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Madcon
Madcon
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Madcon is a Norwegian musical duo formed in 1992 by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa. They have released eight albums as of 2018, and became known for their 2007 interpolation of the 1967 song "Beggin'" by The Four Seasons. They took their name from the phrase "mad conspiracy".[1]

Key Information

Members

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Yosef Wolde-Mariam

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Yosef Wolde-Mariam (born August 4, 1978) is an Ethiopian-Norwegian TV presenter and rapper. His parents were from Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Wolde-Mariam grew up in Grefsen, Norway with his mother, moving many times, living in Røyken, Grønland, Grünerløkka, and Bekkelaget.

In 2012, and from 2015 to 2025, was a mentor on the Norwegian version of The Voice, known as The Voice: Norges beste stemme, broadcast on TV 2.[2][3] In 2025, Wolde-Mariam became the winning coach with his artist Andrea Holm.

Tshawe Baqwa

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Tshawe Baqwa (born January 6, 1980, in Saarbrücken, West Germany) is a South African-German-Norwegian rapper and TV presenter.[4]

In 1994, Baqwa moved to South Africa with his parents when he was 14 years old, in the wake of the country's first democratic general election, eventually going back to Norway for a musical career.

In 2007, Baqwa took part and won the third season of the Norwegian dance contest Skal vi danse? (lit. "Shall we dance?"), broadcast on TV 2. Although the judges ultimately favored finalist Mona Grudt, Baqwa won by public vote. He also performed as a voice-over artist in the 2011 film Rio, playing the character Nico.

Career

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Madcon released their first single, "God Forgive Me", in 2000 for Virgin Records, but their first commercial breakthrough came with the hit single "Barcelona" in 2002, which they issued with long-time collaborators Paperboys on the "Bonnier Amigo" record label, a division of Cosmos Music Group, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.

In 2004, the duo released their first official album, It's All a Madcon, through AA-Recordings/Bonnier Amigo label, for which they won a Norwegian Grammy and several other awards.

In 2005, Madcon became a TV personality on the Nordic music channel "The Voice" while working on their music in the studio[citation needed]. The show "The Voice of Madcon", a behind-the-scenes look at the duo, was a great success for both Madcon and the network.

In the autumn of 2007, Baqwa was invited to take part in the popular TV talent show Skal vi danse?, the Norwegian version of Strictly Come Dancing, eventually winning that year's series, the third season of the TV program[citation needed]. Their second album, So Dark, The Con of Man, was released on December 3, 2007: in the United Kingdom, it reached number 137 on the album charts, and in Norway was certified gold in 3 hours and platinum in 3 days. The LP featured the soul singer Noora Noor and their friends "Paperboys" on two songs[citation needed].

In 2007, the duo released an interpolation of the 1967 song "Beggin'" by The Four Seasons, earning the group several #1 chart positions in France, Portugal, Norway, and Russia and a global position of #2 on the European Billboard Hot 100 chart. This version of the song reached also gold sales in the United States. In addition, they achieved 9× platinum in Norway and were No. 1 on the official Norwegian sales charts for 12 weeks, making "Beggin'" one of the biggest hits of all time in Norway. This cover of the song was created by 3Elementz (now ELEMENT), who also produced the eponymous single of the album, "So Dark, The Con of Man".

Madcon led the World Music Awards on November 10, 2008, and won the World's Best Selling Norwegian Artist Award. After several negotiations, their label Bonnier Amigo signed a licensing agreement with Sony BMG for Central Europe, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, with Universal Republic in the U.S., with Warner Music in Spain, and with Just Music in South Africa. Madcon has also hosted the Norwegian version of Don't Forget the Lyrics!, Kan du Teksten?, on the Norwegian television channel "TV 2".

The duo's third album, Inconvenient Truth, was released all over Europe in early-to-mid 2009 and was also produced by "ELEMENT"; the group also saw other major releases, including in the U.S., Japan, and Australia.

