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Booba

French rapper (born 1976)

Field	Value
name	Booba
image	Festival des Vieilles Charrues 2019 - Booba - 038.jpg
caption	Booba in 2019 at Vieilles Charrues Festival
birth_name	Élie Thitia Yaffa
alias
birth_date
birth_place	Sèvres, Île-de-France, France
genre
occupation	Rapper
years_active	1994–present
label
associated_acts	Ali, Diddy, Ryan Leslie, Akon, Bushido, T-Pain, Nessbeal, La Fouine, 92I, Tony Parker, 113, Rock City, Alborosie, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Kaaris, Lacrim

Élie Thitia Yaffa (; born 9 December 1976), better known under his stage name Booba, is a French rapper.

After a brief stint as a break dancer in the early 1990s, Booba partnered with his friend Ali to form Lunatic. The duo released a critically acclaimed album in 2000 but disbanded in 2003. Booba has since embarked on a successful solo career, selling more than 10 million discs over his career and becoming the most downloaded artist (legally) in France. Booba is praised for the quality of his flow and beats but often criticized because of the controversial nature of his lyrics. He has also established the rap label Tallac Records, and developed a line of jewellery.

Life and career

Élie Yaffa was born on 9 December 1976 in the outskirts of Paris in Sèvres. His father is Senegalese and his mother is French of Mosellan and Belgian descent.

With his friend Ali they formed the duo Lunatic in 1994. Unable to secure a record deal from a major label because of their controversial lyrics, they created their own independent record label 45 Scientific in 1999. The following year, Lunatic released its first and only album entitled Mauvais œil.

In 2002, Booba released his debut solo album Temps mort. He followed this up with four further albums: Panthéon, Ouest Side (the most successful), 0.9 and Lunatic. In late 2012, he released his sixth solo album Futur. In whole, Booba has ten disks certified, six Disques d'Or (Gold album), three Disques de platine (Platinum album) and one Double disque de platine (Double-Platinum album). In 2011, Booba won the "My Youtube" contest, ahead of popular artists like Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Jay-Z, Sexion D'Assaut, Shakira, and Stromae.

Musical style

Booba was influenced by the American hip-hop scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s – Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang Clan, 2Pac, and Biggie Smalls. Dark melodies accompanied with raw lyrics, typical of the rap from New York, are present on every album of his. He is often criticized for being an apologist for easy money and murder. Booba advocates a reduction in the taxes and claims himself in support of individual freedom. Racism is a recurring topic of his songs (see for example "Couleur ébène", "Pitbull", "Ma Couleur"), although he sometimes deliberately advocates communitarian positions.

Other ventures

Booba is also the creator of a streetwear brand, Ünkut, one of the most popular brands of this type in France.

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album	Peak positions	Certifications	FRA
BEL
(Fl)
BEL
(Wa)
SWI

2002	Temps mort	2		41
2004	Panthéon	3		26	25
2006	Ouest Side	1		12	18
2008	0.9	6		27	60
2010	Lunatic	1		1	24
2012	Futur	4	74	5	14
2013	Futur 2.0 (reissue)	6			28
2015	D.U.C	1	40	1	2
2015	Nero Nemesis	7	127	7	9
2017	Trône	1	39	3	12
2021	Ultra	2	4	2	2
2024	Ad vitam æternam	1
137	1	3

Mixtapes

Year	Album	Peak positions	Certifications	FRA
BEL
(Wa)
SWI

2005	Autopsie Vol. 1	66
2007	Autopsie Vol. 2	8	98
2009	Autopsie Vol. 3	2	19
2011	Autopsie Vol. 4	2	32	64
2017	Autopsie 0	20	48		* FRA: Gold

