His father is the Congolese vocalist Djanana Djuna, who was a singer with the vaunted soukous star Papa Wemba. His brother is Maître Gims, one of France’s most influential and successful rappers, and his grandfather was a musician as well. But French singer/rapper Dadju is living proof that even when you hail from an impressive musical lineage, you have to find your own creative path. Born Dadju Djuna Nsungula in 1991 in Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis, France, Dadju did just that: While his brother was crafting authoritative hits, he joined forces with the lyrical rapper Abou Tall and formed The Shin Sekaï, a rap act whose two mixtapes led to a successful album, 2016’s Indéfini, with its luminous monster hit “Aime moi demain.” The duo promptly split up, but Dadju ran with his newfound freedom, releasing his highly anticipated solo debut, Gentleman 2.0, in 2017. More of a singer than a rapper, and possessing a more melodic tenor in comparison to his brother’s rich baritone, Dadju solidly lodged himself in pop territory with songs like the tortured and romantic 2018 pop-trap single “Jaloux.” The 2019 hit “Compliqué” continued in that vein, plumbing the complications of love and relationships. He delivered his next release, a 29-song double album titled Poison Ou Antidote, which swiftly went platinum in France. And though he’s embraced trap and urbane Afrobeats, Dadju still works some soukous elements into the occasional song, proving he remembers his roots even as he upends tradition.
