Jok'Air
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jok'Air
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Melvin Félix Aka
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|9|23|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Paris, France
| origin =
| genre = Hip hop, Emo rap, Dirty rap, Contemporary R&B
| occupation = Rapper
| years_active = 2006–present
| label = Play Two, Low Wood, La Dictature
| associated_acts =
| website =
| instruments =
}}
Jok'Air, pseudonym of Melvin Félix Aka (born 23 September 1991 in Paris), is a French rapper of Ivorian descent. He was part of the hip hop collective MZ until 2016, before starting a solo career.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gentsu.fr/rap-fr/artiste/jokair|title=Tout savoir sur Jok’Air|language=fr|access-date=8 September 2024}}
Biography
Melvin Félix Aka was born in the 19th arrondissement of Paris and grew up in the 13th arrondissement, precisely in Chevaleret.
Career
= MZ =
He became passionate about hip hop at the age of 15, so much so that his brother Davidson decided to pay him for hours in a recording studio, together with his friends Hache-P, Dehmo and Loka.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gentsu.fr/rap-fr/pnl-volts-face-et-hayce-lemsi-jokair-et-davidson-quand-le-rap-est-une-affaire-de-famille|title=PNL, Volts Face et Hayce Lemsi, Jok’Air et Davidson : Quand le rap est une affaire de famille|language=fr|date=31 July 2020|access-date=8 September 2024}} The four friends founded the MZ group, i.e. Mafia Zeutrei.
Between 2006 and 2016, MZ released two studio albums and six mixtapes, before disbanding due to an argument Jok'Air and Davidson had with Hache-P and Dehmo. Feeling betrayed, Jok'Air decided to start a solo career.{{Cite web|url=https://www.booska-p.com/musique/actualites/pourquoi-la-mz-se-separe/|title=Les raisons de la séparation de la MZ|language=fr|access-date=8 September 2024}}
= Solo career =
He began his solo career with his title C'est la guerre, which preceded his EP Big Daddy Jok, released on February 24, 2017. He also released two mixtapes during the same year he, titled Je suis Big Daddy and Jok'Pololo. At the beginning of 2018, he signed a deal with Play Two label, with which he released his first album, Jok'Rambo, on May 25 of the same year.{{Cite web|url=https://intrld.com/jokair-nouvel-album-jok-rambo/|title=Jok’air, Big Daddy devient Rambo|first=Clara|last=Dsts|language=fr|date=28 May 2018|access-date=8 September 2024}}
His second album, Jok'Travolta, was made available on March 29, 2019,{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/mouv/podcasts/le-13h30-16/jok-air-son-album-jok-travolta-avec-alonzo-laylow-sadek-est-dispo-6575067|title=Jok’Air : son album "Jok’Travolta" avec Alonzo, Laylow, Sadek… est dispo !|language=fr|date=29 March 2019|access-date=8 September 2024}} and was subsequently certified gold. Jok'Chirak, his third album, was released on March 20, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/mouv/jok-air-cultive-sa-difference-sur-son-nouvel-album-jok-chirac-5998978|title=Jok'air cultive sa différence sur son nouvel album "Jok'Chirac"|first=Marie|last=Sineyx|language=fr|date=20 March 2020|access-date=8 September 2024}}
During this period, he regularly participated in Radio Sexe, a web radio broadcast on Twitch on the topic of sexuality.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/l-edito-m/les-nouvelles-libres-antennes-sont-sur-le-web-9596198|title=Les nouvelles libres-antennes sont sur le web|language=fr|date=20 March 2019|access-date=8 September 2024}} He also launched, on the BET channel, his own reality show, called Jok'Air in LA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/mouv/jok-air-annonce-sa-propre-tele-realite-jok-air-in-la-8585938|title=Jok'Air annonce sa propre télé-réalité : "Jok'Air in LA"|language=fr|date=24 August 2019|access-date=8 September 2024}}
He released his fourth album, VI République, on December 11, 2020. The album cover depicted activist Assa Traoré under the French tricolour, in the role of President of the Republic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.liberation.fr/musique/2020/12/04/jok-air-c-est-mon-pays-mon-drapeau_1807719/|title=Jok’Air : "C’est mon pays, mon drapeau"|first=Patrice|last=Bardot|language=fr|date=4 December 2020|access-date=8 September 2024}} On November 19, 2021, it was the turn of his mixtape New Jok City, which also included gospel sounds.{{Cite web|url=https://trentetroisdegres.fr/jokair-sa-nouvelle-mixtape-new-jok-city-est-enfin-disponible/|title=Jok’air : sa nouvelle mixtape New Jok City est enfin disponible !|first=Tony|last=Minatchy|language=fr|date=22 November 2021|access-date=9 September 2024}}
His fifth album, Melvin de Paris, was released on May 12, 2023, and featured Laylow, Dann, Linema, Damso, So La Lune, Kady and Soprano as guest artists.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gentsu.fr/rap-fr/album/melvin-de-paris|title=Melvin de Paris|language=fr|date=16 May 2023|access-date=9 September 2024}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
- Jok'Rambo (2018)
- Jok'Travolta (2019)
- Jok'Chirak (2020)
- VI République (2020)
- Melvin de Paris (2023)
= Mixtapes =
- Je suis Big Daddy (2017)
- Jok'Pololo (2017)
- New Jok City (2021)
= EPs =
- Big Daddy Jok (2017)
= As a member of MZ =
- Affaire de famille (2015)
- La dictature (2016)
References
{{reflist}}
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