Roméo Johnny Elvis Kiki Van Laeken, better known by his stage name Roméo Elvis, is a Belgian rapper, record producer, and hip-hop artist born on December 13, 1992. He is a Francophone artist from a family of French-speaking Belgian artists.
Roméo's career began with the release of two EPs in 2013 and 2014, titled Bruxelles c'est devenu la jungle and Famille nombreuse. He then released his album EP Morale in 2016, followed by Morale 2 and Morale 2 luxe in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
In 2019, Roméo released his album Chocolat, which featured guest appearances from Matthieu Chedid and Damon Albarn. He also collaborated with French sportswear brand Lacoste to create a limited collection.
Roméo's music career has been marked by a distinct evolution in his style. His early work featured old-school instrumentals and a flow with a similar ambiance to his first two EPs. However, his collaboration with producer Le Motel on Morale and Morale 2 profoundly changed his style, allowing him to incorporate more refrains and electronic instrumentals.
Roméo was born in Uccle, Belgium, to a family of French-speaking Belgian artists. His father, Serge Van Laeken, is a singer and songwriter, and his mother, Laurence Bibot, is a comedian. His younger sister, Angèle, is an international singer-songwriter.
Roméo was raised in Linkebeek, in the southern suburbs of Brussels, and later relocated to Forest. He attended primary school and then continued his secondary studies at Saint-Luc Tournai Institute, where he learned to paint and draw. He also studied photo-journalism at ESA 75 in Brussels.
Roméo began rapping with his friends during his secondary studies and became close to members of the band L'Or du Commun. He worked as a cashier at Carrefour supermarket chain while releasing his first EPs, but quit his job shortly before the release of his album Bruxelles arrive to focus on music.
Roméo was the subject of allegations of sexual assault on social networks in 2020, which led to him issuing a public statement apologizing for his behavior. Although no complaints were filed against him, several brands and artists ended their collaboration with him.
In 2022, Roméo released his second solo album, Tout Peut Arriver, which marked a new chapter in his music career.
