Massilia Sound System

A French reggae group active for several decades, Massilia Sound System have a wide-ranging style that includes aspects of dancehall, hip-hop, and drum'n'bass. The group notably sings in French as well as the regional language Occitan. Founded in Marseille in 1984, Massilia Sound System are comprised of MCs Papet Jali, Moussu Tatou, and Gari Gréu, plus turntablist DJ Kayalik, keyboardist Janvié, and guitarist Blù. (Former members include Lux B, who died in 2008.) The popularity of Massilia Sound System began to extend beyond Marseille during the 1990s with the release of a series of albums, and the group debuted on the French albums chart with 3968 CR13 (2000). ~ Jason Birchmeier