Seth Gueko

Seth Gueko, real name Nicolas Salvadori, born 27 October 1980 in Pontoise, is a French rapper. Or rather a "Barlou": a hooligan in all his glory… a true state of mind that cultivates difference, being on the fringes, resourcefulness… and tattoos too! Over time, it has become a genuine community, bringing together all those who refuse to follow the rules of the game blindly and without thinking… and who support the Barlou "in chief", the general, Mister Seth Gueko.

With more than 13 projects to his name and hundreds of collaborations, Seth Gueko has nothing left to prove. An unavoidable figure of French independent rap, he made his mark with landmark albums such as Michto or Bad Cowboy. He blends deadpan humour and provocation to create a unique style, at once offbeat and authentic. He has no need of cheap provocations or artificial buzz to exist: his identity is enough.

A true Géo Trouvetou of languages and expressions, Seth Gueko, much like Alex DeLarge, the tragic hero of Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, skilfully mixes underworld slang, louchébem (the butchers' argot), verlan and the Manouche language of travelling people. With a streetwise, cheeky Parisian titi spirit in the manner of Michel Audiard, his universe is brimming with references drawn from pop culture. To start with, his stage name is inspired by the character Seth Gecko in Robert Rodriguez's From Dusk till Dawn.

Over the years, the Gueko has reinvented himself and shaped a unique persona, drawing on the worlds of Emir Kusturica, Jack Nicholson, vampire and zombie films, or his friend JoeyStarr. Not to mention the influence of Kustom Kulture in the style of Von Dutch, with Harleys and hot rods with supercharged engines. Add to that the mythology of tattooing, a touch of slightly macho X, plenty of barlous and a good dose of destruction… That is Seth Gueko.