The Godfather Of French Rap Meets The Godmother Of American Hip Hop
One of the most atypical rapper can be credited for taking hip hop from a niche to a mainstream musical genre in France; MC Solaar is the opposite of every stereotype associated with rap music: very educated with a passion for the French language shared with his mother, a French professor; Solaar is poet who is responsible for many kids opening dictionaries to research his lyrics.
This is why one of the most revered female hip hop artists of the 90s, the unmistakable Missy Elliot asked him to contribute to her sophomore album, the groundbreaking Da Real World.
The Second Largest Hip Hop Market In the World
France and hip hop have a long history; its cultural impact on French pop culture is undeniable; this is the reason why France is not only the second biggest market for hip-hop, but it’s also now arguably the most prolific according to many.
From talking about social issues to infusing it with regional flavors be it the Celtic sounds of Brittany or La Reunion’s island warmth; the diversity and singularity of French hip hop is really hard to match.
From New York City To Orlywood
Suprême NTM is the band that defined the sound of Parisian rap, coming from La Seine Saint Denis, Kool Shen and Joey Starr laid down the foundations for what would become Orlywood, the cultural epicenter of Parisian urban culture, named in reference to Hollywood and Orly, Paris’ second airport.
Always rapping about social issues, they were the perfect fit to collaborate with NAS fresh out of his debut album which is considered by many one of the greatest albums of all time.
London’s Calling
It can come as a surprise to some that the UK isn’t as big as France when it comes to hip hop but the country’s hip hop scene simply doesn’t have the history or the cultural impact France had on the genre.
Outside of the UK, barely anyone knows who Dizzee Rascal, the British Jay Z, is; the most famous British hip hop acts are known for a gag song and for pretending to be American and being deported.
The Wu-Tang Clan Is Landing On Planet Marseille
The same way America has an East Coast and a West Coast hip hop culture that can be instantly differentiated, France has a rivalry between its capital, Paris and the Mediterranean city of Marseille. IAM is the one band that defined the sound of rap from the sunny south of France.
The Wu-Tang Clan being featured on a couple of tracks of IAM’s L’École du micro d’argent isn’t very surprising as the French band has never ceased to cite the American band as its model not only lyrically but also ethically; in many ways, both band have followed the same path and taken the conscious decision to stay away from the limelight.
The European Union Of Rap
Europe has a very interesting hip hop scene and even if some countries don’t have household names outside their countries, the people who were the first to rap in their homelands, are known by music aficionados who know how much the controversial Xavier Naidoo has contributed to the development of hip hop in Germany. Rap always finds a way; be it an Italian artist being featured on a video game soundtrack or a raunchy Polish artist shocking the very puritans viewers of one of the cheesiest talent show on the planet.
French Robots Make Everything Better
The most forward thinking American rappers have never shied away from working with some of the most talented electronic musicians on the planet; and when it comes to electronic music, French artists have always transcended boundaries of genres from St Germain signing with the legendary Jazz label, Blue Note, to the duo composed by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, Daft Punk who have always incorporated a lot of funk and hip hop in their musical compositions.
There is not a single collaboration between Daft Punk and a North American hip hop artist that hasn’t reached the top of the charts.
