Joey Starr

Known for his booming, aggressive, lyrical delivery, MC Joeystarr has been one of the most controversial figures on the French hip-hop scene since the early '90s. Born Didier Morville in Saint-Denis in 1967, he suffered a tough upbringing at the hands of his violent father before spending 19 months based at Baden-Baden whilst serving in the military. During his several years on the streets, he teamed up with Bruno Lopes, aka Kool Shen, firstly as a graffiti artist, then as part of hardcore rap duo Supreme NTM, who released four studio albums before disbanding in 1998. Following the split, Joeystarr furthered his bad boy reputation with jail terms for three separate assaults and accusations of animal brutality, but continued to be an influence within the genre thanks to his Skyrock radio show. After branching out into various film and TV roles, he returned to the fold in 2006 with his autobiography, the mixtape My Playlist. and his debut solo album, Gare Au Jaguarr. After reuniting with his old bandmate for three shows in Bercy in 2008, he released his sophomore album, Egomaniac, in 2011. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi