GIMS

GIMS – born Gandhi Alimasi Djuna on 6 May 1986 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo – is one of the most successful rappers and singers in the French-speaking music world. He moved with his family to Paris at the age of two, growing up across several arrondissements of the city. His father, Djanana Djuna, was a singer and close collaborator of Congolese music legend Papa Wemba. GIMS first rose to fame as a member of the Parisian hip-hop group Sexion d'Assaut, signed to Sony Music. In 2013, under the name Maître Gims, he launched his solo career with the album Subliminal, which sold over one million copies in France and peaked at number two on the French charts. Mon cœur avait raison (2015) and Ceinture noire (2018) both reached number one in France and Belgium. His style blends rap, R&B, pop and dancehall with influences from Congolese rumba and French chanson. Collaborations with Sia, Lil Wayne, Sting, Stromae, Maluma and Vianney underline his international reach. In 2019, he became the first African artist to headline a sold-out show at the Stade de France (72,000 attendees). He also co-wrote the official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 soundtrack track "Arhbo" with Ozuna. He now performs simply as GIMS.