M.A.S.

Standing apart from the typical bravado found in French hip-hop circles, the French Moroccan MC known as M.A.S. gained prominence through heartfelt songs that addressed topics like domestic violence alongside his personal struggle against retinitis pigmentosa, an eye ailment that progressively leads to loss of sight. Born and brought up in Trappes within the Ile-de-France region, M.A.S. worked as a medical secretary until his abilities as an MC gained notice when he was 27, via a track meant to convey his condition to his son, who was two years old at the time. Following his signing with Banlieue Sale Music, the imprint run by La Fouine, he scrapped his original concept for a debut record and instead collaborated with artists such as Vitaa, Kery James, and Tuffist for the 2012 release Minute de Silence, his inaugural studio album.