William Kalubi Mwamba (born 10 May 1992 in Kinshasa), better known by his stage name Damso (), is a Belgian-Congolese rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is popular in France, where all of his albums have been certified at least platinum. His brother is Aziz Loukambou, an automation engineer apprentice (Esix, Othua).
Early life and education Kalubi was born in Kinshasa, Zaire (present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) to a sociologist mother and cardiologist father. When he was nine years old, he and his family left the country for Belgium because of the Second Congo War which he speaks about in his song Graine de sablier ("the shots of the Kalashnikov keep me from dreaming"), Exutoire ("kill everyone even the pregnant women"), and K. Kin la belle ("oh Kin [Kinshasa] the beautiful, the one that's caused me so much pain). They initially settled in Kraainem, a commune on the outskirts of Brussels, where Damso grew up before moving when Damso was 22 to the largely Congolese neighborhood of Matonge in Ixelles. William's mother is Rose Marthe.
After completing secondary school, Damso's parents urged him to pursue a degree in marketing and psychology, but his passion for music led him to spend more time in recording studios, causing his academic performance to suffer. This resulted in conflicts with his parents, especially his father, who had been a medical doctor in Kinshasa, ultimately leading to Damso being kicked out of his home. Struggling to make ends meet, Damso resorted to living in squats and engaging in illegal activities for financial survival, driven by his refusal to tolerate racism and mistreatment in traditional workplaces.
Career Damso started his rap career in 2006 by performing at local and underground events. At the start of his rap career, he formed rap collective OPG with childhood friend Dolfa. They later recruited Ducke, Lio Brown, and Rex. He released his first solo project Salle d'attente online as a free download in 2014. In collaboration with his band OPG, and significantly inspired by his older brother Mehdi Rais, he released his mixtape MMMXIII on 24 September 2014. Damso made his name in 2015 thanks to his song "Poseidon", which appears on Booba's OKLM mixtape. Following this, he joined Booba's 92i collective and signed with Universal Music. He made an appearance on Booba's album Nero Nemesis on the track "Pinocchio", in collaboration with Booba and rapper Gato Da Bato. Damso's verse was noted by the public and the media, increasing his popularity and widening his audience.
In France, all of Damso's albums have attained at minimum platinum certification.
On 8 July 2016 his first studio album, entitled Batterie Faible, was released on Booba's label: 92i Records. The project, fully mixed and recorded by Krisy, has been certified platinum in France selling more than 300,000 units.
His second album Ipséité was released on 28 April 2017 and was certified triple platinum in less than six months. The album is now certified diamond with over 900,000 cumulative album sales in France.Albums sales https://genius.com/artists/Damso
In 2018, Damso's third album Lithopedion was certified platinum within a week of its release and is now certified Diamond with over 500,000 units sold. He won the best musician awards.
In 2020, he released album QALF, which was later certified Diamond with over 500,000 units sold.
Artistry
Musical style and influences Damso's music is influenced by his childhood in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as his adolescence in Ixelles, Belgium. He said in an interview that he was inspired by Bone Thugs N Harmony and Mylène Farmer.
Themes Damso explores a number of themes related to romance, success, his country of origin (the DRC), racism, and gender.
Personal life In 2017, Damso had his son Lior. In 2020, he dedicated the song "Deux toiles de mer" to him, which was included on his album QALF. Damso is separated from his son's mother, as explained in the song. He initially wrote an open letter to his son in an Instagram post.
Controversy In 2018, the Belgian Football Association planned to commission Damso to create an anthem for the national soccer team's participation in the FIFA World Cup, but faced public backlash and criticism from women's rights groups due to misogynistic and sexist content in his songs. Following this controversy, the association terminated their collaboration with Damso, issuing an apology to those who felt offended or discriminated against by their choice of artist.
Concerts Damso organised his first tour, the Ipséité Tour after the release of his album Ipséité in 2017 in which he went toured in France and Belgium. After a huge success, he continued with the Lithopédion Tour in 2018 and 2019 across the Francophone world.
