Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more
Important Information
As of January 1, 2020, Radionomy will migrate towards the Shoutcast platform. This evolution is part of the Group’s wish to offer all digital radio producers new professional-quality tools to better meet their needs.
Shoutcast has been a leader throughout the world in digital radio. It provides detailed statistics and helps its users to develop their audience. More than a thousand partners carry Shoutcast stations to their connected apps and devices.
Discover the Shoutcast solution.
Lunatic
Lunatic was a French hip hop duo from Boulogne-Billancourt.
The lineup consisted of Booba (Boulogne-Billancourt) and Ali (Issy-les-Moulineaux), coming from the department of Hauts-de-Seine in the west suburb of Paris.After Lunatic split up in 2003, both members went on to successful solo careers.
The duo is frequently considered as one of the best French rap group of all time.
Their release "Le Crime Paie", produced by DJ Mars, is considered as a classic in the French rap.The beginningIn 1994, Booba met Daddy Ali at a concert of Coup d'Etat Phonique (consisting of Kohndo and Egosyst), a group in which Booba was a dancer, which was sharing the stage with Poètes Musulmans [Muslim Poets\] to whom belong Ali.
They decided to form a group and Daddy Ali dropped the "Daddy" from his stage-name, now named Ali.
They started working with the local crew from Boulogne: Beat 2 Boul, lead by Les Sages Poètes de la Rue, to finally join the French record label Time Bomb Records.Their first song "Le crime paie" ["Crime Pays"\], released in 1996 and considered a classic song of French hip hop, talked about dangers of the street life and the banlieues.
At this time, they also recorded an album titled Sortis de l'ombre with Time Bomb, but this album was never released.In 1997, they released their second song, "Les vrais savent", addressing the same issues as "Le crime paie", but in a sadder tone.During this time, each artist developed their own style: Ali's raps were about peace, love and steering youth away from street life, while Booba concentrated on recounting the violence of his past, also with an aim to steer youth away from such a life.Lunatic left Time Bomb records in 1997, and when Booba was arrested in 1998, Ali had to continue as a solo act.Lunatic later helped co-found the record label 45 Scientific with Geraldo, in order to release a new album they were preparing, since no existing label wanted to release their album based on its violent lyrics.
Their major influence at this time was then American rappers such as Mobb Deep.In 2000, they released their debut album Mauvais oeil [Evil Eye\].
It is considered as one of the best rap albums ever released in French hip hop history.
The mix of the peaceful lyrics of Ali and the violent lyrics of Booba was one of the factors that brought Lunatic popularity.
They were the first French hip-hop group to sell more than 100,000 albums with their independent record label 45 Scientific.SeparationThe group separated in 2003.
Booba and Ali then embarked on solo careers.
