In 1981, he moved to Cairo, Egypt, to stay with one of his uncles. He enrolled in the French high school in Cairo, where he remained for nine months, later returning to France to complete his high school diploma in 1988.
MC Solaar:
The 1st One
Youth and Beginnings
by RD Mehal
Claude M’Barali was born in Dakar, Senegal, on March 5, 1969, to Chadian parents. His father worked as a translator and an English teacher, while his mother was a nurse. She raised him single-handedly along with his two brothers and sister.
The troubled political situation in Chad forced his family to leave the country when he was just six months old. They settled in the Paris region, initially in Saint-Denis and later in Maisons-Alfort and Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. This background is reflected in his work, especially in songs like “Bouge de là” and more explicitly in “Lève toi et rap”, where he states, “Everything started there in the city called Maisons-Alfort”. This theme is also echoed in the beginning of the music video “Victime de la mode” and in the song “Quartier nord”, where he raps: “I come from the south of the capital, from the city called Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, northern neighborhood... Hardcore"!
During his early career in radio, he adopted the name Claude MC, and used lines like, “In Villeneuve-Saint-Georges with a knife to my throat, I must resist and never yield”.
He tested his early rap compositions on Dee Nasty and Lionel D's show on Radio Nova, famously rapping, “Claude MC, that’s my name, Solaar is my tag and it’s going to be renowned” (Solaar being his initial tag). Meanwhile, he pursued studies in languages—English, Spanish, and Russian—as well as philosophy at the University of Jussieu. At this time, he also became part of the collective known as Posse 501 (pronounced “five hundred one”).
After a series of Music Videos produced by RapLine aired during the show, including “Bouge de là” and “Quartier nord”, he released his first single in 1990. At the time, Rap was still a burgeoning genre in France. The single “Bouge de là” quickly achieved success upon its release and was featured in a new clip, drawing from a sample of “The Message” by the group Cymande. He also composed another song titled “Caroline”. In 1991, MC Solaar made an appearance on Christophe Dechavanne's show, “Ciel, mon mardi!” alongside the group IAM.
Jimmy Jay and the Sound of the Early 90s Hip-Hop (1991-1995)
Following the success of "Bouge de là", MC Solaar collaborated with the American group De La Soul when they shared the stage at the Olympia in September 1991. By the end of that year, Solaar released his debut album "Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo", which was certified platinum, selling 400,000 copies. The triumph of his first album led him to embark on an extensive tour through Poland and Russia.
In December 1992, he continued his tour across 12 countries in West Africa, where his French flow was highly appreciated by African fans. Additionally, MC Solaar took a stand for political prisoner Kim Song-Man from South Korea, participating with filmmaker Costa-Gavras in the short film "Pour Kim Song-Man" in 1991, alongside the group Saï Saï.
In 1993, Solaar collaborated with American rapper Guru from the group Gang Starr on the track "Le bien, le mal", featured on the album "Jazzmatazz Vol. 1" — a significant milestone for a French rapper and a testament to MC Solaar's rising prominence, particularly in the United States. He also contributed to the rap compilation "Les Cool Sessions, vol. 1", directed by his friend Jimmy Jay, providing the track "Et Dieu créa l'Homme" and crafting the interludes between the songs. In 1994, he returned to the studio to record "Prose combat", which sold 100,000 copies within the first ten days of release in France and became one of the top sellers in twenty other countries, achieving double platinum status. The music video for his track "Le Nouveau Western", sampling Serge Gainsbourg's "Bonnie and Clyde", was shot in Texas, New York, and Paris, directed by French filmmaker Stéphane Sednaoui.
In 1995, he contributed to the album "La Haine", featuring music inspired by the film. Due to a lawsuit involving MC Solaar against Universal Music (see the Justice section), his track "Comme dans un film" was omitted from the album's reissues. That same year, he received the Best Male Artist award at the 10th Victoires de la Musique ceremony.
Thanks to the literary quality of his lyrics and his growing success, he quickly found himself caught in a duality: embraced by the intelligentsia and cultured circles in general, yet accused by other rappers of compromising with the "system."
MC Solaar’s absence from French rap compilations (Rapattitude I and II) marked his independent journey. While internationally recognized for his collaboration with Guru, he became the French rapper often contrasted with more radical and provocative artists, such as NTM.
Disagreements between the rapper and his DJ, Jimmy Jay, eventually led to a rift between the two artists, resulting in Jimmy Jay not completing the "Prose Combat" tour.
MC Solaar's Era of Expansion (1995-2000)
In 1996, MC Solaar collaborated with Ophélie Winter on the song "Un jour", which she performed for the soundtrack of the Walt Disney film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". This partnership marked a notable moment in his career, showcasing his versatility and ability to blend different musical influences.
