Baloji (rapper)

Baloji
Baloji
	Baloji in 2020
Background information
Born	12 September 1978 (age 45); Lubumbashi, Zaïre (now Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Genres	Pop rap
Occupation(s)	Rapper, singer, songwriter, film director
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Discipline, Warner Music / EMI (with Starflam)
Website	baloji.com

Baloji (born 12 September 1978) is a Belgian rapper, singer and film director of Congolese origin. Known as MC Balo in the hip hop group Starflam, he continued as solo artist starting 2006. The name Baloji in Swahili translates to "man of science".^[1] His film Omen was selected as the Belgian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.^[2]

Career

Born out of wedlock to a Belgian father and a Congolese mother, he moved to Belgium at an early age with his father to live in Ostende, losing all contact with his mother.^[3] Feeling estranged in his new environment and after disputes with his father and petty crimes and problems with police, he quit home and lived in a youth delinquent house working on his passion for rap and dance.^[4] Alongside his friends, he started the hip hop band Starflam at age 15.^[5] The band's self-titled debut album in 1998 was Starflam and the follow-up album Survivant released on Capitol / EMI in 2001 went platinum and was rereleased with a Survivant – Édition Spéciale in EMI the following year. In 2003, the band had yet another studio album Donne moi de l'amour. But after differences with the other members of the band, Baloji quit music in 2004.

After Baloji discovered a letter from his mother whom he hadn't seen since 1981, and after winning a poetry competition in Paris, France, he decided to return to music in 2006 as a solo artist. His debut solo album in 2008 entitled Hotel Impala was an autobiographical album about his life, including a hearty response to his mother's letter. "I made my first solo album for my mother, to explain what happened in my life during the 25 years after I left. I went back to give her the album and she did not really understand it. Let’s say it didn’t go very well", says Baloji.^[6] The album was certified gold, with the album winning two "Octaves de la musique" awards as well as Rapsat-Lelièvre Award and Brassens Awards for Lyricists.^[7] He followed it up with albums Kinshasa Succursale in 2011 and 64 Bits and Malachite in 2015.

His film "Omen" debuted at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard New Voice Prize. The film had 13 nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.^[8] The film's soundtrack was released as a five-track EP with MCA Records.^[9]

Discography

Albums

As part of Starflam

1998: Starflam [Discipline Records / Rough Trade]
2000: Live & Direct [Warner Music Benelux]
2001: Survivant [Capitol/EMI]
2002: Survivant – Édition Spéciale (EMI)
2003: Donne moi de l'amour [Hostile/EMI]
2004: Donne moi de l'amour – Édition Deluxe (EMI)

Solo

2008: Hotel Impala
2011: Kinshasa Succursale
2015: 64 Bits and Malachite
2018: 137 Avenue Kaniama

Maxis and singles

As part of Starflam

1997: "Corde raide" [12", Discipline Records]
1998: Ce plat pays II [12" & CD, Discipline Records]
2000: Bled runner [12" & CD, Warner Music Benelux]
2001: "De cause à effet" / "Ca tape dur" [12", Capitol / EMI]
2001: La Sonora [12 & CD, Capitol / EMI]
2001: Amnésie Internationale [12" & CD, Capitol / EMI]
2002: Sous pression [12" & CD, Capitol / EMI]
2003: "Marseille – Liège" / "Mr Orange" [12", Hostile / EMI]
2003: "Ils ne savent pas" [12", Hostile / EMI]

Featured in

2015: "La vie est belle / Life is Beautiful" (Petite Noir feat. Baloji)

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2011	Bullhead	Patrick
2017	How Camels Become Lions	Baloji
2019	Zombies		Director
2019	Binti	Jovial	Nominated–Magritte Award for Most Promising Actor
2023	Omen		Director, screenwriter