Maître Gims

Maître Gims
Background information
Birth name Gandhi Djuna
Also known as Gims, Me-Gui, Mugiwarano
Born 6 May 1986
Kinshasa, Zaire
Genres Rap
Occupation(s) Rapper
Years active 2002 – present
Labels Wati B
Associated acts Sexion d'Assaut, 3e Prototype
Website www.maitregims.com

Gandhi Djuna (born 6 May 1986), better known by his stage name Maître Gims, is a French rapper. He is part of the rap group Sexion d'Assaut and he is currently developing his solo career with a major solo release, his solo album Subliminal. He has also founded his own record label, MMC (Monstre Marin Corporation).

Career

Gandhi Djuna, born in Zaire with his brother, immigrated to France when he was just two years old. Growing up in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, he later moved to the 9th arrondissement and eventually the 19th arrondissement. Taking the name of Gims, he rapped at college with his friends of Sexion d'Assaut while studying communication and graphical arts. He also worked part-time as a courrier at night.

He recorded his first track with Sexion d'Assaut "Coup 2 Pression" and worked with JR in the Prototype 3015 duo project. He decided to add Maître to his name Gims and also used the pseudonyme "le Fléau" ("the Bane"). He also worked on a number of independent releases, and a mixtape La Terre du Milieu ("Middle-Earth")as part of 3e Prototype after taking Dawala as manager. In 2007, he also worked as producer, wrote instrumental pieces and released his maxi Pour ceux qui dorment les yeux ouverts("For those who sleep with open eyes"). On the maxi were tracks with Sexion d'Assaut, rapper Koma (from Scred Connexion) and a singer Carole. Continuing to record tracks with Sexion d'Assaut at two Inch'All Star battles, he became a well-known French freestyler. He also took part with 3e Prototype in a new street album called Le Renouveau ("The Rebirth").

In 2011, Maître Gims issued a collaboration with his father Djuna Djanana in a new album of Djanana and in 2012, was the artist for a Comics book called Au cœur du vortex("In the Heart of the Vortex").

Maître Gims heavily promoted the release of his 2013 album Subliminal on 20 May 2013 as he announced with the video "Welcome to the Wa Part. 4: La Consécration". He also released a series of 6 consecutive releases included unpublished materials called Ceci n'est pas un Clip. On 1 March 2013, Maître Gims released "Meurtre par strangulation" (M.P.S.) as a first pre-release from the Subliminal album. On 15 March 2013, just two weeks later, he released a second track from the album "J'me tire", that topped the SNEP official French Singles Chart. Subliminal was a big commercial success and made it to number 2 in the French albums chart and number 1 in the Belgian French charts. On 2 December 2013, a new edition titled La face cachée was releasedby Wati B and Jive Records, containing 6 additional tracks in addition to the 18 tracks on the original Subliminal release.

Monstre Marin Corporation (MMC)

Maître Gims created his own record label MMC (standing for Monstre Marin Corporation) that is affiliated with Universal Music France. He signed rapper Bedjik (his younger sibling), rapper Yanslo (19e arrondissement), DJ Last One who already DJs for Maitre Gims and Amalya, a contestant in The Voice, la plus belle voix,

Personal life

Coming from a musical family, his father was Djuna Djanana, a vocalist of Papa Wemba's band. Maître Gims' brother Dadju is a member of the group The Shin Sekaï. Brothers Bedjik and Xgangs are also rappers in their own right.

Maître Gims married very young and is the father to four children. Born to Christian parents, he converted to Islam in 2004.

In 2013, immediately following the huge international success of "J'me tire", Maître Gims launched Vortex, his own clothing line. In the music video for "J'me tire", he is seen wearing one of his Vortex creation T-shirts.