Singles

As lead artist

Year	Single	Peak positions	Certification	Album	FRA
BEL
(Wa)
SWI

2002	"Destinée"
(featuring Kayna Samet)	41				Temps mort
2004	"Avant de partir"
(featuring Léya Masry)	24	17
(Ultratip*)			Panthéon
2006	"Au bout des rêves"
(featuring Trade Union & Mister Rudie)	22	4
(Ultratip*)			Ouest Side
2010	"Caesar Palace"
(featuring P. Diddy)
"Ma couleur"		24
(Ultratip*)			Lunatic
"Jour de paye"
2011	"Paradis"	99
"Comme une étoile"		36
(Ultratip*)
"Paname"	48				Autopsie Vol. 4
"Bakel City Gang"	30	43(Ultratip)
"Vaisseau Mère"
"Scarface"	20	33
(Ultratip*)
2012	"Caramel"	10	42			Futur
"Tombé pour elle"	16	44
2013	"A.C. Milan"	7	19			Futur 2.0
"T.L.T"	16	44
"Turfu"	11	34
"RTC"	13	15
(Ultratip*)
"Parlons peu"	5	27
"Longueur d'avance"
(featuring Maître Gims)	13	48
2014	"La mort leur va si bien"	7				D.U.C
"OKLM"	1	7	72
2015	"Tony Sosa"	14	46
"LVMH"	28	35
(Ultratip*)
"Mon pays"	37
"Validée"
(featuring Benash)	2	41			Nero Nemesis
"Attila"	35
"Génération Assassin"	40
2016	"JDC"	10	21
(Ultratip*)			Autopsie 0
"Salside"	8	23
(Ultratip*)
"E.L.E.P.H.A.N.T."	1	39			Trône
"DKR"	1	42	42
2017	"Daniel Sam"	27
11
(Ultratip*)
"Nougat"	2
42	61		Trône
2018	"Gotham"		17	48
"BB"		17	42
"Kyll"
(with Médine)	2	34	62
2019	"PGP"	1	9	22		rowspan="9"
"Arc-en-Ciel"	1	16	37
"Freestyle Pirate"	42	28
(Ultratip*)
"Glaive"	10	13
(Ultratip*)
2020	"Cavaliero"	28	29
(Ultratip*)
"Jauné"
(featuring Zed)	1	25	26
"Dolce Vita"	6	47	51
"5G"	1	16	28
2021	"Ratpi World"	1	27	34
"Mona Lisa"
(featuring JSX)	1	2	1		Ultra
"Azerty"	11	23
"Kayna"	4	40	55		rowspan="8"
"Plaza Athénée"	10
"Dragon"	22		77
"Variant"	7	47	65
"Geronimo"		41	35
"Leo Messi"		48	72
2022	"Koa"		47
2023	"Sport Billy"	10
2024	"6G"		32	44		Ad vitam æternam
"Rebel"	7	45
"Saga"	4	41
"Dolce Camara"
(featuring SDM)	2	14
2025	"Ici C'est Paris"
(featuring Blessd)

*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.

As featured artist

Year	Single	Peak positions	Certifications	Album	FRA
BEL
(Wa)
SWI

2011	"Corner"
(Gato featuring Booba & Philly Poe)
"Cruella"
(Shay featuring Booba)
2012	"Call of Bitume"
(Rim'K featuring Booba)	72				Rim'K album
Chef de famille
2013	"L.E.F"
(Kaaris featuring Booba)	122
2014	"Même tarif "
(Alonzo featuring Booba)	8	39			Alonzo album
Règlement de comptes
2015	"A.T.R"
(Twinsmatic featuring Booba)	145				Twinsmatic album
Nowhere
2016	"Here"
(Christine and the Queens featuring Booba)	52
"Rouge et bleu"
(Kalash featuring Booba)	15	33
(Ultratip)		* FRA: Platinum	Kalash album
Kaos
"N.W.A."
(Kalash featuring Booba)	49
"M.L.C"
(Niska featuring Booba)	46				Niska album
Zifukoro
"Infréquentables"
(Dosseh featuring Booba)	19	13
(Ultratip*)		* FRA: Diamond
"Kiname"
(Fally Ipupa featuring Booba)	10	38		* FRA: Gold
2017	"Mula"
(Siboy featuring Booba)	9	32
(Ultratip*)
"Ghetto"
(Benash featuring Booba)	10	16
(Ultratip*)		* FRA: Diamond
"Oh bah oui"
(Lacrim featuring Booba)	2		48	* FRA: Platinum	Lacrim album
Force & Honneur
"Tuba Life"
(Niska featuring Booba)	2	9
(Ultratip*)	29	* FRA: Diamond	Niska album
Commando
2018	"MQTB"
(Dosseh featuring Booba)	1	25
(Ultratip*)
"Madrina"
(Maes featuring Booba)	24	31		* FRA: Diamond	Maes album
Pure
"Sale mood"
(Bramsito featuring Booba)	1	48		* FRA: Platinum
2019	"Médicament"
(Niska featuring Booba)	1	26	43	* FRA: Platinum	Niska album
Mr Sal
"Haï"
(Gato featuring Booba)	21
2020	"Blanche"
(Maes featuring Booba)	2	49	10	* FRA: Diamond	Maes album
Les derniers salopards
"La zone"
(SDM featuring Booba)	28
"Charbon"
(Leto featuring Booba)	27				Leto album
100 visages
"Tout gâcher"
(Green Montana featuring Booba)	25	9
(Ultratip*)	80		Green Montana album
Alaska
"Pompeii"
(JSX featuring Booba)	8	23
(Ultratip*)		* FRA: Gold
2021	"Daddy"
(SDM featuring Booba)	14				SDM album
Ocho
"32"
(Dala featuring Booba)	65
"Kayna"
(Kayna Samet featuring Booba)	106
"GTA"
(JSX featuring Booba)	20

*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.

