Madi can hardly believe what's happening to him. Thanks to social media and an unexpected spotlight from French rapper Gims, the young painter from Les Mureaux in the Yvelines department is beginning to make a name for himself. The 23-year-old resident of the Bosquets neighborhood draws inspiration from masters like Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh, channeling raw energy onto his canvases as he paints what he feels and sees, making colors explode like others drop rhymes.
Since one of his videos reached one million views on TikTok, the young artist from Les Mureaux has been doing interviews and appearing on television shows. He even launched his own website on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. "It's crazy, right?" laughs this disarmingly kind young man when interviewed by local media near his residence.
Madi's recent rise to fame accelerated dramatically when he was filmed alongside rapper Gims in Nanterre, in the Hauts-de-Seine department. The artist was shooting a music video in the Pablo-Picasso neighborhood when he encountered Madi. The interpreter of "Sapés comme jamais" said about him: "I swear guys, this is Van Gogh. It's super beautiful." Madi says he should soon meet other rappers, potentially including Rohff, VEN1, and La Mano 1.9. "I'm super happy," he says.
Madi's artistic journey began early, starting to paint everywhere – at home and on the streets – from age 3. He created hundreds of paintings, and it all began at Paul-Bert elementary school with the support of his teachers. However, this "product of Les Mureaux" almost never got noticed. "I painted from kindergarten until fifth grade, then I took a twelve-year break because I didn't have much hope anymore. Around me, there wasn't the possibility to succeed in art," recalls Madi, who picked up brushes, watercolors, oil paints, and pastels again in spring 2025.
"On May 26, 2025, I posted a video on social media and it immediately took off. Two months ago, art professionals told me I had talent and could make it my career. I followed their advice and improved," explains the self-taught painter. Despite never attending art school, Madi pursued technical education, completing a STI2D baccalaureate in architecture and construction and a BTS in public works. He currently works in construction as a surveyor and 3D modeler.
The young artist's social media presence has exploded, with his Instagram account now boasting over 7,600 followers and more than 21,000 on TikTok. He had once written in his bio: "Becoming an artist starting from the bottom, is it possible?" – a question he no longer needs to answer. "Of course we can make it," assures this construction worker who now has only one dream: "I want to live fully from my art and provide security for my loved ones." He has already received nearly 1,700 commissions from "everywhere on Earth" via his social networks, which he hasn't had time to respond to yet.
The nickname "Van Gogh of Les Mureaux" touches his heart deeply. "When people tell me that, I get emotional," he says, especially because Van Gogh is his "favorite artist." Bright and positive, Madi creates with insight and elegance. "I paint landscapes. It could be friends I've been close to who gave me so much happiness that I'll transcribe it onto canvas, or strangers on the street," relates the endearing young man.
Life hasn't always been easy for Madi, who suffers from a rare adrenal insufficiency that particularly affects stress hormones and causes chronic fatigue. All emotions, whether joy or sadness, "I feel them in an amplified way," confides the artist, who has "never been angry in his life." For him, art has been his lifeline. "Art has been therapy for me to help calm my hyperactive or depressive side. It's the perfect element to channel my illness. When I paint, I feel total peace."
Always by his side, his brother Issa, 25, is immensely proud of his younger sibling. "We knew it would take off. He really has something extra. I'm super happy for him," says the one who helps Madi become autonomous while ensuring his brother is well surrounded and advised. His friend Yassine, a photographer and videographer, is also part of his "core group." He's the one who helped make Madi's first TikTok video. "The gem is him, we're in the shadows. We hope he'll rise even higher," says Yassine.
Of Malian origin, the generous Madi has three wishes. First, to break the preconceived notion that art is reserved for a certain elite. "Artists who come from the suburbs can succeed." He would also like to create a structure allowing young people to express themselves freely. "I want to help those who didn't get the right cards from the start and who have talent, whether for art or theater, so they can make a living from it. That would be magnificent," says the self-taught painter. He also wants to "provide security for his loved ones." "My success is also the success of others," he adds, happy to bring joy to his parents by producing the most beautiful works possible. "When I appeared on TF1, my father took out his phone to film the TV, it was so great."
Madi is now going to be very busy, with several exhibitions in preparation, including in Paris, Montpellier, and Ireland. "We're going to have a lot of work, but I love it!" smiles Madi, whose canvases are still being expertized by a professional. His works are estimated between 300 to 4,000 euros depending on dimensions and work time. His next challenge? Creating an evolving canvas that represents him from A to Z, which he will extend over two years.
