French hip-hop A-lister Maes paints candid portraits of everyday life in the Parisian suburbs. After only two mixtapes, he attracted guests like gangsta rap heavyweight Booba for his 2018 debut studio LP Pure. Their game-changing, dancehall-flavoured single “Madrina” reached the top of the French charts. Alternating tough-as-nails trap, Afrobeats and low-lit urban croons, Maes released his second album Les derniers salopards in 2020, featuring chart-toppers like Ninho. Despite his turbulent tales, Maes keeps filling his neighbourhood of Sevran with heart-stirring melodic hooks.