ARTIST/BAND /GROUP INFORMATION
| Artist/Band/Group Birthday : | 30/05/1961(Age 32) |
| Born In/Current Location : | Haiti |
| Occupation(s) : | Rapper |
| Genres : | Rap Kreyol |
George Lys Herard (May 30, 1961 – May 21, 1994), popularly known as Master Dji, was a Haitian rapper, and Hip-Hop artist. DJ of the group “Haiti Rap’ N Ragga”, Master Dji was the founder of Creole hip-hop. Best known for his debut album “Master Dji”, considered by many one of the greatest Creole Hip-Hop albums of all time.[citation needed] This album established Master Dji as one of Haiti ’s most profound lyricists, introducing his signature which is poetic.
Master Dji was also a radio host at Radio Métropole and Tropic FM. A pioneer in the Haitian Music Industry, he created a very subdued genre of music which was not previously thought of before. Due to his creation, the New generation was able to form a connection between rara, rasin, kompa, rap and reggae. He pioneered a type of music that is a combination of all the music genres that most Young people listen to in Haiti. Master Dji knew how to get the attention of the young people, so throughout his music he would talk and also educate them.
History
Hip-Hop was not that Popular in Haiti, moreover, society had a bad perception of the music. However Master Dji managed to get his tracks played by certain radio stations. He was versatile; whether it was in English, French or Creole he always found a way to rip the mic. With all three languages he reached out to many different crowds. As a result, he was also known overseas. In fact, he’s one of a few MCs to be played for more than twelve hours in radio stations in Africa.
“Tann pou tann” by Master Dji received the first prize from the annual African Haitian video awards which was held from April 27 to May 7, 1995, and organized by “Disques Hibiscus” with the participation of the televised music channel “MusiquePlus”. The video was Directed by Master Dji himself and Jean-Pierre Grasset. The award jury and Ralph Boney decided to name the annual video award show after “Master Dji” in honor of the Haitian rapper, visionary, father of kreyol hip-hop, and pioneer of music videos in the Caribbean since 1985.
The first rap song in Creole was a track called Vakans by Master Dji in 1982. A few years later (late 1980s) he released his first album entitled Master Dji.
His second album entitled Politik Pam was released in 1990 under bwa patat records; his third album was with his group “Haiti Rap’ N Ragga” entitled Match La Red; it was released under Declic Communication in France.
His fourth album, with his group, entitled Maximum Respect was released under Crossover records in Florida. Maximum Respect was Master Dji’s last project before dying.
From May 20 to May 22, 2005, Rapforum organized a summit called Master Dji to honor the late rapper. Master Dji was not only known in Haiti, but also throughout the whole Caribbean as the founder of kreyol hip-hop. The event took place at “Place Jérémie”, where hundreds of teens had the chance to discover the different talents and life of the pioneer.
His legacy was not only that of a rapper, a singer, dj, but also a radio host, ever since he was 16 Several pictures, lyrics, and videos were put together by SOLDAT PRODUCTIONS. Those documents were provided by “Mme Sita Hérard, mother of Master Dji. Among the different people who attended the event, were: Eliacim Abollassen (Soldat Productions), Garry Saint-Germain (Rapforum), and James Berlus (Asrap).
Master Dji is widely considered one of the greatest Haitian MCs. He was a visionary. He created something new in a country where people did not even like hip-hop. The Haitian community had very little knowledge of what hip-hop was back then, and it was hard for them to accept it. Master Dji managed to mix reggae, kompa, and hip-hop to form a new sound; and the public embraced it. He was also very political, and his lyrics were deep and carried a message behind the songs. Master Dji’s work is often overlooked- with only true kreyol hip-hop fans, purists and kreyol hip-hop artists paying homage to the legend.
He died from AIDS on May 30th, 1994. Source Wiki
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UNAUTHORIZED BIO
On May 30, 1961 in Port-au-Prince (Haiti), Mrs Sita Herard and Georges Herard welcome to this world their newborn baby boy to whom they gave the name of Georges Lys Herard. But later in Haiti and abroad, Georges Lys Herard would be best known by his nickname Master Dji. Master Dji would be considered by a generation as the father of Rap Kreyol.
