Georges Lapassade was a French philosopher, anthropologist and professor emeritus of the universite de Paris VIII. He is one of the most prominent figures of French anthropology and ethnology.
He was also the first anthropologist to study rap music as a social phenomenon.
He wrote numerous studies about ancient and modern mind-altering states (in particular trance), North African and Afro-American cultures, South Italy's taranta, inspired by Ernesto De Martino studies.