French hip hop
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French hip hop or commonly French rap (French: rap français, [ʁap fʁɑ̃sɛ]), is the hip hop music style developed in French-speaking countries. France is the second largest hip-hop market in the world after the United States.[1][2]
History
Beginning of French hip hop: the 70s and 80s
By 1982 and 1983, a number of hip hop radio shows had appeared on Paris radio, including "Rapper Dapper" (hosted by
The first major star of French hip hop was MC Solaar. Born Claude M'Barali in Dakar, Senegal, he moved as a child to France in 1970 and lived in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. His 1991 album, Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo, was a major hit. The European Music Office's report on Music in Europe said that the French language was well-suited for rapping. He set many records, including being the first French hip hop recording artist to go platinum. Some artists claim that the French language hip hop style was influenced by the music of French singer Renaud.[4]
Following MC Solaar's breakthrough, two broad styles emerged within the French hip hop scene; artists such as Solaar, Dee Nasty, and
Influence of American hip-hop
French hip-hop, like hip-hop in other countries, is highly influenced by American hip-hop. Columnist
Francophone rap was given a boost in the early 21st century by a decision of the French ministry of culture, which insisted that French-language stations play a minimum of 40 percent of French-language music during transmission.[7]
This makes up one quarter of the radio's top 100, ten percent of local music production and has sold hundreds of thousands of CDs.[8] French hip hop, however, is often criticized for imitating American hip hop style. French rapper MC Solaar agrees sarcastically, saying, "French rap is pretty much a U.S. branch office... we copy everything, don't we? We don't even take a step back."[8]
Parts of American hip-hop culture have left a mark on the culture of French hip-hop as well in terms of fashion, clothing, music videos, jewelry, sounds and other things. Hip-hop culture was imported from America, especially with the influence of New York rappers and the music that came out of New York.[9]
The 1990s and 2000s
Through the 1990s, the music grew to become one of the most popular genres in France; in 1997,
As hip hop moved into a new millennium, French hip hop artists developed rapidly, seeing commercial success, and even some international appeal. One of the most influential French hip hop albums of all time, Cinquième As, was released by MC Solaar in 2001. At the same time, new artists like Sinik and Diam's began to see significant success, as well, bringing a new sound and genre of lyrical prowess to the game.[9]
Themes
Themes in French hip hop include opposition to the social order, humor and puns, as well as ethnic and cultural identity. Whereas early French hip hop was seen as mimicking American hip hop in terms of aesthetic appeal, later French rappers added their own cultural and ethnic identities to the mix. With the rise of IAM's pharaoism, or allusions to ancient Egyptian pharaohs, the French hip hop artists are seen attempting to negotiate and create a space for themselves in a social scene rife with discrimination and racist ideologies.
French hip hop can be defined by two major categories or subgenres: hip-hop from the north, mainly centered around major cities like Paris and its suburbs, and hip-hop from the south which focuses around cities like Marseille. The different social climates in the regions make the two subgenres distinct from one another. Lyrics from the south tend to be more socially conscious, with content mainly focusing on the fight against discrimination. Rappers from the south of France are known to tell the 'cold reality' of life in France. In the north, however, content tends to be more straightforward, with rappers typically talking about the drug trade, gang wars, ghetto life and clashes with the police, etc.
