King Abid

Originally from Tunisia and living in Quebec City for almost two decades, Heythem Tlili, alias King Abid, offers authentic, festive and unifying music inspired by his origins, his passion for Jamaica and his affection for his host country. Afrobeat, reggae, electro, dance hall and hip-hop combine to create its own unique sound universe. By mixing rhythms, cultures and languages, the man we call the slave king shows that he is an artist well anchored in the 21st century, where we see physical and artistic boundaries change.

A multidisciplinary artist, the King began to make his mark on this side of the Atlantic with the group Movèzerbe, and then as a percussionist and MC on the road with Karim Ouellet. Also a DJ, he is known for making crowds dance until the early hours of the morning when he is behind the turntables.

Following the release of his first eponymous album, he was crowned Révélation Radio-Canada in world music for 2017-2018 and performed on the province's most prestigious stages with contagious energy. On his 2nd album, "Emerikia", King Abid continues his mission of unifying genres and cultures by bringing together an impressive series of collaborators from various backgrounds. Pierre Kwenders, Samito, Robert Nelson and Eman (Alaclair Ensemble), as well as Papa-T, join this musical journey from Africa to America, where tradition and modernity meet in harmony.