About Karl Toko Ekambi: A Baller with a Hidden Talent for Rapping

Karl Toko Ekambi’s story is one of a multi-talented individual who initially pursued a career in music before finding his true calling on the football pitch. Before fully committing to football, Karl rapped with the energy and passion of early Eminem, embracing the world of music as a creative outlet. This article explores the humble beginnings of the Cameroonian footballer, who was born as the second child and only son in his family. Growing up in Paris, France, Karl shared his childhood with an older brother and a younger sister.

From a young age, Karl, whose middle name is Brilliant, aspired to be a footballer. Though his love for music was strong, he found joy in both football and rapping, treating them as his favourite hobbies. However, Karl’s parents were not supportive of his interest in either football or music as a career. Despite their disapproval, Karl managed to balance his education with his passion, believing in his natural talents. Eventually, football won out over music, leading him down the path to becoming a professional athlete.

Now, let’s dive into the details of Karl Toko Ekambi’s inspiring journey from the streets of Paris to the football fields, uncovering the story of how he became the star he is today.

Preamble:

Beyond his skills on the field, this biography of Karl Toko Ekambi delves into his childhood, early life, and family background. It covers details about his parents—his late father, Jean Valentin, and his mother, Toko Ekambi Jean Valentin—as well as his siblings, wife, and son.

In essence, this article explores the complete life story of a footballer who initially started as a rapper before choosing a different path. That’s right! Karl Toko Ekambi was once a musical prodigy. Have you seen this photo below?

Back then, Karl played football with confidence and flair while also shining as a rapper. People often wonder—if he was so good at rap music, why did he choose football as his main career? The truth is, Karl Toko Ekambi had a rap style reminiscent of Eminem in his early days.

This biography will uncover the reasons behind his decision to prioritize football over music and the journey that led him to become a professional footballer.

We hope to stimulate your autobiography appetite while you read Karl Toko Ekambi’s Bio. To begin with, we’ll first show you this photo gallery of his early life (boyhood years) and his moments of fame. Behold, the Life Trajectory of a Forward with a true footballer stature.

Karl Toko Ekambi Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, he bears the middle name ‘Brilliant.’ Karl Brillant Toko Ekambi was born on the 14th day of September 1992 to his Father (Late Jean Valentin) and Mother (Mrs Toko Ekambi Jean Valentin) in Paris, France.

The Cameroonian footballer came to the world as the second child and son of his family. He is one among three children born to the marital union between his Dad and Mum. Here is Karl Toko Ekambi’s Parents, persons who never gave him riches, but emotional support.

Growing Up:

Karl Toko Ekambi spent his childhood days in the city of Paris, France. From what it seems, he grew up alongside an older brother and a younger sister.

All siblings enjoyed their early years in France. Have you noticed the resemblance between Karl Toko and his sister?

A perfect sibling bond had existed between Karl and his brother since their early years. They both had the act of playing football and rapping as their childhood hobbies. Also, as kids, Karl and his siblings enjoyed going to watch movies alongside their parents.

Karl Toko Ekambi Early Life:

As a child, Brilliant (his middle name) dreamt of becoming a footballer. Although he loved music, both trades (playing football and singing) were his beloved hobbies.

Unfortunately, Karl Toko Ekambi’s parents never liked their son’s choice of profession (music and football).

The Boy’s Dad and Mum never wanted him to become a footballer or a musician. Rather, they advised him to think of something else.

Similar to Ademola Lookman‘s story, his parents wanted something more decent, like the Doctor, Engineer or Lawyer professions.

While Karl Toko Ekambi’s Dad and Mum wanted the above professions, their stubborn son kept to his football and music dreams.

Karl needed support to validate his point. Thankfully, that support came from THIS MAN, who is very close to Karl Toko Ekambi’s family.

That person (pictured above) is Toko Ekambi’s godfather, Ben Decca – a man who showed Karl the way in football.

On several occasions (in his childhood), Ben Decca would hold him by the hands, teach him football, and both would always go out to watch football matches.

