Ken Samaras (, ; born 3 April 1990), better known by his stage name Nekfeu (), is a French rapper, actor and record producer.
He is also a member of the crew L'entourage and the bands $-Crew and 1995. He started his career as a member of $-Crew, with childhood friends Framal, Mekra, 2zer Washington and DJ Elite. He joined 1995 in 2007, participating in open mic duels around Paris.
Released in 2015, his first solo album, Feu, received extensive media coverage; for this, he won best urban music album at the 2016 Victoires de la Musique. His second album, Cyborg, was released in 2016, and his third, Les Étoiles vagabondes, in 2019.
Over the course of his career, he has sold over 2 million albums, and holds two diamond discs and a double diamond disc.
Early life and career Samaras was born in La Trinité, a commune within the Nice metropolitan area, to a father of Greek descent and a mother of Scottish descent. At the age of 11, he and his family moved to the 15th arrondissement of Paris.
After two extended plays with 1995 (La Source in 2011 and La Suite in 2012), as well as the studio album Paris Sud Minute in 2013, Nekfeu released his debut studio album Feu on 8 June 2015, for which he won Best Urban Music Album at the Victoires de la musique in February 2016, as well as Destins Liés with $-Crew in June 2016. In 2015, he also wrote and performed a song for the French version of the film Creed. In 2016, he released his second album entitled Cyborg.
In 2017, he made his acting debut in the film Tout nous sépare, opposite Catherine Deneuve.Nekfeu et Catherine Deneuve réunis au cinéma, le premier teaser dévoilé, Le Parisien, 13 August 2017
In 2019, he released his third album Les étoiles vagabondes. The album premiered in cinemas, as a movie accompanied the album. The movie premiered two hours before the album was made available on streaming platforms. The album was extremely well received. It included a song featuring Belgian rapper Damso (Tricheur), and many other songs entered the top 20 in the French charts.
Personal life Nekfeu is a fan of Paris Saint-Germain, based in the city where he grew up, and his hometown club OGC Nice.
Discography Albums, mixtapes and EPs As part of 1995 2011: La Source (EP) 2012: La Suite (EP) 2013: Paris Sud Minute (Album)
With Alpha Wann (member of 1995 & L'Entourage) 2011: En Sous-Marin (EP)
As part of $-Crew 2010: Même Signature (Mixtape) 2012: Métamorphose (Mixtape) 2013: Seine Zoo 仙豆 (Album) 2016: Destins Liés (Album) 2022: SZR2001 (Album)
As part of L'Entourage 2014: Jeunes Entrepreneurs (Album)
As part of 5 Majeur 2011: 5 Majeur (EP) 2013: Variations (Album)
Solo YearAlbumPeak positionsUnitsCertification FRA BEL(Fl) BEL(Wa) SWI2015 Feu Release date: 8 June 2015 Record label: Seine Zoo / Polydor36535 FRA: 500.000 SNEP: Diamond BEA: Gold2016Cyborg Release date: 2 December 2016 Record label: Seine Zoo4—310 SNEP: Diamond2019Les étoiles vagabondes Release date: 7 June 2019 Record label: Seine Zoo11211 FRA: 1.000.000 SNEP: 2× DiamondExpansion Release date: 21 June 2019 Record label: Seine Zoo—10—
Singles Year Single Peak positions Album FRA BEL(Wa) SWI2014"Time B.O.M.B."86———2015 "Égérie"49—— Feu "On verra"1437— "Nique les clones, Pt. II"57—— "Tempête"21—— "7:77 AM"(featuring 86 Joon)26——Feu (Réédition) 2016 "Jusqu'au bout"($-Crew) 75 — —Destins liés 2019 "Tricheur"(featuring Damso) 1 1 12Les étoiles vagabondes
