Goodbye to Prince Waly: the French rapper dies at 34 years old after a long illness

The world of rap across the Alps mourns Prince Waly, born Moussa Magassa, who passed away at just 34 years old after an illness he had been fighting for eight years.

The family's announcement and the long illness

His loved ones broke the news through a statement released on social media: the artist died on Sunday 4 October, after a journey marked by eight years of treatment and resistance to the disease.

In 2019, Prince Waly was diagnosed with thymus cancer. This disease was overcome in 2021. In a 2022 interview he said that the mass was pressing on a nerve linked to the vocal cords, which is why he remained voiceless for a period. Once he recovered from cancer, however, he found himself facing another pathology, paraneoplastic pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease.

In the farewell message, the family wanted to remember how the last few years have not only been of suffering but also of great professional satisfaction, underlining that "despite the illness, he continued to create and bring his music to life". His family described him as a sensitive, generous and elegant man, capable of leaving a profound mark on those who knew him. Since 2023 he was married to the singer Enchantée Julia.

From the beginning in Montreuil to the album "Moussa"

Born in Montreuil on December 24, 1991, Prince Waly grew up in the La Boissière neighborhood. He took his first steps in rap together with his childhood friend Fiasko Proximo, with whom he formed the duo Big Budha Cheez, as well as being part of the collective Exepoq Organisation.

His solo career took off with the EPs Junior, made together with producer Myth Syzer, and BO Y Z, which featured guests Alpha Wann and Feu! Chatterton. His style mixed narrative, technique and an imagery close to cinema, with references to American and French rap of the nineties, soul and pop culture. The first album proper, Moussa, was released in September 2022, followed in 2023 by BO Y Z Vol. 2.

Balotelli, the homage to SuperMario

The piece that most of all made him known outside of France is Balotelli, recorded with Freeze Corleone and chosen as Moussa's launch single. In the song, the footballer from Brescia becomes the symbol of a talented and unconventional generation, suspended between genius and rebellion. A figure in which many young people from the suburbs recognized themselves, and which Prince Waly transformed into a small generational anthem.