting of Ben-J , Lino and Calbo , Doc and G Kill , Mystik and the only female M'Passi was put together by French rapper Passi.The group created an album called Racines...
and Dis l'heure 2 zouk.
Biography
Passi was born on 21 December 1972, in BrazzavilleBrazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
, Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
. In 1979, his family moved to Sarcelles
Sarcelles
Sarcelles is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Sarcelles is a sub-prefecture of the Val-d'Oise department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Sarcelles....
, a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He graduated from lycée
Secondary education in France
In France, secondary education is in two stages:* collèges cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 14...
and created the band Ministère AMER
Ministère AMER
The Ministère AMER is a French hip hop group from Sarcelles, consisting of the rappers Passi and Stomy Bugsy , DJ Ghetch, and the producer/manager Kenzy. The group is also associated with other major French hip hop artists such as Doc Gyneco and Hamed Daye...
with Stomy Bugsy
Stomy Bugsy
Stomy Bugsy is a French rapper from Sarcelles.Born of parents from Cape Verde, Duarte helped found hip hop group Ministere AMER, however in 1996 he decided to launch his own solo career...
, who he had gone to school with. The group's first album, Pourquoi tant de haine?, was released in 1992, and Passi was forced to end his agronomy
Agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology,...
studies at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
(Nanterre
Nanterre
Nanterre is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located west of the center of Paris.Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre....
) to be able to focus on music. Ministère AMER
Ministère AMER
The Ministère AMER is a French hip hop group from Sarcelles, consisting of the rappers Passi and Stomy Bugsy , DJ Ghetch, and the producer/manager Kenzy. The group is also associated with other major French hip hop artists such as Doc Gyneco and Hamed Daye...
followed up with "95200" which was released in 1994.
Passi's first solo album, Les tentations, was released in 1997, and it sold 450,000 copies. The project Bisso na Bisso (meaning 'Just between ourselves' in Lingala
Lingala language
Lingala, or Ngala, is a Bantu language spoken throughout the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a large part of the Republic of the Congo , as well as to some degree in Angola and the Central African Republic. It has over 10 million speakers...
, Congo's most widely spoken language), which was a collective of French hip hop artists with Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n origins, including names such as Ärsenik, released their album Racines
Racines
Racines may refer to:*Racines, the Italian name for Ratschings, in South Tyrol, Italy*Racines, Aube, a commune in the department of Aube, France...
in 1999. The same year, Passi released his second solo album, Genèse.
In 2002, Passi was asked to create the anthem for the African Nations Cup football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
competition together with Congolese singer Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu . He is a Congolese rumba musician, one of Africa's most popular musicians, and prominent in World music.-Zaiko Langa Langa:...
. The two eventually managed to attract into the project such names as Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
and Cheb Mami
Cheb Mami
Ahmed Khelifati Mohamed better known by his stage name Cheb Mami , is an Algerian-born raï singer...
. Passi's third album, Odyssée, came out in 2004.
Passi is also known as the artist whose song, "Il Fait Chaud" ("It's Hot"), was featured in the last episode in the television show, Sex & the City. The song was not credited at the end of the show, leaving many viewers to call the song simply "The French Rap."
Ministère A.M.E.R
- 1992 : Ministère AMERMinistère AMERThe Ministère AMER is a French hip hop group from Sarcelles, consisting of the rappers Passi and Stomy Bugsy , DJ Ghetch, and the producer/manager Kenzy. The group is also associated with other major French hip hop artists such as Doc Gyneco and Hamed Daye...
- Pourquoi Tant de Haine - 1994 : Ministère AMERMinistère AMERThe Ministère AMER is a French hip hop group from Sarcelles, consisting of the rappers Passi and Stomy Bugsy , DJ Ghetch, and the producer/manager Kenzy. The group is also associated with other major French hip hop artists such as Doc Gyneco and Hamed Daye...
- 95200
Solo
- 1997 : Les Tentations
- 2001 : Genèse
- 2004 : Odyssée
- 2007 : Révolution
- 2007 : Évolution
Bisso Na Bisso
- 1998 : Bisso Na BissoBisso na bissoBisso Na Bisso is a music collective of rappers and singers with origins from Congo Brazzaville formed in 1999. The group consisting of Ben-J , Lino and Calbo , Doc and G Kill , Mystik and the only female M'Passi was put together by French rapper Passi.The group created an album called Racines...
- Racines - 1999 : Bisso Na Bisso - Le 15 mai 1999 (live)
Dis l'heure 2 zouk (as producer)
- 2002 : Dis l'heure 2 Rimes
- 2003 : Dis l'heure 2 Zouk
- 2004 : Dis l'heure 2 Ragga Dancehall
- 2005 : Dis L'Heure 2 Afro Zouk vol.1
- 2006 : Dis L'heure 2 Hip Hop/Rock