Other charted songs

Year	Single	Peak positions	Album	Certifications	FRA
BEL
(Wa)
SWI

2012	"Jimmy"	108			Futur
"Kalash" (featuring Kaaris)	116
"Wesh Morray"	121
"Rolex" (featuring Gato)	131
"Tout c'que j'ai"	150
"C'est la vie" (featuring 2 Chainz)	153
"1.8.7" (featuring Rick Ross)	158
"2Pac"	191
2013	"2.0"	41			Future 2.0
"Une vie"	44
"Billets verts"	87
2015	"Temps mort 2.0"
(featuring Lino)	58			D.U.C
"G-Love"
(featuring Farruko)	69
"3 G"	70
"Caracas"	116
"D.U.C"	84
"Bellucci"
(featuring Future)	86
"Loin d'ici"	112
"Les meilleurs"
(featuring 40 000 Gang)	151
"Billets violets"	161
"All Set"
(featuring Jeremih)	163
"Jack Da"	165
"Mr. Kopp"	146
"Comme les autres"	169			Nero Nemesis
"Habibi"	119
"4G"	109
"Walabok"	124
"Talion"	137
"92I Veyron"	57	16
(Ultratip*)		* FRA: Diamond
"Charbon"	168
"Pinocchio"
(featuring Damso and Gato)	115
"Zer'"
(featuring Siboy and Benash)	120
2017	"Petite fille"	28		32	Trône	* FRA: Diamond
"Trône"	32		34	* FRA: Platinum
"113"
(featuring Damso)			38	* FRA: Platinum
"Ridin'"	40			* FRA: Platinum
"Ça va aller"
(featuring Niska and Sidiki Diabaté)	40			* FRA: Gold
"Friday"	43	30	74	* FRA: Diamond
"Drapeau noir"	48		91	* FRA: Platinum
"À la folie"	55			* FRA: Gold
"Terrain"	74			* FRA: Gold
"Centurion"	85			* FRA: Gold
"Bouyon"
(featuring Gato)	98			* FRA: Gold
"Magnifique"	130			* FRA: Gold
2021	"GP"	2			Ultra	* FRA: Gold
"VVV"	3		26	* FRA: Gold
"Ultra"	4		27	* FRA: Gold
"RST"	5			* FRA: Gold
"Bonne journée"
(featuring SDM)	6
"Vue sur la mer"
(featuring Dala)	8
"Je sais"	9
"Dernière fois"
(featuring Bramsito)	10			* FRA: Gold
"L'olivier"	12
"Grain de sable"
(featuring Elia)	13
"31"
(featuring Gato)	14
2024	"Abidal"	18			Ad vitam æternam
"Bénigni"	21
"Signé"	27
"GM"	36
"CVBSP"	41

*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.

Awards and nominations

Award Ceremony	Year	Nominee/Work	Category	Result
Berlin Music Video Awards	2024	6G	Best Cinematography	Nominated
Saga	Best Director

References

"AC MILAN". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
[http://www.waxx-music.com/news_chroniques/chronique/Booba_556.html Booba : Lunatic – Chroniques – Booba – Toutes les chroniques sur Waxx-music] {{Webarchive. link. (9 December 2010 . Waxx-music.com. Retrieved on 30 December 2012.)
[http://www.melty.fr/booba-l-annee-nous-appartient-interview-video-actu46446.html Booba : L'année nous appartient, interview vidéo sur NRJ12] {{Webarchive. link. (17 May 2021 . melty.fr (3 January 2011). Retrieved on 30 December 2012.)
[http://www.monsieur-biographie.com/celebrite/biographie/booba-1782.php BOOBA : Biographie de BOOBA] {{Webarchive. link. (11 January 2012 . Monsieur-Biographie.com. Retrieved on 30 December 2012.)
[[:fr:Booba]]
"Le grand gagnant du concours "MyYouTube" est Booba".
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080322035109/http://www.lehiphop.com/interviews/itw62-booba_par_pamsiste.html Interview at]. lehiphop.com
[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xju7j_hhqc-en#.UOA4wayyHMo HHQC Entrevue Avec Booba (Partie 3)] {{Webarchive. link. (28 September 2013 . Dailymotion.com (26 October 2006). Retrieved on 30 December 2012.)
link. (12 August 2010 . Lepost.fr (19 December 2007). Retrieved on 30 December 2012.)
(30 September 2014). "Ünkut : Comment Booba a fait de sa marque un incontournable du style ?".
"Discographie Booba".
"Booba". Hung Medien.
"Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hung Medien.
{{cite certification
{{cite certification
(16 February 2024). "En exclusivité, voici les 10 premiers du Top Albums de la semaine !".
"Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 2, 2017)". [[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique]].
"Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 28, 2017)". [[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique]].

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1976-births living-people french-male-rappers french-people-of-senegalese-descent french-people-of-belgian-descent french-people-of-german-descent black-french-rappers musicians-from-boulogne-billancourt french-expatriates-in-the-united-states gangsta-rappers rappers-from-hauts-de-seine because-music-artists black-french-musicians

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