Born in 1999 in Bondy to a Congolese family, William Mundala, known as Tiakola, started out in 2015 with the group 4Keus before launching a solo career shaped by soukous and Congolese rumba influences. His mixtape BDLM Vol. 1 (2024), certified triple platinum, propelled him among the most prominent names in French rap, earning him two nominations at the 2025 Victoires de la Musique. On March 26–27, 2025, he sold out the Accor Arena in front of 40,000 fans, delivering a nearly three-hour show with around fifteen guest artists. This triumph confirmed his status as a central figure of the current French urban music scene.