Thanks to Uncle Ben Decca, Karl Toko Ekambi imposed his passion on his parents. They (his Father and Mother) had no choice but to comply with their son’s footballing and music dreams. They approved his aspirations and did their best to support his early career quest.

Karl Toko Ekambi Family Background:

The Cameroonian striker hails from a comfortable middle-class household. Karl Toko Ekambi’s parents are intelligent and have a good knowledge of financial education. Before his death, Jean Valentin (Karl’s Dad) operated a close-knit family, which we’ll show you.

Now, meet the members of Karl Toko Ekambi’s Family (below). From left to right, we have Karl’s wife, his Late Dad, himself, Mother, Sister, child (a son) and brother.

Every member of this household possesses a happy feeling of affection and closeness with each other.

Karl Toko Ekambi Family Origin:

First, the forward has two nationalities – he is French and Cameroonian. Regarding Karl Toko Ekambi’s Origin (from a French point of view), he is from the 13th arrondissement of Paris. There are over 180,000 Parisians living in this part of Paris – as shown on the map.

Karl Toko Ekambi’s Ethnicity:

The footballer, just like Kylian Mbappe and Samuel Umtiti, is a Franco-Cameroonian. Both of Karl Toko Ekambi’s parents are Cameroonians.

In order to secure a better life for their kids, Jean Valentin (Karl’s late Dad) ensured he raised his family (mostly his children) in France.

Regarding Karl Toko Ekambi’s tribe (from his Cameroonian ancestry), our research points to the Bantu language.

Simply put, Bantu speakers dominate Cameroon. They are found in most Cameroonian villages, including that of Toko Ekambi.

This map portrays Karl Toko Ekambi’s family roots. As observed, Bantu dominate other Cameroonian tribes.

Aside from the names mentioned earlier, there are more footballers with Cameroonian Family origins you probably don’t know about. Popular among them are Anthony Elanga (RW), Aurelien Tchouameni (DM), Bryan Mbeumo (RW), William Saliba (CB) and the Legendary Joel Matip.

Karl Toko Ekambi Education:

When the time got right, his parents enrolled him at one of the 13th arrondissement of Paris’ schools.

Karl Toko created a balance between his education and his hobbies. Even while schooling, he trusted in his inner talent to make it as both a footballer and rapper.

About his fight to concentrate on his education, Karl Toko Ekambi once made a statement. He explained how his youth was between school, football, and music. In his words,

To be honest with you, playing football and rapping was entertainment more than anything, including going to school.

Did you know that becoming a professional footballer led Karl Toko Ekambi to abandon his baccalaureate? For those who might not be familiar, the baccalaureate is an exam that qualifies successful candidates for higher education. According to the Cameroonian forward, this was a pivotal decision in his career.

I had football and rapping abilities, but, to be honest, I didn’t like going to school.

Again, I wasn’t planning anything to do after school. If I did, I would have been an engineer.

Career Buildup:

To lay the foundation for his football and music careers, Karl applied self-management. About three times a week, he visited the music studio. On the other hand, playing football happens every day. Finally, going to school was also every day, except on holidays.

Football started in Karl Toko’s Paris neighbourhood. In his quest to become a professional, he found the need to belong to a recognized football academy. Also, Karl felt he had too much neighbourhood street football. In a quest for something formal, he joined Paris FC.

Karl Toko Ekambi Biography – Football Story:

A family friend named Keita was the one who advised him to try out Paris FC. This academy location is just four tram stops away from where Karl Toko Ekambi’s parents lived. The academy changed Karl’s character, making him more serious in his career pursuits.

Karl Toko Ekambi always had high confidence and a very tough mentality on the field. His great strength was speed, which he often used to score tons of goals and provide assists.

Karl rose through Paris FC academy ranks, helping them achieve this among other honours.

Road to Fame Story:

A very successful Paris FC youth career came to a conclusion in the year 2010. Not long after graduation, Karl Toko Ekambi began firing goals (left, right and centre) for the club’s senior side. After hitting 21 goals, he began arousing the interest of several Ligue 2 clubs.

After consulting his family and advisers, the youngster chooses Sochaux. With The Yellow and Blues, his goal-scoring form continued. Karl scored 25 goals before deciding he needed another challenge. Now, with a new club, Angers, he found the back of the net – 24 times. Karl Toko Ekambi had a lot of hype surrounding his name during his years with Angers.