Discography Albums YearAlbumChartsCertificationBEL(Fl)BEL(Wa)CAN Bēyāh: FRASWI2016Batterie faible1952—819 BEA: Platinum SNEP: 3× Platinum2017Ipséité881—15 BEA: 3× Platinum SNEP: 2× Diamond2018Lithopédion1116411 BEA: 2× Platinum SNEP: 2× Platinum2020/2021QALF / QALF Infinity21361 3 BEA: 3× Platinum SNEP: Diamond2023QALF Live—38———2024Vieux sons1332——16J'ai menti151—222025Bēyāh115812
Mixtapes YearTitle2014Salle d'attente
Singles
As lead artist YearSingleChartsCertificationsAlbumBEL(Wa)FRASWI2016 "BruxellesVie"22* (Ultratip)—— SNEP: DiamondBatterie faible "Amnésie"12* (Ultratip)68— SNEP: Platinum "Paris c'est loin" (featuring Booba)264— SNEP: Platinum 2017 "Nwaar Is the New Black"8256 SNEP: DiamondIpséité "Macarena" 5 2 45 BEA: 3× Platinum "Tueurs"101563 SNEP: Platinum Tueurs soundtrack 2018 "CQFD" 42 26 — SNEP: Gold style="text-align:center;" rowspan="7" "Fais-moi un vie" 48 15 100 "Mort" — 50 — SNEP: Gold "TieksVie" — 21 — SNEP: Gold "Smeagol" — 48 — "Mucho dinero" — 59 — "Ipséité" 2 1 26 SNEP: Diamond "Smog" 1 1 21 SNEP: Platibum Lithopédion "Feu de bois" 32 2 30 BEA: Gold SNEP: Platibum 2019 "JTC"(with Kalash) 46 16 — rowspan="2" 2020 "Œveillé" 18 9 77 SNEP: Gold "BXL Zoo"(featuring Hamza) 1 3 16 BEA: Gold SNEP: Diamond QALF "But en or"(Kalash Criminel x Damso) 34 10 92 Sélection naturelle 2021 "J'avais juste envie d'écrire" 25 49 — SNEP: Gold "Morose" 1 1 9 QALF 2022 "Malpolis" 27 — — SNEP: Gold Malpolis "Cœur de pirate" 19 9 — SNEP: Gold rowspan="2" 2023 "La rue" 2 1 — SNEP: Platinum 2024 "Chrome" 13 12 — J'ai menti "Laisse-moi tranquille" — 6 37 "Alpha" 3 1 22 2025 "Grand Soleil"† — 56 — rowspan="2" "Triple V" 6 1 11 "Impardonnable" 1 2 7 Bēyāh *Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
†In partnership with Sidaction, to which all profits have been donated.
As featured artist Year Single Charts Certifications Album BEL(Wa) FRA SWI 2016 "Pinocchio"(Booba featuring Damso and Gato) — 115 — Booba album Nero Nemesis 2017 "Vitrine"(Vald featuring Damso) 17*(Ultratip) 71 — SNEP: Diamond Vald album Agartha "Ivre"(Benash featuring Shay and Damso) — 66 — SNEP: Gold Benash album CDG "Mobali"(Siboy featuring Benash & Damso) — 56 — SNEP: Diamond Siboy album Spécial "Mwaka Moon"(Kalash featuring Damso) 1 1 25 BEA: Gold SNEP: Diamond Kalash album Mwaka Moon "Noche"(Lacrim featuring Damso) — 26 65 SNEP: Platinum Lacrim album R.I.P.R.O 3 "113"(Booba featuring Damso) — 27 38 SNEP: Platinum Booba album Trône 2018 "Rêves bizarres"(Orelsan featuring Damso) 1 — 15 SNEP: Platinum Orelsan album La fête est finie - Épilogue 2019 "RVRE"(404Billy featuring Damso) — 101 — 404Billy album Process "Tricheur"(Nekfeu featuring Damso) 1 1 12 BEA: Gold SNEP: Diamond Nekfeu album Les Étoiles vagabondes "ParoVie"(D.A.V featuring Damso) — 130 — TBA "God Bless"(Hamza featuring Damso) 10 8 75 SNEP: Diamond Hamza album Santa Sauce 2 2020 "Promo"(Ninho featuring Damso) — 2 35 SNEP: Diamond Ninho album M.I.L.S 3 2021 "Du mal à te dire"(Dinos featuring Damso) 16 — — SNEP: Platinum Dinos album Stamina, "R9R-Line"(Laylow featuring Damso) 4 25 55 Laylow album L'étrange histoire de Mr. Anderson "Démons"(Angèle featuring Damso) 2 5 31 BEA: 2× Platinum SNEP: Diamond Angèle album Nonante-cinq, 2022 "Dégaine" 15 1 — SNEP: Diamond Aya Nakamura album DNK "Recontre" 11 1 — BEA: Gold Disiz album L'Amour 2023 "Nocif" 2 1 14 SNEP: Diamond Sincèrement "Coeur de ice" 2 — — Diamant du Bled 2024 "Pyramide" 3 1 — Pyramide *Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
Other charted or certified songs Year Title Charts Certifications AlbumBEL(Wa)FRASWI2016 "Débrouillard"——— SNEP: GoldBatterie faible "Périscope"35(Ultratip)—— SNEP: Platinum "Autotune"——— SNEP: Diamond "Graine de sablier"——— SNEP: Platinum "QuedelaVie"——— SNEP: Gold2017 "Θ. Macarena"5345 BEA: 3× Platinum SNEP: DiamondIpséité "Β. #Quedusaalvie"—5— SNEP: Platinum "Ν. J Respect R"—11— SNEP: Diamond "Ε. Signaler"—762 SNEP: Diamond "Γ. Mosaïque solitaire"—6— SNEP: Diamond "Ζ. Kiétu"—8— SNEP: Platinum "Δ. Dieu ne ment jamais"—9— SNEP: Platinum "Η. Gova"—13— SNEP: Platinum "Κ. Kin la belle"—14— SNEP: Platinum "Λ. Lové"—15— SNEP: Platinum "Ι. Peur d'être pêre"—17— SNEP: Gold "Μ. Noob Saibot"—19— SNEP: Gold "Ξ. Une âme pour deux"—22— SNEP: Gold2018 "Julien"54— SNEP: PlatinumLithopédion "Dix leurres"—8— SNEP: Gold "Silence"(feat. Angèle)—348 SNEP: Diamond "Baltringue"—7— SNEP: Gold "Noir meilleur"—19— "60 années"—5— SNEP: Gold "Même issue"—10— SNEP: Gold "William"—14— SNEP: Gold "Introduction"—11— SNEP: Gold "Festival de rêves"—9— SNEP: Gold "Perplexe"—15— SNEP: Gold "Au paradis"—13— "NMI"—17— "Tard la night"—23— SNEP: Gold "Aux paradis"—13—2020 "Deux toiles de mer"—29 SNEP: DiamondQALF "Life Life"—522 SNEP: Gold "Coeur en miettes" (feat. Lous and the Yakuza)—6— SNEP: Platinum "Mevtr"—7— "911"—836 SNEP: Gold "Sentimental"—9— "BPM"—10— "D'ja roulé"—11— "Pour l'argent"—14— "Rose Marthe's Love"—15— "Intro" [QALF]—16— SNEP: Gold "Fais ça bien"(feat. Fally Ipupa)—17— "Thevie radio" [Interlude]—23—2021 "Σ. Morose"119 BEA: PlatinumQALF [∞][Digital] "Π. Vantablack"—326 SNEP: Platinum BEA: Gold "Ο. OG"—13— "Ρ. Dose"—7— "Υ. 2 Diamants"—435 SNEP: Diamond BEA: Gold "Τ. Chialer"(feat. YG Pablo)—8— "Φ. Thevie Radio"—10— "Ψ. Passion"—12— SNEP: Gold "Χ. Zwaar"—16— "Ω. Vivre un peu"—15— "Youvoi"—20—2024 "Tout tenter"—7—J'ai menti "Alpha"—322 "Laisse-moi tranquille"—3— "Schema"337— "Limbisa ngai"37947 "Mony"—16— "Consequences"—19— "24h plus tot"—24— "La Rue est morte."—27— "Damsautiste"—37— 2025 "Jcvdems"47— Bēyāh "Love Is Blind"5532 "Pa Pa Paw"4633 "Magic"2711— "Frére"—20— "Qui m'a demandé"—21— "Wolof"—22— "Vie Olence"—23— "T'es mon del"—24— "Ya Tengo Sentimientos"—27— "Police"—41— "Kaki"—44— "Fibonacci"—50— "Mamil?h"—52—
References