Biography
Who is Youssoupha?
Early life and education
Youssoupha Olito Mabiki was born in Kinshasa, DR Congo. His father was the well-known musician and political figure Tabu Ley Rochereau. He lived in his home country during his childhood before moving to France when he was ten years old. He resided in various locations including Beziers, Osny, Cergy, and Sartrouville.
He focused on his studies while living in France. He completed his baccalauréat at the Académie de Versailles, where he achieved high marks. Later, he pursued higher education at the Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3, where he studied cultural mediation and communication. After finishing his master's degree, he chose to dedicate his career to the music industry.
Musical career and albums
His professional music path began with a group called Frères Lumières, with whom he released a maxi single. He also collaborated on the album Tendance by the musical group Bana Kin. By the end of 2005, he released a street DVD, followed by another project in 2006. He eventually signed with the record label Hostile.
His debut studio album, À chaque frère, arrived in March 2007 and featured various guest artists. He followed this with his second album, Sur les chemins du retour, in October 2009. He also released a digital project titled En noir et blanc - En attendant Noir Désir. His third studio album, Noir désir, was released in January 2012 and included a collaboration with his father, Tabu Ley Rochereau.
Philanthropy and industry work
In April 2025, Youssoupha organized and led a large benefit concert at the Accor Arena titled Solidarité Congo. He worked alongside co-headliners Gims and Fally Ipupa. This event featured 30 prominent artists from the French rap scene and other international performers. The concert aimed to gather support and resources for children affected by the M23 insurgency in the eastern region of the DR Congo. All proceeds were directed toward the Give Back Charity.
Beyond his studio work, he has contributed to television programs. He served as a songwriting instructor for the French reality show Popstars. His track La Foule was also included in the second episode of the first season of the Amazon series The Boys.
Legal matters and recognition
In 2009, journalist Éric Zemmour filed a lawsuit against him, accusing the artist of making public threats regarding the banlieues. The rapper publicly stated that he advocated for non-violence and was instead highlighting contradictions held by the journalist. He also released the single Menace de mort to address the situation, incorporating clips of media figures expressing anti-immigrant sentiments.
His contributions to the arts have been formally recognized. In 2016, he was awarded the title of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. He was also nominated for the Best Francophone award at the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards.
Birthday and age
Youssoupha was born on April 29, 1979, which makes Youssoupha 47 years old today. That birthday falls under the Taurus sign. Youssoupha shares the date with 54 other famous people.
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