Many of the French hip hop artists come from the poor urban areas on the outskirts of large cities known as
French hip hop has been political in its history as well. Hip-hop in France owes its success to a strong social demand for it. Historically, France adopted a series of hostile policy against immigrant families. For example, a contentious debate is currently being fought out in the political realm as to whether or not
The protest at the heart of French hip-hop can be traced directly to the economic boom following World War II. France required manpower to sustain its newly booming industries and the governmental solution was the mass
Relationship with Africa and the Caribbean
When hip-hop reached the European continent in the 1980s Afrika Bambaataa was an early pioneer, and when he came to France he was overwhelmed by the great importance of African culture coming from Africa and the Caribbean.[11][12]
Many French hip hop artists express strong ties to Africa, though not overtly. Rappers from the 1980s and 90s needed to keep their references to Africa subtle for a few reasons. First, explicitly praising Africa would have been offensive to the many immigrants who fled Algeria and other North African countries because of the economic adversity they faced there, and many rappers probably had parents who had done so. Also, obvious Afrocentrism would have provided the French anti-Maghrebi extreme right with an opportunity to tell Maghrebi immigrants to return to North Africa. And finally, rising conservative Islamism in North Africa would have prevented rappers from being able to imitate their behavior in their native land.[13]
The progress of rap in France is associated with the postcolonial relationships founded with former colonies of Africa and the Caribbean. Therefore, the definition of Africa according to French ideas, and the nature of racism in French society is crucial to understanding the reason for the hip hop and rap sensation in France. Rappers are overwhelmingly of African descent, and in tackling the issue of their invisibility in French society and declaring their origins, they redefine their identity and defy French notions of ethnicity and citizenship.[10]
Some French hip hop artists of African origin have used their music to address challenges and issues that cause poverty in African nations. The French hip hop group Bisso Na Bisso's song "Dans la peau d'un chef" refers to the corruption of African heads of state.
Specifically,
IAM also incorporates images associated with ancient Egypt. Several group members assumed names reflective of this influence. For example, IAM member Eric Mazel goes by the name
The
Today, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and it's global diaspora, especially in Belgium and France has brought about some of the largest and fastest growing French-language rap singers. Traditional Congolese music including in the local Lingala language has become popular globally including by artists with Congolese origin such as Tiakola, Dadju, Damso, and GIMS all of which have worked with Congolese singer, Fally Ipupa.
French Antilles hip hop
The French Antilles hip hop is a style of
Sidney Duteil (born Patrick Duteil in 1955 in Argenteuil, Val-d'Oise), better known as Sidney, is a French musician, rapper, DJ, television and radio[17] host, and occasional actor of Guadeloupean origin. He is well known in France for his connection with the beginnings of the French hip hop scene.
Language
Although hip hop in France has been greatly influenced by American hip hop culture, the lyrics remain typically in French.
French hip hop stands out for its "flowing, expressive tones of the language [that] give it a clear identity within the rap world."[21] In many French rap songs, verlan is used which is a slang that twists words by reversing and recombining them.[6] This makes it difficult for even French speaking listeners to understand what the MC is saying. Even though it is difficult at times to understand completely the lyrics that are being said rappers still get the heat for causing violence and disturbance within society because of their intense message of rebelling against the system.
It is said that one of the most interesting points about French rap is the idea that "poetry and philosophy are greatly esteemed in France, and that they're even more greatly esteemed in French."[8]
Like much of the hip hop from the United States, many French hip hop artists use the genre to address pressing social issues. The authors of "Arab Noise and Ramadan Nights:
As France has embraced hip hop, they put a huge emphasis on the lyrics. They love to sing about love and poetry, and they also love to rap in French dialect. The French government has a mandate that 40 percent of the music played on the radio must be in French.[8] Hip hop is a way for artists to express these feelings. More precisely, a hip hop built of French language lyrics laid on top of traditional break beats and samples.[11]
Influence on pop culture
The image of the
Such as much of the rap and hip hop in the United States talks about money, women, guns, etc., rap in France is also somewhat following this path. Yet, many artists still rap about their ties to Africa, culture, and sending out important messages. However, hip hop in France is taking on the same image as hip hop in the United States. It's changed to talking about gang-banging and other illegal activities. Not only in France, but in many African countries, French hip hop is played and heard. "The images, modes and attitudes of hip-hop and gangsta rap are so powerful they are having a hegemonic effect across the globe."[6]
Breakdancing
The break-dancing scene in France is widespread, and some French B-boys are well known for taking part in competitions such as BOTY. Two of the most well-known crews from France are the Vagabonds and the Pockemon, as both of them won the BOTY.[23][24]
References
- Krümm, Philippe and Jean-Pierre Rasle. "Music of the Regions". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 103–113. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
- "La Danse sensuelle du Hip Hop Français". Lumpen. Retrieved 23 August 2005.