Master Dji grew up in an atmosphere that developed his passion for music and entertainment. His father was the owner and director of Radio Port-au-Prince. Very young, he began to show interest in radio announcing. At the young age of 16, Master Dji debuted his career in the radio field by hosting a show on Radio Port-au-Prince.
After he completed his high school at Saint Louis Gonzaque Institute, Master went to France to pursue his higher education. Obssesed with radio announcing, Master soon found himself on the microphone of Radio Nova (in France) hosting a show.
Master Dji’s experience as a young radio host helped him not only to master the art of radio announcing, but also to embark in another journey. Soon, Dji would put his hand on music. The fever of disco music and hiphop was widespread amongst the young people in USA, and it wasn’t long before Haiti caught it. At a time when most music lovers in Haiti were stuck to their pure konpa and French/Spanish/English slow music, Master would be the first to combine his talent and his vision with audacity to the point of breaking limits. In 1982, he recorded and released in Haiti the first known rap kreyol single on radio. It was a song called “VAKANS”, which featured Master Dji with female artist Sylvie d’Art who also deliver a rap verse.
Although the single receive mixed review because it wasn’t the typical music that most Haitian in Haiti were used to, Master Dji continue to pursue his career as a master of entertainment. He devoted his time to Djing which he like very much. In fact after he returned from France, he subsequently hosted radio shows at Radio MBC, then Radio Metropole. In Haiti, Dji work closely with Radio France Internationale (RFI) and other foreign radio stations.
At the end of 1986 (or beginning 87), following the collapse of the Duvalier reign, Master dropped his first popular Rap kreyol single, “SISPANN”, the song was smash hit. The following year, Master Dji released another single “POLITIK PA’M” for which he won the prestigious RFI’s World Music Discovery prize in 1988
Around that time, Master with the assistance of fellow musician Ralph Boncy and friend Raphael Féquière founded TAP TAP Magazine. The magazine was very well-liked in Port-au-Prince, mainly because of “Les Refrains Qui Font Chanter” and “Coins des Ondes” sections”. “Les Refrains Qui Font Chanter” was the section where they published lyrics from new and popular hit songs. And in “Coin des Ondes”, they would introduce a popular radio host to the readers at every publication.
Between 1989 and 1990 Master Dji released a few more singles, but his first solo album, entitled “Politik Pa’m” didn’t officially come out until 1990. The CD contained many hit songs. Besides the already-released singles “Sispann” and Politik Pa’m”, songs like “Tann Pou Tann”. “Petite Fille des Trottoirs”, “Wale Kite’M” were all on heavy rotation on most radio stations in Haiti.
Meanwhile, Master Dji didn’t give up his radio career. On Radio Tropic FM, Master would host the successful shows, “JUNGLE TROPICALE” (first with Laury Manuel, then with Sophia Desir, Auditeur X, etc..) and the youngsters’ favorite “SAMEDI en FOLIE”.
It was during Samedi en Folie that Master Dji would open the door for many aspiring rappers to come in and showcase their talents. At one point, Master Dji would use the Radio Tropic FM production studio to record over American beats and reggae instrumental the for Rap Kreyol mixtapes around 1992.
The success of that mixtapes which featured singers and rapper like Teddy Fresh, Jah Yeye, Elyrac, Frantzy Jamaican, Top Adler, BOP’s Trezor, Supa Denot etc… would convince Master Dji to gather the best of the rappers around his circle to record the first Haiti Rap and Ragga album “Match La red”, which came out in 1993.
The album received a warm welcome in the media and amongst the music lovers in Haiti. “Match La Red”, “Manmzel”, “Conscience Noire” were in heavy rotation on many radio stations in Port-au-Prince and the province. Meanwhile, words were going around that Master Dji was ill. And by many accounts, including those from his close friends, the father of rap kreyol had AIDS. But that didn’t keep him from devoting time to music. Master Dji recorded a graphic video for the song “Match La Red”. Although his health was worsening, Master Dji had managed to record months later a second video for the album. It was a live video of the track “Manmzel” which featuring Master Dji himself and Supa Denot. The last few weeks of his life, Dji’s deteriorating health would force him to give up his radio show and his music career. He retreats to his mother’s house until he passed away on Saturday May 21st, 1994 at the age of 33.
Short biography of Master Dji written by Miguel ROMAIN
Thanks to Christophe Siméon and Ralph Delly for their contribution to this bio.
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