A cofounder of one of the most revered French rap groups of all time, IAM, Akhenaton went solo with his 2000 album Métèque et mat. Laidback but strong-minded, and firmly based in hip-hop's history of telling it like it is, the Marseille rapper brings a personal touch to tales of the immigrant struggle, social inequality, and morality. Backed by head-bobbing beats and exotic samples, this French rap icon never fails to make a point.