In June 1997, the singer released his third album, "Paradisiaque". The music for this album was composed by Hubert Blanc-Francard, also known as Boom Bass, and Philippe Zdar — collectively referred to as the "Funk Mob". These two composers, who would later form the group Cassius, had already contributed to MC Solaar's first two albums alongside Jimmy Jay. The following year, "Paradisiaque" was certified platinum, underscoring its success and the impact of his evolving style.
His fourth album was simply titled "MC Solaar" and was released the following year, marking the end of his collaboration with Polydor. On January 9 and 10, 1998, MC Solaar commenced a major tour at the Zenith in Paris. The concert featured a performance that included DJs and dancers, like Bintou Dembélé, transcending the traditional musical format. His childhood friend Bambi Cruz, who is both a rapper and choreographer, opened the show. Cruz was also the first artist produced by Solaar on his emerging label, Sentinelle Nord.
On May 11, 1998, MC Solaar played at the Olympia in Paris, where he took the opportunity to record his first live album, "Le Tour de la question". Two days later, he participated in the 51st Cannes Film Festival, invited as both an artist and a film enthusiast to join the official competition jury, presided over by American director Martin Scorsese. That same year, the Académie française awarded him the Grand Medal of French Song for the "entirety of his poetic songs", recognizing his significant contributions to the music landscape.
By December 1999, "Le Tour de la question" was certified double platinum, solidifying MC Solaar's status as one of the leading figures in the French hip-hop scene during this period.
From Francophone Icon to International Recognition: MC Solaar's Peak Period
(2001-2006)
The album "Cinquième As" was released in February 2001 and distributed by Warner. Claude MC Solaar himself took on the role of artistic director for this project, which was a first for him. For this occasion, he chose to collaborate with lesser-known composers: Fabrice Kurser, DJ Mac, DJ Sample, Eric K-Roz, and Alain J. The lyrics crafted by the rapper fluctuate between light-heartedness, with tracks like "Baby Love" and "Hasta la Vista".
This album signifies a return for MC Solaar to a more "hard" rap style, as evidenced by the lead single "Solaar Pleure". The album achieved tremendous success with tracks such as "Solaar Pleure," "Hasta la Vista," and "RMI", solidifying its position as one of the greatest successes in French rap history.
"Cinquième As" received critical acclaim, quickly selling over 600,000 copies and earning a double platinum certification. Notably, "Hasta la Vista" became the artist’s first single to reach number one in France.
A few months after the release of "Cinquième As", the artist embarked on a French tour, which included a performance at the Zenith in Paris in November 2001, offering a spectacular show. This return to the spotlight, following the mixed success of his previous album, repositioned him as one of the major French artists in the rap and variety scene. The following year, in 2002, the single "Inch'Allah" also enjoyed significant success, even though it was not included on any album.
The album "Mach 6" was released in December 2003, produced by Black Rose Corporation—which includes producers Eric K-Roz and Alain J, who had participated in the previous album. Together with them, Solaar traveled to Moscow, Russia, to record orchestral parts, lending a more organic and musical quality to his style. The serene and soothing poetry found in the rapper’s lyrics remained present as he continued to weave together fictions based on his life experiences with tracks like "Souvenir" and shared his adventurous dreams in songs such as "Hijo de Africa" and "Au pays de Gandhi". The tracks "La vie est belle" and "Au pays de Gandhi" received extensive airplay. Musically, this album often incorporates elements reminiscent of film music and even classical music, as noted in songs like "Sauvez le monde" and "Ça me hante". Compared to its predecessor, the album "Mach 6" could only be deemed a partial success.
It marked the end of a period that began in 1990, during which MC Solaar released albums at a relatively steady pace and collaborated with numerous other artists. Nevertheless, the album still achieved platinum certification.
"Chapitre 7" and Beyond: A Blend of Innovation and Quiet Years
(2007-...)
It was nearly four years before MC Solaar made another album. His seventh studio album, "Chapitre 7", was released in June 2007 and was certified gold the next month. Both singles "Da Vinci Claude" and "Clic clic" demonstrate a disc that includes highly different influences from rock, reggae, jazz, Hip-Hop, and also classical music. It received a Victoire de la Musique award for Urban Music Album of the Year in 2008. MC Solaar's performances in the music industry declined following this release. In 2008, he reinvented the story of Rabbi Jacob in his song "Le Rabbi Muffin". This song was a featured track in Patrick Timsit’s musical "Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob" (2008). The title reuses the sample from the film, written at the time by Vladimir Cosma. By the end of 2011, he had co-written and recorded the song "Marche ou rêve" for Tom Fire’s album "The Revenge".
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