Madcon performed their song "Glow" as the background of the "Eurovision 2010 Flashmob Dance", broadcast in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 interval act. The single became one of the biggest hits of all time in Norway, reaching more than 10× platinum status in Norway and the same certification in Germany; also this recording was produced by ELEMENT.[5] They reached platinum status also with their 2010 hit single "Freaky Like Me", featuring Ameerah and produced by Dutch musician DreamRoc'a, also known as Sha Arjang Shishegar or TJ Oosterhuis; "Freaky Like Me" is the group's third biggest international hit.

In 2011, the duo was awarded the International Band of the Year during the "ESKA Music Awards 2011" in Poland.[6]

In 2012, Madcon was referred to as "moccha men" during the ceremony of Spellemannsprisen, a Norwegian award for musicians; the comment was apparently made as an inoffensive joke, but was perceived as racist at some level. They wrote on Facebook the next day that the case had now been settled and closed.[7] In 2012, Wolde-Mariam was a mentor on the Norwegian version of The Voice, known as The Voice: Norges beste stemme, a TV program also broadcast on TV 2.

In 2015, Madcon released the song Don't Worry featuring Ray Dalton.

Films and television series featuring Madcon's interpolation of "Beggin'"

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Madcon's interpolation of the song "Beggin'" was also used in the movies Step Up 3, Street Dance 3D, Just Go With It, and the theatrical trailer for Bad Teacher. It was sung by Philip Phillips on American Idol in 2012 and by Bill Downs and Max Milner in the battle rounds of The Voice UK series 1.[8][9]

In 2021, Madcon appeared on the Norwegian television series Exit during the 7th episode of the second season, portraying a musical duo invited to play at an open-air party. They are heard performing, among other songs, their interpolation of "Beggin'".

Musical styles

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Madcon at Eska Music Awards 2011

Madcon describes their musical style as a retro-urban mix with influences from soul, funk, and hip hop, with additional elements from African, Latin, and reggae music.[10]

Discography

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Madcon is a Norwegian hip-hop and R&B duo formed in 1992 by Tshawe Baqwa (born 6 January 1980, stage name Kapricon), of South African descent, and Yosef Wolde-Mariam (born 4 August 1978, stage name Critical), of Ethiopian-Eritrean descent. The group, whose name derives from "Mad Conspiracy," initially gained prominence in with their 2002 collaboration "" alongside the Paperboys, which became a chart-topping hit and earned the most requested video award at ZTV. Their debut album, It's All a Madcon, released in 2004, marked a , securing a Norwegian Grammy () and establishing their fusion of , rap, and pop influences. International acclaim followed with the 2007 cover of "Beggin'" from their album So Dark the Con of Man, which topped charts in (9x platinum), reached number one in several European countries, and achieved gold certification in the United States while charting in and elsewhere. Subsequent hits like "Glow" (2010, 10x platinum in and platinum in ) and "Freaky Like Me" further solidified their success, alongside awards such as World's Best Selling Norwegian Artist at the 2008 and International Band of the Year at the 2011 ESKA Awards in . Over their career, Madcon has released seven , performed at events like Eurovision 2010, and appeared as television personalities, including on The Voice in .

Members

Yosef Wolde-Mariam

Yosef Wolde-Mariam, born August 4, 1978, is a Norwegian and of Ethiopian-Norwegian heritage, with parents originating from and . He was raised by his mother in a suburb of , . Known professionally as Critical, Wolde-Mariam serves as a primary , songwriter, and within his musical endeavors, accumulating hundreds of credits as a and . Prior to wider recognition, Wolde-Mariam engaged in Norway's nascent hip-hop scene during the early 1990s, influenced by his mother's introduction to the genre and participating in initial rap activities as a teenager in Oslo.

