{{Infobox musical artist | name = Kekra | image = Kekra.jpg | birth_name = Unknown | birth_place = Courbevoie | genre = {{hlist|Drill|Grime|Morap}} | occupation = Rapper, Singer }} {{Short description|French-Moroccan rapper}} '''Kekra''' (backward-slang for "crack") is a French-Moroccan<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ben Tarki |first=Moujahid |date=April 2025 |title=MoRap as Resistence[sic]: Language, Identity, and Cultural Reclamation |url=https://www.academia.edu/128755118/MoRap_as_Resistence_Language_Identity_and_Cultural_Reclamation |website=Academia}}</ref> rapper and singer from Courbevoie, Hauts-de-Seine. He is recognized for his anonymity, concealing his face with a mask in music videos and public appearances, with very little known about his personal life.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bossavie |first=Brice |title=Kekra le masque et la thune |url=https://www.liberation.fr/musique/2017/12/15/kekra-le-masque-et-la-thune_1616954/ |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Libération |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zone |first=Cagoule |date=2024-12-28 |title=Qui est Kekra ? Histoire, identité masquée et succès musicaux |url=https://cagoule-zone.com/qui-est-kekra/ |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Cagoule Zone |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
Kekra is also known for his diverse musical style, which blends various subgenres of hip-hop and electronic music, including trap, grime, cloud rap, UK drill, and 2-step garage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kekra |url=https://www.backinthedayz.be/en/artist/kekra |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=www.backinthedayz.be |language=en}}</ref> He is fluent in English and Moroccan Arabic frequently incorporates elements of London's music scene into his work.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ZEZ |date=2024-08-26 |title=Lost and Kekra make a strong impact with "20 Benz"! - HELL SINKY |url=https://hellsinky.art/stayin/clip/lost-and-kekra-make-a-strong-impact-with-20-benz/ |access-date=2025-08-23 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Anonymity == Kekra's anonymity is a central part of his artistic persona. He has offered several reasons for wearing a mask in interviews. In one instance, he stated that the music is what matters, not the person behind it. In a different interview with Viceland, he claimed he wears the mask "so my mother doesn't find out I'm a rapper; she would be disappointed. She'd be ashamed, I think. Because I'm ashamed of what I'm currently doing. Because rap isn't a real job; rap is shit." These comments sparked some controversy within the French rap community.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-03 |title=Le rappeur français masqué révèle pourquoi il cache son visage |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.fr/culture/article/kekra-le-rappeur-francais-masque-revele-pourquoi-il-cache-son-visage_103913.html |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Le HuffPost |language=fr}}</ref>
During an appearance on the radio show ''La Sauce'', he provided a third explanation, drawing a parallel to a trip he took to Asia where people wore masks to prevent the spread of illness. He suggested this symbolized his desire not to "mix with others," a stance he indicated would later change.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-08 |title=Kekra va faire son tout premier featuring avec French Montana ??! (Vidéo) |url=https://rapunchline.fr/hot/kekra-va-faire-premier-featuring-french-montana-video.html |access-date=2025-08-23 |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
== Career == Kekra began his career in 2015, releasing two free online projects, ''Freebase, Vol. 01'' and ''Freebase, Vol. 02''. His first physical release, the mixtape ''Vréel'', came in 2016 and helped him gain a wider audience. That same year, he followed up with the third volume in his ''Freebase'' series. He continued his momentum in 2017 with the release of ''Vréel 2'' and ''Vréel 3'', which further cemented his presence in the French music scene.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kekra fait son grand retour dans les bacs avec " Vréalité " ! |url=https://www.booska-p.com/musique/actualites/nouvel-album-de-kekra-vrealite/ |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=www.booska-p.com/ |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
In 2018, Kekra released his debut studio album, ''Land'', which reached number 32 on the French charts. He followed up with his second studio album, ''Vréalité'', in June 2019. This album was notable for featuring one of the few collaborations of his career, on the title track "Vréalité" with fellow rapper Niska. The song became the album's biggest hit, peaking at number 38 on the charts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bolgari |first=Baptiste |date=2020-09-21 |title=Kekra représente la France sur un feat international ! |url=https://raplume.eu/article/kekra-represente-la-france-sur-un-feat-international/ |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Raplume |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
He continued the ''Freebase'' series with the release of ''Freebase, Vol. 04'' in March 2020. This project included his second career feature on the track "Kohhkra," a blend of his name and that of Japanese artist Kohh. In June 2020, he reissued the project with four additional tracks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Promonews |title=Kekra 'Putain De Salaire' by Romain Chassaing {{!}} Videos |url=https://www.promonews.tv/videos/2020/03/09/kekra-putain-de-salaire-romain-chassaing/63684 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Promonewstv |language=en}}</ref>
On April 2, 2021, Kekra released a self-titled album, ''Kekra'', which contained 17 solo tracks. To promote the album, he performed a live-streamed concert from the top of the Grande Arche de la Défense the day before its release. A reissued version of the album, titled ''ꓘǝʞɹɐ'', was released on June 30, 2021, featuring ten new songs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Romain Chassaing Goes Apocalyptic for Kekra Music Video 'Putain de Salaire' {{!}} LBBOnline |url=https://lbbonline.com/news/romain-chassaing-goes-apocalyptic-for-kekra-music-video-putain-de-salaire |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=lbbonline.com |language=en}}</ref>
On December 15, 2022, Kekra announced his seventh album, ''Stratos'', which was released on January 23, 2023. The album was available for pre-order in four exclusive editions, each with a unique bonus track.
In July 2023, it was announced that Kekra would be participating as a driver in the GP Explorer 2, a Formula 4 race organized by French streamer Squeezie and live-streamed on Twitch. He teamed up with Billy (also known as RebeuDeter) for the event.
Kekra is known for shooting his music videos in various international locations, including Japan, Jamaica, Togo, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. His music has also been played on the London-based radio station NTS.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-28 |title=Introducing French Rapper Kekra: I put the "social" in social distancing |url=https://www.mixtapemadness.com/blog/music/introducing-french-rapper-kekra-i-put-the-social-in-social-distancing |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Mixtape Madness |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CROSS INTERVIEW between KOHH×KEKRA×CHIKASHI SUZUKI［English］ |url=http://old.themmagazine.net/feature/5185 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Them magazine |language=ja}}</ref>
== Discography == '''Studio albums'''
* ''Land'' (2018) * ''Vréalité'' (2019) * ''Kekra'' (2021) * ''Stratos'' (2023) * ''Vréel 4'' (2025)
'''Mixtapes'''
* ''Freebase, Vol. 01'' (2015) * ''Freebase, Vol. 02'' (2016) * ''Vréel'' (2016) * ''Freebase, Vol. 03'' (2016) * ''Vréel 2'' (2017) * ''Vréel 3'' (2017) * ''Freebase, Vol. 04'' (2020)
'''EPs'''
* ''HLM Bootleg'' (2020)
== References == <references />
Category:French rappers