Discography

(For discography as part of Sexion d'Assaut, see discography sections there)

Albums

Solo albums
Year Album Peak positions Certifications
FRA
[1]		 BEL
(Fl)
[2]
 BEL
(Wa)
[3]
 NED
[4]
 SWI
[5]
2013 Subliminal
  • Release date: 20 May 2013
  • Record label: Wati B, MMC (Standard Edition)
 2 47 1 94 11
Others
Compilations

Mixtapes and street albums

EPs

Year EP title Peak positions
FRA
[1]
2013 Bella EP 193

Singles

Year Single Peak positions Album
FRA
[1]		 BEL
(Fl)
[2]		 BEL
(Wa)
[3]		 NED
[4]		 SWI
[5]
2006 Pour ceux qui dorment les yeux ouverts
(Maxi single)		 - - - - - Maxi single. Non-album release
2013 "Meurtre par strangulation" 59 - 67* - - Subliminal
"J'me tire" 1 4 1 5 17
"Bella" 3 56* 3 - 25
"One Shot"
(feat. Dry)		 16 57* 25 - -
"Ça marche"
(feat. The Shin Sekaï)		 29 109* 28 - -
"Changer" 9 - 15 - -
"Zombie" 3 - 21 - 66 The hidden side of
Subliminal
"Warano-Style" 21 - 54* - -

*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts. For Ultratip peaks, added 50 positions to arrive at an equivalent Ultratop position

Other releases
Year Single Peak positions Album
FRA
[1]
2013
"VQ2PQ" 66 Subliminal
"Épuisé" 79
"Pas touché"
(feat. Pitbull)		 90
"Ça décoiffe"
(feat. Black M & Jr O Crom)		 104
"À la base" 134
"La chute" 137
"Freedom"
(feat. H Magnum)		 146
"Outsider"
(feat. Beidjik - Dadju (The Shin Sekaï) - Xgangs)		 147
"Où est ton arme"
(feat. Maska)		 163
"Laisse tomber"
(feat. Dr. Beriz & Insolent (L'Institut))		 200
"Bavon"
(feat. Charly Bell) 		92 Les Chroniques du Wati Boss
"Monstre marin" 50 The hidden side of
Subliminal
"Close Your Eyes"
(feat. Jr O Crom)		 54
"De Marseille à Paris"
(feat. Bedjik, Dr. Beriz, H Magnum & Soprano)		 58
"You Lose" 65
Featured in
Year Single Peak positions Certifications Album
FRA
[1]		 BEL
(Fl)		 BEL
(Wa)
[3]
2011 "Pas de nouvelle bonne nouvelle"
(DJ Abdel feat. Maitre Gims & Black M)		 84 – –
2012 "Ma mélodie"
(Dry feat. Maître Gims)		 33 – 27
"Coucou"
(Colonel Reyel avec Maître Gims)		 149 – – Colonel Reyel album
Soldat de l'amour
2013 "Fin de dream"
(H Magnum feat. Maître Gims)		 170 – –
"AVF"
(Stromae with Maître Gims & Orelsan)		 43 – 38 Stromae album
Racine Carrée
"Game Over"
(Vitaa feat. Maître Gims)		 1 118* 7
"Le choix"
(Dry feat. Maître Gims)		 57 – –
"Longueur d'avance"
(Booba feat. Maître Gims)		 13 – 48 Booba album
Futur 2.0
2014 "Pour commencer"
(Marin Monster feat. Maître Gims)		 46 – 77*
"Prie pour moi"
(Maska feat. Maître Gims)		 50 – 94*
"Du swagg"
(DJ Kayz feat. H Magnum & Maître Gims)		 45 – –
"A contre sens"
(Shaniz feat. Maître Gims)		 89 – –
"Laisse-moi te dire"
(Mac Tyer feat. Maître Gims)		 40 – 88*
"Dans son sac"
(Alonzo feat. Maître Gims)		 78 – –

*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts. For Ultratip peaks, added 50 positions to arrive at an equivalent Ultratop position.

Other appearances

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 LesCharts.com: Maître Gims discography
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ultratop 50 (Flanders): Maître Gims discography
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ultratop 50 (Wallonia): Maître Gims discography
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 DutchCharts: Maître Gims discography
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 HitParade.ch: Maître Gims discography

External links