Neg Marrons

Nèg'Marrons, sometimes stylised as Neg' Marrons or Neg'Marrons, is a French reggae, hip-hop, and ragga group, originating from Garges-lès-Gonesse, in the Val-d'Oise.

The members are from Martinique (Djamatik), Cape Verde (Jacky Brown), and the Republic of Congo (Ben-J). Nèg' Marrons are the dancehall representatives of Secteur Ä, a former musical collective from Garges-Sarcelles and Villiers-le-Bel, which also produced rappers Doc Gynéco, Passi, Stomy Bugsy, Lino, Calbo, and MC Janik.

Formed in 1995, the group participated in the soundtrack for Thomas Gilou's film Raï. Two years later, they released their first album titled Rue Case Nègres in 1997. Nèg' Marrons returned in 2000 with the album Le Bilan, produced by Tyrone Downie. In 2003, a third album was released, titled Héritage. Seven years after their last appearance, Nèg' Marrons returned with their fifth album titled Valeurs sûres in April 2016.

According to Surlmag, “Les Neg Marrons have spanned the ages with hits that have made France dance, and well beyond just the rap audience. No one can deny that Jacky and Ben-J have written a part of French hip-hop history, both musically with their inimitable blend of rap and reggae and as activists of a culture they have always defended.” For RFI Musique, “the Sarcelles collective [has] become an empire of French rap.”