Dj Arafat

An influential Ivorian DJ, singer, and producer born Ange Didier Houon, DJ Arafat established himself as a central figure in the coupé-décalé movement during the early 2010s and stayed prominent in the genre until his passing in 2019. His work fused dance, R&B, and hip-hop elements, yielding 11 albums plus numerous singles over a 15-year span, among them the notable tracks "Dosabado," "Kpangor," "Zoropoto," "Enfant Beni," and "Moto, Moto." He earned best artist of the year honors at the Coupé-Decalé Awards in both 2016 and 2017.

Raised in Abidjan’s Yopougon district as the son of singer, musician, and sound engineer Pierre Houon, he took up DJing at age 14. Lebanese friends supplied the stage name inspired by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, after which he began issuing recordings in the early 2000s. By 2009 he ranked among the leading African acts throughout Francophone markets worldwide and had expanded into additional territories, prompting the BBC to label him the "king" of coupé-décalé. Later projects such as Kpankaka (2012) and Renaissance (2018) sustained his audience connection until an unforeseen event intervened.

A dedicated motorcycle rider, Arafat scored one of his major successes in early 2019 with "Moto Moto." He died that August from injuries received in a motorbike crash.