Akhenaton

Akhenaton, born Philippe Fragione on September 17, 1968, in the 13th arrondissement of Marseille, is a prominent figure in French hip-hop. Growing up in a family of Italian descent from Naples, he was raised in Marseille's suburbs by his mother, an EDF employee, alongside his brother Fabien. His journey into the world of rap began after a transformative trip to New York in 1982, prompting him to abandon his biology studies in favor of music.

His recording debut occurred in 1988 on "This Is The B Side," a track included in the vinyl "Let's Make Some Noise" by Choice MC's, marking a pioneering moment for Franco-American rap. Upon returning to Marseille, he collaborated with Shurik'n, Kheops, and Imothep to form the influential group IAM. Their self-produced cassette "Concept" debuted in 1989, followed by the acclaimed album "De La Planète Mars" in 1991, which established IAM as trailblazers in the genre.

In 1993, Akhenaton converted to Islam, adopting the name Abdel Hakim, and the group released "Ombre Est Lumière," featuring the hit "Je danse le Mia." His solo career took off with "Métèque Et Mat" in 1995, solidifying his reputation as one of France's top rappers. Akhenaton ventured into production and film, co-writing the soundtrack for Luc Besson's "Taxi," which won a Victoire de la Musique in 1999.

He continued to release successful solo albums, including "Sol Invictus" in 2001 and "Je Suis En Vie" in 2014, the latter winning the Urban Music Album of the Year at the Victoires. With IAM, he produced "Rêvolution" in 2017 and "Yasuké" in 2019, alongside numerous concert performances. In 2020, he