The New French Rap Aesthetic
19 year old Parisian rapper Lean Chihiro modelling for streetwear brand Très Rasché
France is the world’s second largest hip hop market after the USA. But here in the UK and the US, many of us rap lovers have been too busy listening to our own homegrown sounds... I figured it’s thanks to the language barrier, but there is so much fresh talent in France - now more than ever before.
So this week I want to bridge that gap. To do so I spoke with Colas Lauriol, hip hop connoisseur from the South near Marseille. Get ready to be schooled on the new French rap aesthetic... on the sounds, its influences, and why there’s hope for the next generation. Oh, and with some dope new French rap tracks for your listening pleasure!
Hey Colas! Can you fill me in on old school french hip hop first? did you prefer the sound from the north or south?
Mostly I prefer Parisian rap from the North, because it reminds me of New York. It’s more underground... more savage. In the South the sound was more Latino rap or Gangsta rap. It’s a different culture in the South and North. But this was in the 90s: today is very different.
The old school classics in the French rap game are NTM (Nique Ta Mere a.k.a. Fuck Your Mother) and IAM. They’re kind of like the french equivalent of NWA and Public Enemy.
“The world is ours” - Shot from France’s classic political hip hop movie La Haine (Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995)
I was with my friend the other day who lived in Marseille. She said there isn’t as much of a hip hop scene there anymore?
I think Marseille was really famous in the 90s and early 2000s. But during the recession we got really poor in France, so it wasn’t until just at the start of 2010 that there was a rebirth.
We’re seeing a lot of new rappers and new unknown ones. Like 18 19 years old. Famous ones are like 23 24. Its crazy. So I think there is more space for anyone.
237 Undersea Gang: a new rap collective from Marseille
Why do you think that is?
The younger generation are very present on social media and streaming channels. More people can rap independently and there’s more inspiration. They don’t need a studio or a record label, so anyone can rap. There’s more scene and more visibility.
So do you think that the hip hop scene has expanded outside of Paris and Marseille?
Definitely! And this is more than just in France. Because Belgium and Switzerland are other French speaking countries. This is the most exciting. The last rapper who really shocked me were these Swiss guys (Makala). They have a totally uninhibited sound...
gen z grew up with instagram and snapchat. How else do you think young french rappers have been influenced?
Trap is a huge influence. But also there are a lot of Manga references too. A lot of movies and tv shows, not really politics. They are not really talking about this...
“It’s less serious and maybe they are less politically engaged than the old school. But there’s a lot of imagination”.
it seems like image is a big thing in this scene. How do you feel About the whole gen Z aesthetic?
Yeah, there are bad things and good things, but it’s the same for all generations. There’s some amazing talent coming out.
“But maybe now we're growing up, so we can see what the danger is for the new generation. It’s our eyes that are changing”.
So true!!! Are there postcode wars and rival gangs in France? In London it’s a big thing and lyrics can get caught very up in that...it can get dangerous.
Yeah there are gangs. But from my understanding, postcode rivalry in France is more common in football. It’s between Marseille and Paris - the same for 20 years.
So people are more friendly in the French rap scene?
Yeah I think so. It’s why I told you I've got hope for this generation. It seems less of a clash, people like working together. They just wanna rap with anyone. So it’s cool.
237 Undersea’s trap beats and heavy flows are paving the way for a new generation of Marseille rap
What do you think is most unique about french hip hop ?
I think it’s the way we play with words. Without sounding pretentious I think the French language is really rich and complex.
“A lot of our influence comes from the USA or the UK. So I think the language is what makes us unique... The sound of it, the different meanings of the same words”.
And we still have some more lyrically and politically engaged young rappers. Népal was my favourite “conscious” rapper. He was a real genius of words. Although sadly, he died just last month at the supposed age of 24…
Yes it is a beautiful language that sounds so sick in rap! Do you have any final comments about the new generation of french hip hop?
Personally I think newest is always the most exciting. Not always the best, but the most exciting. So I’m always waiting for the next one. Every new generation surprises me, and I have no judgement...
Want to learn more about the new French rap aesthetic? Watch this 2 minute documentary by Rinse France and New Era: