French rapper Prince Waly has died at the age of 34, bringing an early end to the career of an artist regarded as one of the distinctive voices of contemporary French rap.
Prince Waly, whose real name was Moussa Magassa, died Sunday, October 4, after a long illness, according to a statement from his relatives reported by French media. His family said the rapper had been fighting the illness courageously for eight years.
Born in Montreuil, near Paris, Prince Waly first built his reputation as part of the duo Big Budha Cheez alongside Fiasko Proximo before developing his solo career.
His health became a major part of his personal story after he was diagnosed with thymus cancer in 2019. The illness affected a nerve connected to his vocal cords and forced him to temporarily step away from music. He later returned to recording after recovering his voice.
That experience helped shape Moussa, his first full solo album, released in 2022. The record showed a more personal side of the rapper and addressed some of the experiences that had transformed his life.
Prince Waly later revealed that he was also battling paraneoplastic pemphigus, a rare autoimmune condition. Le Figaro reports that his illness was associated with the presence of a tumor.
Despite his health struggles, Prince Waly continued making music and performing. His work included collaborations with several prominent names in French language rap and helped establish him as an artist with a recognizable style and devoted following.
News of his death spread rapidly across France on Sunday evening, triggering tributes from listeners and renewed interest in his music.
For many fans, Moussa will now carry particular significance. It documented an artist who returned to music after confronting serious illness and transformed some of the most difficult experiences of his life into his work.
Prince Waly was 34.
