Shams Dinn - (Shams Dinn) شمس دين

Shams Dinn (Ben Bouchta Mohammed) was born in Oudja, Morocco in the ‘60s. His father died before he was born, and he was raised by his grandfather, a Sufi ascetic who awoke a spiritual path within Shams that he has felt connected with his entire life. When he was around 10 years old, he immigrated to Lyon, France with his mother. He grew up enthralled by the burgeoning underground hip hop scene, martial arts, graffiti, and breakdancing. He started as a dancer, laying down cardboard and breaking to artists like Kurtis Blow and Melle Mel with his friends. In his later teens, he began experimenting with rhyme, he wanted to share his culture through song, and would flow in Arabic. He seemed to have a natural talent for the craft, but his friends, doubting that France would ever accept an Arabic rapper, bet him that he wouldn’t be able to go to Paris and find a record deal.With 500 Francs in his pocket, he went to Paris in search of an avenue to record. Not knowing anyone, he wandered over