A French rapper known for using the local street slang dubbed "verlan" -- a style where syllables are inverted like in backslang or pig Latin -- Ridan came to fame in 2004, the year he released his debut album, Le Rêve Ou la Vie, which featured the hit single "Le Quotidien." Three years later he returned with L'Ange de Mon Démon, a much more serious album that asked the younger generation to hold onto hope in an increasingly turbulent world. ~ David Jeffries