French rapper Prince Waly dies at 34 following eight-year battle with cancer

Announcement and medical history

French rapper Prince Waly, whose birth name was Moussa Magassa, died on Sunday, 4 October 2026, at the age of 34 after an eight-year illness. His record label and relatives confirmed his death in statements shared across social media, followed by a confirmation from his wife, singer Enchantée Julia, whom he married in 2023. The Montreuil-born musician had been diagnosed with a thymoma, a rare cancer affecting the thymus gland, eight years prior to his death. Magassa made his diagnosis public in 2019, later recounting in a 2022 interview that he initially mistook the earliest physical signs for a temporary loss of his speaking and singing voice. In early September 2026, he disclosed on social media that the underlying cancer had triggered paraneoplastic pemphigus, a rare autoimmune complication characterized by painful blisters and mucosal erosions.

I didn't know yet what I had exactly, I thought it was a loss of voice. After two or three months, we knew it was cancer.

Roots in Montreuil and Big Budha Cheez

Magassa was born in 1991 in Montreuil, a commune located in the Seine-Saint-Denis department east of Paris. He developed an interest in hip-hop during his youth after exploring the discography and vinyl records owned by his older brother. In 2012, he entered the French music scene by forming the rap duo Big Budha Cheez alongside his longtime collaborator Fiasko Proximo. That same year, the pair released their debut extended play, titled Ma Routine roule à M.City, introducing their distinct rhythmic delivery. The project established Magassa's presence in the independent Parisian rap community, leading to subsequent collaborative tracks before he began recording as a solo artist.

Solo discography and the Moussa album

Magassa launched his solo recording career in 2016 with the release of the six-track extended play Junior. Three years later, in 2019, he issued the follow-up EP BO YZ during the same period in which he received and made public his cancer diagnosis. In 2022, he delivered his debut full-length solo studio album, Moussa, named after his given name. The album included a collaboration with French rock band Feu Chatterton and incorporated the personal trials and medical hurdles he faced during treatment. In 2023, Magassa followed the album with another solo project, the EP BO YZ Vol.2, continuing to release music while undergoing treatment.

Tributes across the French hip-hop community

News of Magassa's death led to tributes from across the French music industry on Sunday evening. His record label published an extended statement reflecting on his creative perseverance and his impact across generations of French hip-hop. The French rap and popular culture awards organization Les Flammes published a tribute recognizing his artistic standing. His relatives expressed gratitude to the doctors, friends, and listeners who supported him, noting that his wife Julia remained by his side throughout his medical treatment. His family added that his legacy would endure through his recorded catalogue and the prayers of his audience.

He was a king. All our thoughts go to Prince Waly, his loved ones, and his audience.