Tshawe Baqwa

Tshawe Baqwa was born on January 6, 1980, in Saarbrücken, West Germany, to South African parents Zanele Sidzumo Baqwa and Jeff Dumo Baqwa, who had fled apartheid-era South Africa as political exiles. His family, seeking safety from the regime, settled in Norway shortly after his birth, where Baqwa grew up immersed in Norwegian culture while maintaining ties to his South African roots. This dual heritage shaped his identity as a South African-Norwegian artist. In 1994, at the age of 14, Baqwa relocated to with his parents following the country's first democratic elections and the end of apartheid, experiencing the nation's transition firsthand. He later returned to , where he pursued his musical interests, drawing from hip-hop influences introduced during his youth. Prior to formalizing his stage presence, Baqwa engaged in early hip-hop explorations, including sharing the genre with family members and participating in informal creative activities that honed his rapping skills. Baqwa performs under the stage name Kapricon and serves as the primary and vocalist in his musical endeavors, contributing dynamic energy and rhythmic delivery to performances. His role emphasizes high-energy stage presence and vocal agility, distinguishing his contributions through expressive rap flows and audience engagement.

History

Formation and early years (1992–2006)

Madcon, a Norwegian hip-hop duo, was formed in 1992 in by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa, both teenagers of immigrant heritage who bonded over shared interests in American hip-hop culture. Wolde-Mariam, born to Ethiopian parents in Norway, and Baqwa, born in to South African parents before relocating to 's Tveita neighborhood, drew from the multicultural influences of their upbringings amid Norway's emerging urban music scene, which was heavily shaped by U.S. rap in English during the . The duo's name derives from "Mad Conspiracy," reflecting their initial collective mindset in the underground rap environment. In the early years, Madcon honed their craft through grassroots efforts, performing and recording independently within Oslo's nascent hip-hop community, where immigrant youth often faced limited mainstream opportunities in a market dominated by pop and rock. Their first single, "God Forgive Me," emerged in summer 2000, marking an initial foray into releases outside major labels. This period involved experimentation with raw rap styles, though commercial viability in Norway's conservative prompted gradual incorporation of melodic and dance elements to appeal beyond niche audiences. The duo's breakthrough in came with their debut , It's All a Madcon, released on November 1, 2004, via AA-Recordings/Bonnier Amigo, featuring tracks like "" and "" that charted in the top 20 domestically. The earned them a Norwegian Grammy , affirming their status in the local scene despite persistent challenges in transitioning from underground credibility to broader recognition. By 2005–2006, Madcon expanded visibility through television appearances on Nordic channels like The Voice, blending performance with media exposure while refining a hybrid rap-pop sound rooted in their formative hip-hop foundations.

Rise to fame with "Beggin'" (2007–2008)

In 2007, Madcon released "Beggin'", an of The Four Seasons' 1967 track originally performed by , transforming the soulful original into a hip-hop and pop-rap hybrid with layered beats and vocal ad-libs. The single, produced by German duo 3Elementz, debuted on October 26 and was later included on the duo's So Much Better in 2008. The track achieved rapid commercial breakthrough across Europe, topping the singles charts in for 12 consecutive weeks and reaching number one in for seven weeks, among other markets. It also peaked at number one in eight additional European countries, securing positions on national charts throughout 2007 and 2008. Certifications followed swiftly, including 9× platinum in —attained after gold status in three hours and platinum in three days—and platinum in the , with gold awards in , , and . The accompanying music video, directed by Christian Holm-Glad, featured energetic choreography and urban aesthetics that amplified its club appeal and airplay rotation. Live performances further boosted visibility, including appearances at the World Music Awards in November 2008 and on BBC's Top of the Pops, showcasing Madcon's dynamic stage presence and transitioning them from domestic Norwegian acts to international pop-rap contenders. This surge in media exposure and sales marked their first major global hit, elevating album So Much Better to multi-platinum status in Norway.

