Ol Kainry

A veteran of the thriving French hip-hop scene, MC Ol'Kainry not only made the transition from the underground to the mainstream as a solo artist, but also impressively achieved success as part of a duo, a trio, and collective. Born Freddy Kpade in Benin in 1980, he grew up in the French commune of Courcouronnes in southwest Paris, where he formed rap group L'agression Verbale, who released 1998 EP, Ce N'est Que Le Debut, before disbanding a year later. After signing a deal with Nouvelle Donne Music, his 2001 full-length solo debut, Au Dela Des Apparences, kickstarted a prolific output during the 2000s, which included two albums (2002's Entretien Avec Un Empire, 720‘04's Le Bon, La Brute et Le Truand) with urban three-piece Factor X, (who later had to change their moniker to Facteur X to avoid a legal dispute with another similarly named act), a joint eponymous effort with childhood hero Dany Dan, and a reunion with former bandmate Jango Jack on 2011's Soyons Fous. Following 2004's Les Chemins de la Dignite, 2008's Demolition Man, and 2010's Iron Mic 2.0, his fifth solo effort, C'est Quoi Les Dijzz was scheduled for an early 2012 release. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi