Ateyaba

Ateyaba, born Gilles Ateyaba Koffi Soler in 1989 in Narbonne, France, and raised in Montpellier, is a French rapper who first made his name under the alias Joke in the late 2000s and early 2010s. He was seen as one of the more forward-thinking voices to emerge from that generation of French rap, pairing sharp, offbeat lyricism with a laid-back, detached delivery and production choices that stood apart from the mainstream sound of the time.

After building his reputation through EPs and a self-titled studio album under the Joke name, he rebranded as Ateyaba in 2018, signaling a shift in artistic direction while carrying forward the same eclectic, style-conscious approach to rap. His music blends rap and R&B textures, often favoring atmosphere and attitude over straightforward hooks, with track titles such as «Harajuku», «Venus», and «Django» pointing to the eclectic pop-culture references that run through his work.

Ateyaba has remained a somewhat elusive figure in French rap, releasing music at his own pace rather than chasing constant visibility, which has only reinforced his standing as a cult favorite among fans who value his early influence on the genre's more experimental, fashion-forward wing.