Featured in Year Single Peak positions Album FRA BEL(Wa) SWI2014 "Voilà" (Sneazzy featuring Nekfeu) 145 — —2016 "Paris la nuit" (Rim'k featuring Nekfeu) 161 — — "À deux pas " (Alpha Wann featuring Nekfeu) 172 — — Alpha Wann albumAlph Lauren 2 "Les princes" (MZ featuring Nekfeu) 18 — — MZ albumLa dictature2017 "Skurt Cobain" (Sneazzy featuring Nekfeu) 165 — — "Tu rêves" (Dean Burbigo featuring Nekfeu) 95 — — "De l'autre côté" (Ninho featuring Nekfeu) 2 — 71 Ninho albumComme prévu "Zone" (Orelsan featuring Nekfeu with Dizzee Rascal) 12 — —Orelsan albumLa fête est finie2018 "Juste pour voir" (S.Pri Noir featuring Nekfeu) 70 — — Non-album release "Éternité " (Jazzy Bazz featuring Nekfeu) 46 — — Jazzy bazz albumNuit "Waow" (PLK featuring Nekfeu) 32 — — PLK albumPolak2019 "Paire d'As" (Dadju featuring Nekfeu) 10 — — Dadju albumPoison "Ce soir" (Doums feat. Nekfeu & Naë) 27 — — Non-album release2020"Zéro détail"(Sneazzy feat. Nekfeu)42——Sneazzy albumNouvo mode"Étincelles"(Sneazzy feat. Alpha Wann, Nekfeu & S.Pri Noir)48——"Turn Up"(Kalash Criminel feat. Nekfeu)22——Kalash Criminel albumSélection naturelle"Moins un"(Dinos feat. Nekfeu)12749Dinos albumStamina, "Ce soir" (Doums feat. Nekfeu & Naë) 27 — — Non-album release"san andreas"(Nekfeu, Lesram)35——Alpha Wann albumdon dada: mixtape, vol 1."aaa"(Alpha Wann feat. Nekfeu)18——"malevil"(Nekfeu)34——"3095 pt2"(Alpha Wann feat. Nekfeu, 3010)69——2021"C'est quoi l'del"(Gims feat. Nekfeu)———Gims albumLe Fléau"Agent orage"(Dean Burbigo feat. Nekfeu)103——"Special"(Laylow feat. Nekfeu & Foushée)74591Laylow albumL'étrange histoire de Mr. Anderson"Jeune d'en bas"(Da Uzi feat. Nekfeu)21——Da Uzi albumVrai 2 vrai
Other charted songs YearSinglePeak positionsAlbum FRA BEL(Wa) SWI2015 "Reuf"(featuring Ed Sheeran)72——Feu "Rêve d'avoir des rêves" 111—— "Ma dope"(featuring S.Pri Noir)125—— "Martin Eden"129—— "Mon âme"(featuring Sneazzy)152—— "Princesse" (featuring Nemir)172—— "Plume"13——Feu (Réédition) "Mal aimé"51—— "Question d'honneur"(featuring S-Crew)78—— "Deux-trois"(featuring 1995)56—— "Pars avec moi"(featuring 1995)46—— "Les Bruits de ma Ville"(featuring Phénomène Bizness)44—— "La Ballade du Frémont"(featuring Doums)52——2016 "Mauvaise graine" 7 18 72Cyborg "Squa"15—67 "Humanoïde"19—69 "Galatée"21—— "Saturne"(featuring Sneazzy and S.Pri Noir)25—76 "Avant tu riais"(featuring Clara Luciani)56—— "Réalité augmentée"67—— "Esquimaux"(featuring Népal)71—— "Nekketsu"(featuring Crystal Kay)75—— "Besoin de sens"(featuring Framal and Jazzy Bazz)106—— "Le regard des gens"(featuring Némir, 2zer, Mekra and Doum's)113—— "Vinyle"(featuring Alpha Wann)142—— "O.D"(featuring Murkage Dave)152—— "Programmé"197——2019 "Dans l'univers" (featuring Vanessa Paradis) 2 50 29 Les étoiles vagabondes "Elle pleut" (featuring Nemir) 3 — 32 "Cheum" 4 — — "Les étoiles vagabondes" 5 — — "Alunissons" 7 — — "Voyage léger" 8 — — "Takotsubo" 9 — — "Menteur menteur" 11 — — "Le bruit qui court" 13 — — "Premier pas" 14 — — "Ciel noir" 15 — — "De mon mieux" 16 — — "Compte les hommes" (featuring Alpha Wann) 17 — — "Óλά Καλά" 18 — — "Koala mouille" 19 — — "Pixels" (featuring Crystal Kay) 21 — — "1er rôle" 23 — — "Ken Kaneki" 18 — — Expansion "Écrire" 21 — — "Sous les nuages" 23 — — "CDGLAXJFKHNDATH" (featuring 2Zer and Mekra) 33 — — "Energie sombre" 38 — — "Natsukashii" 47 — —"L'air du temps"
(featuring Framal and Doums) 51 — — "Oui et non" 56 — — "Rouge à lèvres" (featuring BJ the Chicago Kid) 58 — — "Chanson d'amour" 59 — — "De mes cendres" 64 — — "Jeux vidéo et débats" 66 — — "Dernier soupir" 74 — — "Nouvel homme" 76 — — "Interlude Fifty" 80 — — "A la base" 83 — —
Filmography Film 2017 : Tout nous sépare, directed by Thierry Klifa 2019 : L'Échappée, directed by Mathias Pardo
Television 2015 : Casting(s) (Television series, one episode : guest appearance as himself) 2019 : My Hero Academia (Dubbing the character All for One in the French version)
References
External links