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Manu Chao

File:Manu_Chau_45.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ207898· pop 48· linked from 387 articles

Also known as José Manuel Tomás Arturo Chao, José-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao, José Manuel Tomás Arturo Chao Ortega, Oscar Tramor

Spanish musician

OverviewAI-generated

Manu Chao is a male singer, composer, guitarist, and street artist born in Paris, France, on June 21, 1961. He holds citizenship in both France and Spain and currently resides in Spain. Chao began his work period in 1980 and is associated with the record label Virgin Records. His musical genres include reggae, ska, world music, and music of Latin America. He speaks Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English.

Chao is a solo artist and a member of the group Mano Negra. His musical influences include Chuck Berry, Camarón de la Isla, Bob Marley, and Georges Brassens. He performs on guitar and voice. His father is Ramón Chao Rego.

Synthesized by Vinony from 36 facts across 8 sources: Wikidata, Crossref, MusicBrainz, Last.fm, TMDb, Wikiquote, Europeana Sparql, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Film & TV

Acting · Paris, France

Singer in Mano Negra and solo artist.

Known for

  • Manu Chao et Radio Bemba Sound System — Self2025
  • Le rock alternatif (une brève période de médiatisation du punk français 1986-1989) — Self2021
  • 70 Years of Youth Revolt — Self (archive footage)2020
  • Sons of the Clouds: The Last Colony — Self2012
  • Marcelo Yuka: Follow the Signs — Self2011
  • Manu Chao & Radio Bemba Baionarena — Self2009
  • 50 años de... Canciones — Self (archive footage)2009
  • Maradona by Kusturica — Self2008
  • Sunday in Bamako — Self2008
  • The Henry Rollins Show2006

via TMDB

Listeners · Last.fm

Listeners
2,045,309
Total plays
62,102,929

Tags

reggaelatinskaworldalternative

Manu Chao, born José-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao on June 21, 1961, in Paris, France, is a multifaceted musician celebrated for his eclectic musical style and socially conscious lyrics. Chao's musical journey began in the vibrant Parisian music scene, where he immersed himself in diverse influences ranging from punk and rock to reggae and salsa. Co-founding the band Mano Negra in 1987, Chao showcased his knack for blending genres, resulting in international acclaim with albums like "Patchanka" (198

via Last.fm · Manu Chao

Quotes

  • Solo voy con mi penaSola va mi condenaCorrer es mi destinoPara burlar la leyPerdido en el corazónDe la grande BabylonMe dicen el clandestinoPor no llevar papel Pa' una ciudad del norteYo me fui a trabajarMi vida la dejéEntre Ceuta y GibraltarSoy una raya en el marFantasma en la ciudadMi vida va prohibidaDice la autoridad
  • Me llaman el desaparecidoQue cuando llega ya se ha idoVolando vengo, volando voyDeprisa, deprisa a rumbo perdidoCuando me buscan nunca estoyCuando me encuentran yo no soyEl que está enfrente porque yaMe fui corriendo más allá Me dicen el desaparecidoFantasma que nunca estáMe dicen el desagradecidoPero esa no es la verdadYo llevo en el cuerpo un dolorQue no me deja respirarLlevo en el cuerpo una condenaQue siempre me echa a caminar
  • Mentira la que mandaMentira comanda
  • Todo es mentira en este mundoTodo es mentira la verdadTodo es mentira yo me digoTodo es mentira ¿Por qué será?

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

Key facts

Also known as
Oscar Tramor
Born
José Manuel Tomás Arturo Chao Ortega , ( 1961-06-21 ) 21 June 1961 (age 64) , Paris, France
Genres
Latin alternative reggae worldbeat ska
Occupations
Musician singer composer record producer
Instruments
Vocals guitar
Years active
1984–present
Labels
Nacional Because Virgin
Website
manuchao .net

via Wikipedia infobox

Works in European collections

2 objects attributed to Manu Chao, held across European museums, libraries & archives · via Europeana

~19 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Manu Chao ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmanu ˈtʃao]; born José Manuel Tomás Arturo Chao Ortega on 21 June 1961) is a French-Spanish musician. He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Arabic, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, Greek, and occasionally in other languages. Chao began his musical career in Paris, busking and playing with groups such as Hot Pants and Los Carayos, which combined a variety of languages and musical styles. With friends and his brother Antoine Chao, he founded the band Mano Negra in 1987, achieving considerable success, particularly in Europe. He became a solo artist after its breakup in 1995 and since then has toured regularly with his live band, Radio Bemba Sound System.

Early life

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Manu Chao” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (8)