National team call and choosing the Spanish League:

Thanks to being on consistent form, some fans of his believed a French call could come his way. However, having the likes of Giroud, Alexandre Lacazette (CF), Nabil Fekir (AM), Antoine Griezmann (CF), Karim Benzema (CF), and Martial in the French squad prevented any space for Karl Toko Ekambi to fill in.

Because of a lack of call interest from the French football federation, Karl Toko decided to honour a Cameroonian call. In 2015 (precisely June 6th), he represented his parents’ nation for the first time.

With an absolute top form for both club and country, Toko Ekambi saw more football job offers. This time, Brighton from England was ready to double his wages. The Cameroon striker declined, insisting he preferred going to a Spanish club.

Karl Toko Ekambi Biography – Success Story:

Villarreal CF used the profits from their sale of Samu Castillejo and Rodri to purchase Karl and Spanish striker Gerard Moreno. Both footballers, alongside Carlos Bacca and Samuel Chukwueze, formed a formidable forward partnership that led to many goals.

Thanks to his bravery in front of goal, Karl Toko Ekambi helped Villarreal reach the Europa League quarter-finals. Also, he became La Liga Player of the Month for October 2019.

The truth is, the Cameroon Baller was such a BEST for the Yellow Submarines. After making a big name for himself with Villarreal, Toko Ekambi accepted a permanent move to Lyon. With the Les Gones, he partnered well with Memphis Depay. Thanks to his powerful goal and assists, everyone stood up for Karl Toko Ekambi – in his admiration.

Success Story with the Indomitable Lions:

Way back before joining Villarreal, Toko Ekambi had witnessed a meteoric rise in the Cameroonian national team. The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations was a tournament he would never forget – even after retirement.

In that tournament, Ekambi’s Cameroon defeated Sadio Mane’s Senegal in the quarter-final. Then, another win to Andre Ayew‘s Ghana in the Semi-Finals. Finally, Mohamed Salah‘s Egypt suffered a loss to his Indomitable Lion side in the finals.

FIFA World Cup:

On December 11, 2021, football legend Samuel Eto’o was elected President of the Cameroon Football Federation. His well-deserved appointment signalled the start of exciting new developments for football in his beloved country.

Cameroon’s journey to the greatest sports tournament began when she hosted the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Vincent Aboubakar, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Karl Toko Ekambi were the leading figures in the Cameroonian front line that impressed football fans.

Truth be told, the hype surrounding Toko Ekambi is no fluke. Here is a highlight of his brilliant goal-scoring displays in Cameroonian colours.

In the AFCON 2021 tournament, Ekambi’s five goals made him the second-highest scorer behind Vincent Aboubakar’s eight goals. Cameroon’s Third-place finish in the tournament led to some key changes. For example, the sack of the country’s coach, Toni Conceicao.

The Algeria Story:

The appointment of the “Big Chief” (Rigobert Song) increased the confidence levels of the Indomitable Lions in the quest to secure a 2022 World Cup place.

Did you know?… Karl Toko Ekambi became the saviour of his country – thanks to his 124th-minute goal against Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria.

Here is the highlight of his goal that saw the qualification of Cameroon to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Every person born to a Cameroonian father or mother would NOT FORGET this great match.

The rest of Karl Toko Ekambi’s Biography, as we always say, is now history. Having told you his career story, we’ll use the next section to unveil facts about his girlfriend turned wife.

Karl Toko Ekambi Wife and Son:

Regarding his relationship status, the striker is not single. Karl Toko Ekambi is a married man. Just like many black footballers from Africa, Karl took a white lady for his wife. Here is a photo of Karl Toko Ekambi’s wife, including his son. As of 2022, he has no daughter.

Before 2018, the Cameroonian has kept his relationship life private. There was no clue whether he was married and no information about his children. However, the world got to know about Karl Toko Ekambi’s wife during the 2018 Prix Marc-Vivien Foé award ceremony.

