Kamini (rapper)

Kamini
A Black man with tall hair is wearing a grey t-shirt and black coat; he is looking behind the camera, speaking into a microphone.
Kamini promoting Extraterrien in Feb 2010
Born
Kamini Zantoko

Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache,
Aisne, France
NationalityFrench
Occupation(s)Musician, screenwriter
Musical career
OriginMarly-Gomont, France
GenresHip hop
Years active2006–
LabelsRCA

Kamini Zantoko is a Black French musician and screenwriter.

Personal life

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Kamini's father—Seyolo Zantoko—and his family moved from Zaire[1] to Marly-Gomont, France in 1975. They had difficulty assimilating[2] as the first Black people in town.[3] Kamini was born in Le Nouvion-en-Thiérache, grew up in Marly-Gomont,[4] and by the summer of 2006, was working part-time as a nurse.[3] Seyolo died sometime prior to 2012.[2]

Career

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Aspiring to make hip hop music, in 2006 he wrote about Marly-Gomont ("Marly-Gomont").[3] In his music video, made in late June[5] on a budget of €100 (equivalent to €125 in 2022), he raps about farming and games with his friends and fellow villagers. On 30 August, Kamini uploaded the video and cold-emailed promotions to record companies; instead, a t-shirt retailer shared the link online, and by the end of the day, "Marly-Gomont" was a hit. Off the merits of his amateur viral video,[3] Kamini signed with RCA Records on 2 November[5] to publish "Marly-Gomont" and two more albums.[3] In August 2019, he released a music video, "J'avais envie de le dire".[4]

In 2012, Kamini wrote and narrated the autobiographical film The African Doctor (French: Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont, lit. 'Welcome to Marly-Gomont') to pay tribute to his father. It was released in 2016, directed by Julien Rambaldi.[2]

After film, Kamini went on to work in television. He has presented and reported for several programs, including Toute la Picardie vous ouverte les portes de la formation, Midi en France in 2016, and Les Gens des Hauts on France 3 in November 2017. In 2021 on France 2's Un si grand soleil, he portrayed Wilson Samba, a diamond trafficker.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Drew, Hannah (28 May 2020). "French film recommendations to spice up your watch list". The Boar. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "'Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont' : faut-il aller voir le film inspiré de la vie de Kamini ?" ['Welcome to Marly-Gomont': should we go see the film inspired by Kamini's life?] (in French). France 3. 7 June 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2021. Le film "Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont", dont le scénario est signé du Lillois d'origine picarde Kamini, sort ce mercredi. Qu'en disent les critiques ?
  3. ^ a b c d e Grossman, Lev (16 December 2006). "Kamini". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. OCLC 1311479. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Bouheddi, Ouiza (28 July 2024). "Kamini : que devient l'interprète du tube Marly-Gomont ?" [Kamini: what has become of the singer of the hit Marly-Gomont?]. Gala (in French). Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024. Ce dimanche 28 juillet, TF1 propose aux téléspectateurs le film Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont. Un film inspiré de la vie de Kamini, qui avait mis à l'honneur sa ville en chanson en 2007. Alors, que devient l'interprète du célèbre tube depuis tant d'années ? Gala vous en dit plus.
  5. ^ a b "Kamini, roi du buzz" [Kamini, king of buzz] (in French). Radio France Internationale. 2 November 2006. Archived from the original on 12 August 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2022. Le phénomène Marly-Gomont
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