Aurélien Cotentin, a.k.a. Orelsan, kick-started his career in 2004 with the collaborative mixtape Casseurs Flowters, and his solo debut album Perdu d'avance won the MTV Europe Music Award for Best French Act five years later. He strikes a balance between progressive rap tracks like “Raelsan” and more pop-friendly hits like “La Terre est Ronde”. Due to his lucid metaphors, cutting battle-rap quips and blunt realism, Orelsan is often compared to hip-hop acts like Eminem or The Streets—all rappers who give humorous twists to otherwise dark and urban themes.