In case you don’t know, the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé was made in honour of the late Marc-Vivien Foé. The organizers gave this award to the best Ligue 1 player who represents any African team. Karl Toko Ekambi’s family were proud to see him receive it in 2018.

Did you know?… There are few footballers who have won the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé award in the past. Notable names are Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pépé (Lille), Victor Osimhen (CF), André Ayew, Sofiane Boufal. Did you know?… the striker is the first Cameroonian winner of the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé award.

Personal Life away from career activities:

Away from football, who is Karl Toko Ekambi?

Karl Toko Ekambi’s Facts – Unveiling his Personal Life.

Although he appears like an extrovert, the Cameroon star is quite a homebody. Karl Toko is the type of guy who rarely goes to the cinema or restaurant. Ironically, he was more of an outdoor person when he was a kid. Karl Toko Ekambi once said this about his indoor life.

We don’t control what’s outside, but we can control what’s at home. Because of that, I prefer to stay at home.

Two words (“humble and natural”) are best used to describe Karl Toko Ekambi’s personality. He is someone who laughs with everyone and smiles at the time. When Karl has problems, nobody gets aware of it. He just smiles, even when things aren’t going well with him.

Karl believes he is not friends with everyone. When he is with his teammates, he gets very respectful because he believes football is an adventure. Also, he feels the need to live the beautiful game of football to the fullest. In his words;

When I have something difficult to say to a colleague, I’m not going to lie, I tell him directly. I just open up even if what I say can get a little bad or confusing.

Also, I can’t have a bad mood for someone for a week. I can’t because I’m going to say something – with hopes of bringing peace. The truth is, I’ll tell him right away, and it’s settled for me.

The Origin of Karl Toko Ekambi Music Career:

In his early years, the footballer belonged to a music group called MZ. Karl never used the name his parents gave him on the music stage. Rather, he used the stage name “MC Loka”.

Other stage names in his MZ raping group were Hache-P, Jok’Air and Dehmo. This group of friends began their music careers in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. For Karl Toko, the idea of raping began fully when he was ten years old (before his teenage years).

Did you know?… Karl Toko Ekambi’s brother (who is also into music) gave him his motivation for rapping. Early on, Karl Toko was more into freestyling. He used that to make a name for himself in his 13th arrondissement of Paris neighbourhood.

Back then (in the 1990s), there was this Paris-Marseille rivalry in terms of raping and football. Such feat gave rise to young French boys involved in this rapping culture. Karl Toko’s music group, MZ, which formed in the early 2000s, dissolved in the year 2017.

Karl Toko Ekambi Lifestyle:

The Cameroonian striker isn’t the type who uses his social media platform to showcase his wealth. Also, to gain self-satisfaction, he talks about his achievements. By implication, Karl Toko Ekambi lives a humble lifestyle, one that is noticeable in his modest personality.

Karl Toko Ekambi Car:

Many footballers love high-performance vehicles – and that is an honest fact. Karl Toko Ekambi is not an exception as we’ve pictured him test-driving what looks like his newly gifted MG MARVEL R electric SUV.

Toko Ekambi’s car came as a gift to him from Olympique Lyonnais. The MG Marvel R is a luxurious, spacious, compact electric SUV that costs around €40,000.

Karl Toko Ekambi Family Facts:

Members of his household (his Wife, Mum, Child, Brother, Sister) remain the most important in his life, and everything else comes second for the striker. In this section, we’ll tell you Facts about Karl Toko Ekambi’s Family, starting with his Late Dad.

About Karl Toko Ekambi’s Father:

Before his death, Jean Valentin Toko Ekambi played the role of both protector, provider, and disciplinarian. He taught Karl the ability to face adversity with courage and the freedom to enjoy his football and music dreams.

Karl Toko Ekambi’s Dad died on a sad Monday, the 18th day of January 2021. After some underlying illness, the father of three went for a medical evaluation. Research has it Karl Toko Ekambi’s Dad died while in the hospital.

