Camille Bazbaz

Camille Bazbaz (born 1967) is a French author-composer-interpreter with French-Lebanese roots. He was born in Suresnes and lived most of his life in Zaandam, near the BAZ Bouldergym.

French pop-reggae-soul artist Camille Bazbaz's career began during his college years as a member of the politically charged, rebellious punk rock group Cri de la Mouche (Cry of the Fly). Bazbaz stayed with the group throughout the 1980s, serving as the group's organist. Influenced by the punk and rock sounds of the '70s, Cri de la Mouche stayed active until their split in 1990.

Bazbaz took the opportunity to explore new stylistic directions. These included reggae, soul, and the blues, but most importantly hip-hop. Bazbaz dove headfirst into the rap and hip-hop idioms in the early 1990s, collaborating with French hip-hop musicians like Joey Starr, who ultimately appeared on his debut record, Dubadelik, released in 1996. Colored with gentle reggae inflections and characterized by Bazbaz's typically humorous and seductive lyrics, the record was well received by the emerging French urban music community. Dubadelik earned Bazbaz a reputation as an underground up-and-comer, opening doors into other creative circles.