113

Three companions from Vitry-sur-Seine, a southern suburb of Paris, saw their shared idea take shape when the French hip-hop trio 113 emerged in 1996. Sheltered by the larger collective Mafia K'1 Fry, Yohann Duport (A.P.), Karim Brahmi (Rim' K), and Mokobe (Mokobe Traore) reached beyond mainstream rap conventions, channeling the form to celebrate their African and Maghreban roots while using sharp verses to articulate the immigrant experience in Europe. Early attention arrived in 1998 via the single “Truc de Fou” (Tricks of the Insane), taken from the group’s debut album Ni Barreaux, Ni Barrieres, Ni Frontieres (Neither Bars, Nor Barriers, Nor Frontiers). Tracks soon appeared on mainstream compilations such as Planet Rap II, Freestyle Operation, and Premiere Classe, carrying 113 beyond their initial underground audience. The first full-length effort, Les Prince de la Ville (The Princes of the City), arrived in 2000 and included the single “Tonton du Bled”; robust sales earned the trio the title “Revelation of the Year.” Later projects 113 Fout la Merde (2002) and Dans l’Urgence (2003) solidified support among listeners and reviewers, clearing the path for the breakthrough album 113 Degres (2005). That record entered Billboard’s European Top 100 and ranked among the year’s strongest sellers. Capitalizing on this momentum, the group issued Illegal Radio in 2006 through the independent Frenesik imprint.