French hip-hop group Sniper formed in the suburbs of Paris in 1997. Rappers El Tunisiano and Aketo, dancehall toaster Black Renega, and DJ Boudj originally adopted the moniker Personnalité Suspecte, but changed the name prior to the 2001 release of their debut album, Du Rire aux Larmes. Following the release of 2003's Gravé Dans la Roche, Sniper came under attack from French Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy, who filed a lawsuit to combat their street-smart, often political lyrics, which he dubbed "violent, racist, and abusive." A judge later dismissed the case, but the resulting controversy made the group a cause célèbre and galvanized record sales. ~ Jason Ankeny