Mauvais Djo Drops “Bandela”, First Single From L’Undertaker 2

Mauvais Djo has enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent months. The artist is of Congolese descent, and that is far from a minor detail: the rapper and singer from Évry draws heavily on his cultural roots to shape the hits that are currently dominating streaming platforms. Mauvais Djo is, of course, a longtime member of Triangle des Bermudes, a group whose rise has gone hand in hand with his own. His music, deeply rooted in African influences, packed with catchy gimmicks and built for celebration, also shows just how much the French music scene is now shaped by the Maghreb and Africa. There was a time when French chanson created a strong cultural connection between France and Canada. Today, with the rise of so-called “urban music”, a genuine bridge has emerged between France and Africa.

His hit “Pilé” has racked up nearly 70 million views on YouTube. But what does “Pilé” actually mean? According to an NRJ feature citing Courrier Picard, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the title “Beat It” by Michael Jackson was popularly distorted over time into something sounding like “Pilé.” Mauvais Djo turned that linguistic twist into a title of his own. Today, Mauvais Djo has more than 14.6 million monthly listeners, while “Pilé” has climbed to 145 million streams.

The artist has just unveiled the first single from his upcoming project “L’Undertaker 2” with “Bandela”, a collaboration with producers Armageddon & Anderson. For those unfamiliar with the reference, The Undertaker was the legendary undead wrestler from the WWF, famous for seemingly coming back from the dead time and again in the ring. Mauvais Djo, meanwhile, has only been rising so far.

Mauvais Djo kicks off “L’Undertaker 2” with “Bandela”!

The track is produced by Armageddon & Anderson. It is hardly surprising to find Armageddon alongside Gims on “Vive la monnaie”, Fally Ipupa on “Pépélé” or Hiro on “Bizarre.” Like many of the hits that define Mauvais Djo’s catalogue, the production is deeply rooted in African music. Smooth, festive and expertly put together, the track blends a laid-back rhythm with Mauvais Djo’s natural ability to energise a crowd, a skill that comes as no surprise given his past as a live hype man. Between catchy gimmicks and punchlines delivered in rhythm, the singer from Évry arguably has everything it takes to become one of the leading crowd-movers in France’s urban music scene.

“J’suis localisé dans la zone, c’est moi le renoi vêtu de Loro Piana
2022, c’était l’Undertaker, 2026, c’est Beetho-”

The visuals were directed by Arthur Keasy, a filmmaker well accustomed to the world of urban music videos. Mauvais Djo cruises through some of the most prestigious avenues in Paris, passing luxury boutiques before ending the night at a party. The rapper looks more blinged-out than ever. Arthur Keasy has also been particularly active lately. His recent credits include “2.80” by Zed, “Rosé” by Guy2Bezbar, “Tout Donner” by Favé, and “Choppa” by Zed and 1Pliké140. Equally comfortable with harder street records and more festive tracks, the director is regularly called upon by Believe.

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