- ^ Oliver, Michael (22 April 2020). "'You're not welcome': rap's racial divide in France". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "Hip-Hop à la Française". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Meghelli, Samir (2012). Between New York and Paris: Hip Hop and the Transnational Politics of Race, Culture, and Citizenship. Ph.D. Dissertation, Columbia University. pp. 54–108.
- ISBN 978-1-136-18369-0.
- ^ Brooks, David (10 November 2005). "Gangsta, in French". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Rosen, Jody (10 November 2005). "David Brooks vs. gangsta rap". Slate. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
- ^ Mitchell, Tony Global Noise Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, Connecticut 2001 (page 12)
- ^ a b c d Schwartz, Mark. "Planet Rock: Hip Hop Supa National." In The Vibe History of Hip-hop, ed. Alan Light, 361-72. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999.
- ^ a b c d "France". The Hiphop Archive. 2 November 1945. Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Helenon, Veronique. "Africa on Their Mind: Rap, Blackness, and Citizenship in France." In The Vinyl Ain’t Final: Hip Hop and the Globalization of Black Popular Culture, ed. by Dipannita Basu and Sidney J. Lemelle, 151-66. London; Ann Arbor, Michigan: Pluto Press. April 20, 2006
- ^ a b Beau, Marie-Agnès (September 1996). "Hip Hop and Rap in Europe. The culture of the urban ghetto's". European Music Office. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
- ISSN 1835-4432.
Initially reflecting the pervasive fears, concerns, and muted aspirations of African-American and Hispanic 'ghetto youth' in New York City's South Bronx of the 1970s, hip-hop has been disseminated around the world during the last few decades.
- ^ Prevos, Andre J.M. "The Evolution of French Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture in the 1980s and 1990s." The French Review. Vol. 69, No. 5 (Apr., 1996) pp. 713-725.
- ^ "Africanhiphop.com Africanhiphop". Archived from the original on 22 March 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
- ^ "Yo La La!" The French Rap Hip Hop Podcast. 19 March 2008
- ^ RFI Musique - - Biography - IAM Archived 2008-03-17 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Boisseau, Rosita (4 June 2004). "SIDNEY, ambassadeur du hip-hop" (fee required). Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 22 May 2008.
L'animateur de l'émission « Rapper, Dapper, Snapper », sur Radio 7 en 1982, et de « Hip-hop »
- ^ a b Prevos, Andre J. M. "Postcolonial Popular Music in France: Rap Music and Hip-Hop Culture in the 1980s and 1990s." In Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA, 39-56. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2001.
- ^ Beau, Marie-Agnes. "Hip Hop and Rap in Europe." 1999. March 20, 2008
- ^ Meghelli, Samir. "Interview with Youcef (Intik)." In The Global Cipha: Hip Hop Culture and Consciousness, ed. by James G. Spady, H. Samy Alim, and Samir Meghelli. 656-67. Philadelphia: Black History Museum Publishers, 2006.
- ^ "Should hip hop take the rap for rioting?" Joe Muggs, Telegraph.co.uk 08/12/05
- ^ Gross, J: "Arab Noise and Ramadan Nights: Rai, Rap, and Franco-Maghrebi Identities", Anthropology of Globalization 3:1 page 20
- ^ "Pockemon Crew Battle of the Year 2012 France qualifier winners – results – All Street Dance".
- ^ "Battle of the Year World Finals: Vagabonds BOTY 2011 winners and results – All Street Dance". 20 November 2011.
Further reading
- Martínez, Isabelle Marc (2008). Le rap français: esthétique et poétique des textes (1990-1995) (in French). Peter Lang. ISBN 9783039114825.
- McCarren, Felicia (30 May 2013). French Moves: The Cultural Politics of Le Hip Hop. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199939978.
- Piolet, Vincent (2017). Regarde ta jeunesse dans les yeux. Naissance du hip-hop français 1980-1990 (in French). Le mot et le reste. ISBN 978-2360542901.
External links
- Rap in France - feature on French rap music