Tiakola

William Mundala, better known by his stage name Tiakola, is a French rapper and singer born on December 4, 1999, in Bondy, France. Of Congolese descent, he grew up in the “Cité des 4000” housing project in La Courneuve, Paris, where he was the youngest of eight siblings. Tiakola’s musical journey began at an early age, singing in church alongside his sisters, who were part of a gospel choir.

In 2015, Tiakola joined the rap group 4Keus, which quickly gained attention with their gold-certified hit “O’Kartier c’est la hess.” The group went on to release two successful albums, La vie continue (2018) and Vie d’artiste (2020), both of which achieved gold certification. These accomplishments set the stage for his solo career.

Tiakola launched his solo journey in 2019 with the release of Sombre Mélodie, which led to collaborations with artists like Dadju, Franglish, and Gazo. His debut solo album, Mélo, came out in May 2022 and received critical acclaim, achieving double platinum certification by March 2023. The album featured high-profile collaborations with Hamza, Gazo, Niska, SDM, and Rsko.

In December 2023, Tiakola and Gazo dropped La Mélo est Gangx, a collaborative album that quickly went gold, setting a record for the fastest French rap collaboration to achieve this milestone. In January 2024, he released his mixtape BDLM Vol. 1, continuing to solidify his influence in the French hip-hop scene. With a distinctive sound blending rap, drill, and melodic elements, Tiakola has become a key figure in contemporary French urban music.