MHD

MHD, born Mohamed Sylla on September 10, 1994, is a French rapper who grew up in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. He rose to prominence through his self-uploaded «Afro Trap» freestyle series on YouTube, starting in September 2015, which fused West African and Congolese rhythms — coupé-décalé, ndombolo — with modern rap flows, effectively giving birth to the afrotrap genre and inspiring a wave of French rappers to follow suit.

His self-titled debut album, released in April 2016, was a commercial breakthrough, going double platinum in France within months and cementing hits like «Afro Trap Part.3 (Champions League)» and «Afro Trap Part.5 (Ngatie Abedi)» as generational anthems. His follow-up, «19», named after his home arrondissement, arrived in September 2018 and continued the numbered Afro Trap formula that had become his signature.

MHD's sound is defined by percussive, dance-driven production layered under punchy, chant-like hooks, making his music as suited to clubs and street celebrations as to radio. After stepping back from music for a period, he returned in 2021 with «MANSA», a 15-track album featuring collaborations with artists like Tiakola, Naira Marley, and Adekunle Gold, broadening his sound's Pan-African and international reach.