Later career (2009–2019)

Following the international success of "Beggin'", Madcon released their album Conquest on September 25, 2009, which included tracks aimed at broadening their appeal beyond hip-hop roots. In August 2009, the duo performed "Beggin'" at Billboard's studios in New York, expressing ambitions to penetrate the U.S. market through targeted promotions and potential label partnerships. Despite these efforts, Conquest achieved modest chart performance outside Norway, signaling challenges in replicating European breakthroughs stateside. In 2010, Madcon issued Contraband on October 11, incorporating electronic and dance elements to evolve their sound amid shifting pop trends. The "Glow", released on August 30, peaked at number one in and garnered attention across , bolstered by a performance during the interval act in , featuring a flashmob-style presentation. This track exemplified their pivot toward upbeat, club-oriented production, though it fell short of "Beggin'"s global streaming and sales benchmarks. Subsequent releases included Contakt on , 2012, a blending urban beats with influences, followed by the compilation Icon in 2013, which curated prior hits for renewed accessibility. Throughout the decade, Madcon sustained activity via European tours and festival slots, such as appearances at events like the Eska Music Awards in 2011, maintaining a live presence without recapturing peak chart dominance. Their output reflected commercial persistence in Scandinavian and select Continental markets, prioritizing collaborations and remixes over standalone smashes.

Recent activities (2020–present)

In the period following their earlier career phase, Madcon has prioritized live performances and sporadic digital releases over full-length albums, adapting to the streaming landscape by revisiting catalog staples through remixes and singles. Notable outputs include the 2021 remix of their signature hit "Beggin'" by Frank Walker, which garnered renewed streaming traction, and 2023 singles such as "Are You Ready" and "Drowning," emphasizing upbeat, nostalgic urban pop elements. These efforts reflect a strategic focus on leveraging existing popularity rather than prolific new production, with no studio albums announced since 2017. The duo maintained visibility through regional touring in and select international dates, underscoring their enduring partnership as Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa continued joint appearances. Key 2025 performances included a headline slot at OverOslo on June 20 in Oslo's Grefsenkollen, drawing crowds with sets heavy on fan-favorite tracks. They followed with a high-energy show at Fjåge in Stavanger's Vågen on July 24, attracting a massive amid summer festival circuits, and appeared at Vestlandshallen in Ulset on September 20. Such engagements highlight their sustained appeal in home markets, prioritizing live energy over expansive global tours. Social media has served as a primary channel for fan interaction, with updates signaling ongoing plans and reflections into late 2025, including posts on personal milestones and industry commentary that reinforce their collaborative dynamic. This approach aligns with broader adaptations to digital platforms, where streams of classics like "Beggin'" continue to dominate their metrics, sustaining relevance without aggressive new content pushes.

Artistry

Musical style

Madcon's musical style centers on a hip-hop foundation augmented by pop, R&B, , , and elements, yielding an energetic urban pop sound oriented toward dance and commercial appeal. Production techniques frequently incorporate upbeat, layered beats with live instrumentation, eclectic genre blending, and influences to create accessible, hook-driven tracks. A hallmark is their heavy use of sampling from classic sources, as seen in the 2007 single "Beggin'", which overlays rap verses on a looped from The Four Seasons' 1967 recording of the same song, transforming it into a high-energy electro-rap anthem. The duo's vocal approach harmoniously merges with , emphasizing rhythmic flows over retro-urban grooves that prioritize infectious melodies and crowd-pleasing energy. Early albums like So Dark the Con of Man (2008) showcase this through Motown-inspired soul bases fused with manufactured hip-hop percussion and streaks of synth, evolving from purer rap roots into polished crossover productions. This shift maintained hip-hop's core pulse while broadening to pop-rap structures, as evident in their adjacent stylistic parallels to acts like the , focusing on vibrant, synthetic hooks rather than underground lyricism.

