Ninho

A French rapper whose resonant delivery shapes candid lyricism, Ninho honed his craft amid the southeast suburbs of Paris under the strong sway of Atlanta trap. His 2016 mixtape M.I.L.S (Maintenant Ils le Savent) carried him into the French Top 20, after which his official debut, 2017’s Comme Prévu, became his first album to reach number one. Earlier breakthroughs arrived through guest spots on successful singles by Niska, 4keus Gang, and SCH. He reclaimed the summit with his second album, 2019’s Destin, then extended his run via the 2020 mixtape M.I.L.S 3 and the studio albums Jefe (2021) and NI (2023). Throughout this period he remained a fixture on the French singles chart, logging more than two dozen entries in 2023 alone—among them the solo track “Freestyle LVL UP 1” and chart-topping collaborations such as “Jolie” with Gaulois, “C’est Carré Le S” with NAPS, and “Eurostar” with Central Cee.

Born William Nzobazola and raised in the Yerres commune of Paris, he developed an early fascination with rap by observing older neighborhood performers and later rehearsing with friends. Under the name Ninho he emerged from that local scene through a string of mid-2010s mixtapes, one of which, 2016’s M.I.L.S, peaked at number 11. Capitalizing on that momentum, his first proper album, Comme Prévu, appeared in 2017 on Rec. 118/Mal Luné Music/Warner Music France and ascended to number one.

During 2018 his growing stature was confirmed by featured roles on more than half a dozen charting singles, including 4keus Gang’s number-12 hit “Midi dans le Ghetto,” while the follow-up mixtape M.I.L.S 2.0 reached number two. His commercial peak arrived with 2019’s Destin, which held the top spot on the French album chart for five weeks, climbed to number two in Switzerland, and entered Belgium’s Top Ten; that same year his featured verse on SCH’s “Mayday” placed him inside France’s singles Top Three.

The 2020 mixtape M.I.L.S 3 yielded the chart-topping “Lettre à une Femme,” and Ninho also hit number one that year on Dadju’s “Grand Bain” and on the NAPS collaboration “6.3.” In 2021 he returned to the French Top Three with “Mon Poto” (with Kore) and “Millions” (with Orelsan), then claimed the summit outright with the title track of his December 2021 album Jefe, which itself debuted at number one.

A featured appearance on Alonzo’s “Tout Va Bien” alongside NAPS restored him to the top of the singles chart in 2022. The following year brought further number-one successes with “Jolie” (with Gaulois), NAPS’ “C’est Carré Le S” (featuring Ninho and Gazo), his own “Freestyle LVL UP 1,” and “Eurostar” (with Central Cee). These tracks formed part of more than two dozen Ninho entries on the French chart in 2023. June’s NI, his fourth studio album to reach number one at home, also reached number two in Switzerland, performed strongly in Belgium, and marked his first appearance on the Canadian album chart. By the close of 2023 he had amassed over 150 gold certifications in France.