Oxmo Puccino is a major player in the French hip-hop scene, so it's no surprise that he looks up to titans of rap, R&B and soul. Since his start in the late '90s, he's drawn on a range of classic music styles that include Billie Holiday's bluesy jazz, James Brown's smooth funk and JAY-Z's hip-hop beats. Fluid French rap, Malian instrumentals and classical piano add nuance to this archetypal mix.