Influences

Madcon's musical influences draw primarily from hip hop's golden era, blended with , , and global rhythmic elements reflective of the duo's multicultural heritage. Yosef Wolde-Mariam credits his mother, an early hip hop enthusiast, for introducing him to the genre, while both members cite foundational acts like , with whom they toured early in their career, as pivotal in shaping their raw, street-level lyricism and production approach. In interviews, they highlight growing up with West Coast rap via Ice Cube's aggressive storytelling and alternative hip hop from A Tribe Called Quest, emphasizing conscious flows and jazz-infused beats, alongside Tha Alkaholiks' Tash for party-ready energy. Their self-described retro-urban style incorporates 1960s samples, as evident in the 2007 hit "Beggin'", which reinterprets The Four Seasons' original via funky basslines and pleading vocals, nodding to Motown's emotive hooks without diluting hip hop's edge. Wolde-Mariam's Ethiopian-Eritrean roots and Tshawe Baqwa's Zimbabwean descent infuse African polyrhythms and percussive drive, merging with Latin and accents to create high-energy fusions suited for live performances. This synthesis avoids pure genre mimicry, prioritizing crossover appeal through layered vocals and beats that echo rap's boom-bap foundations updated for club contexts.

Reception and legacy

Commercial success

Madcon's breakthrough single "Beggin'", released in 2007, drove their primary commercial achievements, topping charts across multiple European countries including , where it maintained the number one sales position for 12 weeks and earned 9× platinum certification equivalent to over 540,000 units. The track also secured status in , reflecting strong sales in that market. , it attained certification for 500,000 units sold or streamed as of 2015, though it failed to achieve significant chart placement. Their 2008 album So Much Better, featuring "Beggin'", debuted at number one on Norway's VG-lista Albums Chart and received gold certification within three hours of release, followed by platinum status three days later, indicating rapid sales exceeding 30,000 units under Norwegian thresholds at the time. Subsequent releases showed sustained regional strength; the 2010 single "Glow" achieved 10× platinum certification in Norway, underscoring multi-platinum performance in Scandinavian markets. Despite European dominance, Madcon's global footprint remained modest, with limited penetration outside and select European territories, as evidenced by the absence of top-tier certifications or chart success in major markets like the beyond minor placements. Licensing deals and live tours provided supplementary revenue, enabling career longevity amid reliance on hit-driven sales rather than consistent album performance.

Critical response

Madcon's cover of "Beggin'", released in 2007, received praise for its high-energy reinterpretation and crossover appeal, with reviewers highlighting its memorable hooks and dancefloor suitability akin to Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy". The track's textured production, featuring rapping over reworked beats, positioned the duo as capable ambassadors for Norwegian hip-hop seeking broader audiences. Reviews of their albums, such as So Dark the Con of Man (2007), were mixed, lauding the eclectic fusion of hip-hop, live instrumentation, and dance rhythms but critiquing the derivative nature of several tracks. The Guardian noted energetic elements reminiscent of Black Eyed Peas but described the overall effect as ersatz and formulaic, with songs imitating styles from The Roots, Fugees, and Eminem without sufficient individuality. Similarly, Conquest (2009) earned commendation for its listenable urban pop blending hip-hop with soul, funk, rock, and reggae, yielding catchy singles, though it risked alienating hip-hop purists due to the heavy genre hybridization. Critics generally viewed Madcon as effective entertainers delivering commercial, high-energy pop-rap rather than innovative genre pioneers, with aggregate user ratings on platforms like hovering around 7-8 out of 10 for key releases, reflecting solid but unexceptional execution. Their reliance on covers and samples, while boosting accessibility, drew implicit questions about in an favoring urban sounds.

