Kamini (rapper)

Kamini Zantoko is a Black French musician and screenwriter.

Kamini
A Black man with tall hair is wearing a grey t-shirt and black coat; he is looking behind the camera, speaking into a microphone.
Kamini promoting Extraterrien in Feb 2010
Born
Kamini Zantoko
NationalityFrench
Occupation(s)Musician, screenwriter
Musical career
OriginMarly-Gomont, France
GenresHip hop
Years active2006–
LabelsRCA

Personal life

Kamini's father—Seyolo Zantoko—and his family moved from Zaire[1] to Marly-Gomont, France in 1975. They had difficulty assimilating[2] as the first Black people in town. Kamini grew up there, and by the summer of 2006, was working part-time as a nurse.[3] Seyolo died sometime prior to 2012.[2]

Career

Aspiring to make hip hop music, in 2006 he wrote about Marly-Gomont ("Marly-Gomont").[3] In his music video, made in late June[4] on a budget of €100 (equivalent to €117 in 2020), he raps about farming and games with his friends and fellow villagers. On 30 August, Kamini uploaded the video and cold-emailed promotions to record companies; instead, a t-shirt retailer shared the link online, and by the end of the day, "Marly-Gomont" was a hit. Off the merits of his amateur viral video,[3] Kamini signed with RCA Records on 2 November[4] to publish "Marly-Gomont" and two more albums.[3]

In 2012, Kamini wrote and narrated the autobiographical film The African Doctor (French: Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont, lit. 'Welcome to Marly-Gomont') to pay tribute to his father. It was released in 2016, directed by Julien Rambaldi.[2]

References
  1. Drew, Hannah (28 May 2020). "French film recommendations to spice up your watch list". The Boar. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  2. "'Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont' : faut-il aller voir le film inspiré de la vie de Kamini ?" ['Welcome to Marly-Gomont': should we go see the film inspired by Kamini's life?] (in French). France 3. 7 June 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2021. Le film "Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont", dont le scénario est signé du Lillois d'origine picarde Kamini, sort ce mercredi. Qu'en disent les critiques ?
  3. Grossman, Lev (16 December 2006). "Kamini". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. OCLC 1311479. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. "Kamini, roi du buzz" [Kamini, king of buzz] (in French). Radio France Internationale. 2 November 2006. Archived from the original on 12 August 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2022. Le phénomène Marly-Gomont
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