The Cameroonian striker, after the sudden death of his father, lost his form on the pitch. In his words;

We were leaders in January, and I was prolific. Sadly, I could not reproduce these performances afterwards. It has not been a truly easy year for me, really not. A true try for me. I…in the memory of my father, know I had to move on”

About Karl Toko Ekambi’s Mother:

Great African women have produced successful footballers, and this woman isn’t an exception. Karl Toko Ekambi’s Mum is a widow and a working miracle. For the striker, his life began with waking up and loving my mother’s beautiful face.

The striker spent a great deal of time with his mother (consoling her) following the death of their family’s head. It was a heavy burden Mrs Ekambi had to bear, and that was why (at that time) she wanted her son to be by her side.

Karl Toko Ekambi Siblings:

From the 13th arrondissement of Paris, his brother and sisters (pictured below) laid the foundation of their future. Karl Toko is a carbon copy of his sister, while his older brother looks a lot different. Based on findings, Toko’s big brother guided his early music career.

Untold Facts:

As we conclude Karl Toko Ekambi’s Biography, we’ll use this final section to unveil more truths about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Karl Toko Ekambi Net Worth:

With more than twelve years of pro football experience, it is fair to say he has made quite a lot of money in football. To calculate his net worth, we first look at Karl Toko Ekambi’s salary with Lyon. Also, we’ll take into consideration Toko’s endorsement deals and bonuses. Karl Toko Ekambi’s Net Worth is approximately 12.5 million Euros as of 2024.

Comparing his Salary to the average Cameroonian:

In Karl Toko Ekambi’s parents’ country, the average Cameroonian citizen makes around 460,000 XAF per month. Did you know?… Such an average citizen would need 88 years to make Karl Toko Ekambi’s weekly salary of 40,560,321 francs.

Karl Toko Ekambi FIFA Facts:

When it comes to his abilities, the French Cameroonian lacks only two things. Aggression and Interceptions are his weaknesses in game mode. Karl Toko Ekambi’s FIFA profile is very much comparable to Breel Embolo and Tammy Abraham when it comes to his abilities.

Judging by his stats and real-life abilities, Karl Toko Ekambi still has nearly everything that a forward needs. The Baller’s style of play reminds us of Emmanuel Adebayor and Salomon Kalou, the Ex-Côte d’Ivoire forward.

Karl Toko Ekambi’s Religion:

The Cameroonian striker is a Christian who believes that God is behind the successes in his career. In fact, members of his Karl Toko Ekambi family are devout Christians who take religion seriously. As part of his personality, Karl keeps his religious practice private.

EndNote:

Karl Toko Ekambi was born to his parents – his late Father (Jean Valentin Toko Ekambi) and Mother (Mrs Jean Valentin Toko Ekambi). He spent his childhood years alongside his older brother and younger sister. Karl grew up in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, France.

Although born in France, Karl Toko Ekambi’s family has Cameroon as their ancestral country. Also, as his nationality – thanks to his Bantu origins. Despite being born in France, he chooses to represent the country of his parents, grandparents, and forefathers.

Playing football and rapping were his greatest hobbies as a child and his two choices of profession. Early on, Karl Toko Ekambi’s parents never liked their son’s choices. Ben Decca, his Godfather, intervened. He convinced Karl’s parents to accept the boy’s dreams.

With proper family support, Karl Toko began his two careers on solid footing. The youngster rose through the academy ranks of Paris FC – as their best academy graduate. On the senior level, Karl has Ligue 2, Prix Marc-Vivien Foé and La Liga honours to his name.

Among all moments of his career, the greatest would be his time with the Indomitable Lions. Toko helped them win the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. Next came the 2021 African Cup of Nations bronze and scoring the goal that got Cameroon to the 2022 World Cup. At the time of writing, the retired Cameroonian international moved on to the Saudi Pro League in his quest to continue his footballing success with goals.

Appreciation Note:

Dear esteemed fans, we thank you for taking the time to read our version of Karl Toko Ekambi’s biography. We care about accuracy and fitness while delivering you the stories of Cameroonian Footballers, those classified as Football Elites.

Please reach us (via comments) if you notice anything that doesn’t look right in Ekambi’s Bio. We encourage you to stay tuned for more African Football Stories. Lastly, please tell us (via comments) what you think about Karl and his amazing story.