Born in Marseille and of Algerian descent, Mikael Castelle moved to Paris to study history at the Sorbonne—and soon found himself launching a musical career. A rap fan since his youth, he immersed himself in the French capital’s hip-hop scene, joining revered rap collective L’entourage after run-ins with Nekfeu and Alpha Wann at battle nights, where his razor-sharp freestyles caught their ears. His solo albums, however, have hinted at a move into more melodic territory, with polished beats that contrast with his signature deep vocal tones on the slick likes of “Tu rêves” and “OG SAN”.