Cultural impact

The Madcon version of "Beggin'", released in 2007, achieved notable cultural penetration through its soundtrack placements and advertising syncs. It underscored the film's climactic dance audition sequence in Step Up 3D (2010), where protagonist Moose's performance to the track amplified the movie's high-energy choreography and contributed to its appeal among global dance enthusiasts. The song also powered the "House Party" campaign in 2008, a promotional video marking the brand's 60th anniversary with synchronized street performances that mirrored Madcon's dynamic rap-dance hybrid, exposing their sound to international sneaker and urban culture audiences. These integrations elevated Norwegian hip-hop's profile beyond domestic borders, positioning Madcon as pioneers in exporting energetic urban music from . As a duo comprising Wolde-Mariam (Ethiopian-Norwegian) and Tshawe Baqwa (Zimbabwean-Norwegian), Madcon's breakthrough diversified Scandinavian music exports by demonstrating the commercial potency of immigrant-influenced hip-hop. Their chart-topping success in exemplified how multiethnic artists could integrate global hip-hop aesthetics with local contexts, fostering postnational musical expressions that challenged monocultural in the region. This visibility inspired subsequent multicultural acts in Nordic scenes, emphasizing ethnic hybridity in urban genres and broadening perceptions of Scandinavian contributions to . "Beggin'"'s legacy persisted via covers, notably Italian band Måneskin's rendition performed live at the 2021 , which reignited the track's viral momentum and indirectly spotlighted Madcon's earlier adaptation as a bridge between soul originals and modern upbeat fusions. While Madcon's innovations remained confined to refining party-rap's accessible, high-tempo niche—verified through their media-endorsed synergies rather than subgenre overhauls—their work solidified a template for multicultural, event-driven hip-hop that prioritized performative energy over experimental depth.

Discography

Studio albums

Madcon's debut studio album, It's All a Madcon, was released in November 2004 via AA Recordings in collaboration with Bonnier Amigo. The record established the duo in the Norwegian market, yielding singles "" and "" that both reached the top 20 on the Norwegian singles chart. Their follow-up, So Dark the Con of Man, arrived on 3 December 2007 and debuted at number three on the Norwegian Albums Chart. Certified gold within three hours and platinum within three days in , it represented their commercial breakthrough, propelled by the interpolation of "Beggin'" which became one of the country's biggest-selling singles. An InCONvenient Truth followed in December 2008 as their third studio effort. The fourth album, Contraband, was issued on 17 November 2010 and peaked at number two on the Norwegian Albums Chart, the duo's highest position to date. Subsequent releases include Contakt in 2012 and in 2013.
AlbumRelease datePeak position (Norway)
It's All a MadconNovember 2004
So Dark the Con of Man3 December 20073
December 2008
17 November 20102
Contakt2012
2013

Singles

Madcon achieved international breakthrough with their 2007 cover of "Beggin'", originally by the Four Seasons, which was released as a single from their So Dark the Con of Man. The track, produced by 3Elementz, topped the charts in , , the , and , where it held the number-one position for seven weeks. It peaked at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and number 3 in . Certifications include platinum status in the UK, , and , as well as gold awards in , , , , and . In 2010, Madcon released "Glow" as the from their Contraband, achieving domestic success by topping the Norwegian chart for 10 consecutive weeks. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 70 but saw limited international traction beyond and Germany, where it charted modestly. "One Life", featuring , was issued as a digital single in 2013. Produced by TJ Oosterhuis, it received moderate airplay in but did not achieve significant chart peaks, focusing instead on promotional formats and music video release.
SingleRelease YearKey Chart PeaksCertifications
"Beggin'"2007#1 (Norway, Germany, Netherlands, France); #5 (UK)Platinum (UK, Denmark, Sweden); Gold (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland)
"Glow"2010#1 (, 10 weeks); #70 (UK)None reported
"One Life" (feat. )2013Limited chartingNone reported

Awards and nominations

Major awards

Madcon has secured notable wins at the , Norway's premier music awards akin to the Grammys, including the Årets Låt (Song of the Year) for "Beggin'" in 2008. The duo also received the International Success of the Year award at the 2009 . In 2008, Madcon won the World Music Award for World's Best Selling Norwegian Artist, recognizing their global sales performance. They further earned the International Band of the Year at the 2011 ESKA Music Awards in . The group received nominations for Best Norwegian Act at the in 2011, 2013, and 2015, though without a win.
YearAwardCategoryResult
2008Årets Låt ("Beggin'")Won
2008World's Best Selling Norwegian ArtistWon
2009International Success of the YearWon
2011ESKA Music AwardsInternational Band of the YearWon
2011Best Norwegian ActNominated
2013Best Norwegian ActNominated
2015Best Norwegian ActNominated

References

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