Pupa Rico, also known as Rico, was born in Sicily, Italy, and is known for pioneering the rap-ragga style in French. He moved to France at age four and grew up in Sarcelles, Val-d'Oise. His initial musical exposure was through accordion lessons from his father. In the early 1980s, he became involved in breakdancing and began performing live on Radio Nova in 1987. He released his debut album On s'la donne in 1995 under Polydor's PolyVibes label, featuring the hit single "Rub a dub style". The album included collaborations with DJ Nasser. In 2000, Pupa Rico released his second album RicoThentik.
