Vol. 4: Du Nord au Sud
French Rap beyond Paris and Marseille (Pt. 1)
En province, je suis Parisien (Hein), j’suis du 9.5 à Paris (À Paris)
On stoppera pas l’hémorragie banlieusarde, même avec l’oseille des Qataris
Lino in Grand Paris - Medine ft. Lartiste, Lino, Sofiane, Alivor, Seth Gueko, Ninho & Youssoupha
Speaking about rap in France means talking about Paris and its surrounding areas. Except for Marseille, the vast majority of French rappers are Parisians or residents of any of the other districts that comprise the Greater Paris area, which are Essonne (91), Hauts de Seine (92), Seine-Saint-Denis (93), Val de Marne (94), Val d'Oise (95), Yvelines (78), and Seine et Marne (77). This is not surprising given that the Greater Paris area accounts for about 20% of France's total population, with over 12 million inhabitants spread throughout all departments. What is more relevant to our concern is that 40% of the population is migrant or of migrant origin. Given that they are the genre's bulwark, it is only natural that the majority of rappers develop in the Paris area.
Furthermore, the country's political, economic, social, and cultural concentration around Paris hinders the development of other economic and cultural hotspots across the country. However, over the last decade, many other regions of France have begun to thrive in terms of rap output, with new and distinct scenes blooming around the country.
La France au rap français: mapping rap in France
This is not a comprehensive map of all French rappers and urban musicians because, at the moment, that would be a nearly impossible goal to complete given the surge of artists becoming renowned over the last decade. However, it is merely an exercise to try to discover all of the other regions where a burgeoning rap scene is blossoming, as well as its representatives and distinguishing styles. This mapping does not address the rap generated on French overseas territories in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean; that would be the subject of another publication.
Nord determiné
The northern region of France is primarily divided between the departments of Nord, Pas de Calais, Somme, and Seine-Maritime, which includes towns such as Lille, Calais, Amiens, Rouen, and Le Havre.
The first hub is the metropolitan region of Lille, Roubaix, and Tourcoing. This is a border territory with Belgium; thus, diversity and cultural interchange have existed for generations. Because of its closeness to the port of Dunkirk, the Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing area has recently served as an industrial hub for textile manufacturing as well as a logistical centre. The metropolitan area attracts a large number of suburban migrants seeking economic possibilities in a city where the cost of living is relatively low, but there are also concerns about unemployment and low income levels—approximately two-thirds of the national per capita average. The suburban areas of Roubaix and Tourcoing are the strongholds of rappers such as Zkr and Gradur.
Zkr is a Lille-born rapper of Tunisian and Moroccan descent. He first gained attention in 2018 when he launched his Freestyle 5 minute series, which has now reached number 13. That same year, he released his first EP, Absent. He became well-known in the scene as early as 2020, working with artists such as Koba LaD and Da Uzi. In 2021, he released his debut studio album, Dans les mains, which was certified platinum in June 2023. From then on, he appeared in the works of various artists, like Maes, Nessbeal, RK, Guy2Bezbar, Alonzo, and Fresh La Douille. In 2022, he published his second album, Caméleon, which was reissued in 2023 with additional tracks. Following a hiatus, he recently released the mixtape Mode Opératoire Vol. 1. His style is defined by his street attitude, the necessity to preserve his street credibility, and the desire to rehabilitate himself following his time in prison. In fact, it is his authenticity in describing real-life events, combined with his dedication to freestyle, aggressive flows, and rapping à l'ancienne while also being able to innovate, that has earned him recognition in the scene.
Gradur might already be considered an established personality in the French rap scene. The rapper of Congolese descent began piercing in 2014 with a series of freestyles called “Sheguey”. In 2014, he released the mixtape ShegueyVara, which was followed by ShegueyVara 2, which featured appearances by Niska, Alonzo, Lacrim, Booba, Black M, Jul, and Nekfeu, as well as hits like “Rosa”. He released his debut album, L'homme au bob, in 2015, followed by his second, Where is l'album de Gradur?, in 2016. From there, he became a regular contributor to other artists, producing a number of singles each year and evolving into a more commercial style influenced by African sounds, Afro-beat, and lyrics about love, relationships, and money aimed at a wider audience. In 2019, he published his third album Zone 59, which has collaborations with key characters in the scene such as Ninho, Niska, Naza, Koba LaD, Alonzo, GIMS, Dadju, and Heuss L'Enfoiré on the hit "Ne reviens pas".
Our second trip will be Amiens, where we will meet the eccentric Naza. He rose to prominence after signing with Youssoupha's label, Bomayé Muzik, in 2015. Since then, he has maintained a tight friendship with KéBlack. Both rappers have collaborated on a number of chart-topping hits. Until now, he has released four albums and two mixtapes that have established him in the scene, featuring major artists such as Heuss L'Enfoiré, Niska, SCH, Koba LaD, Hornett La Frappe, and Da Uzi, among others, in addition to performing on the collective album Le Classico Organisé. His approach is distinguished by African rhythms, romantic lyrics, and melodic beats.
Finally, we'll stop in Le Havre, Médine's base. Since the publication of his debut album in 2004, he has been a symbol of rap engagé (committed rap). His second album, Jihad, le plus grand combat est contre soi-même, paved the way for the type of music he intended to offer: hard, combative, clear, and devoid of euphemisms, describing the sociopolitical reality of modern France as well as global issues such as Arab colonialism. Since then, he has released eight albums, three EPs, and four mixtapes, including notable singles such as “Don't Panik”, “Don't Laïk”, “Protest Song”, “Le bruit qui pense”, “Gaza Soccer Beach”, “Grand Paris”, and “Bataclan”, among others. His lyrics do not spare anyone from criticism, raising his voice to protect the underprivileged, and calling out the paradoxes of French society. Musically, he has shifted from more boom bap sounds to trap beats, but his style remains distinct, and any other French rapper, whether old school, young talent, commercial stars, or the darkest drillers, will be proud to share a song with him. Being outspoken has not come without consequences, as the right-wing has made him the focus of hate campaigns, as evidenced by the cancellation of his concert at the Bataclan, the site of the terrible atrocities in 2015. In addition, around Medine, a Havroise scene has arisen, with exponents such as Brav', Index, Pirate, Ali B, or MALTI, among others.
Rising west
In Brest, we meet the quirky Lorenzo. He began his career in 2016 by publishing comical songs on YouTube and becoming known for his tune Freestyle du sale. The same year, he released his first album Empereur du sale. On the scene, he goes by the surname “empereur du sale”. Since then, he's produced three more albums: Rien à branler in 2018, Sex in the City in 2019, and Légende vivante in 2022, as well as collaborations with other musicians including Heuss l'Enfoiré and Vladimir Cauchemar. His quirkiness is evident on numerous occasions, such as the release of his album Sex in the City, when CDs were sold at FNAC with a condom. In his last album, he released 68 31-second tracks before Spotify removed them. His style is defined by a nasal voice, and his lyrics contain misogynistic and sexual undertones.
Moving south to Nantes, we encounter Coelho. The Nantois rose to prominence after appearing as a finalist on the Netflix series Nouvelle École. He had already begun his career some years before, working alongside his brother. He had already signed with Mezoued Recordz, which is owned by Tunisiano, a member of Sniper, prior to competing in the programme. His style is defined by quiet beats laced with sincerity and polished lyrics that express his state of mind, however he may switch between hip hop, jazz, R'n'B, and even disco sounds, as shown in his single “Allo Mon Fréro”.
Our final trip will be at Angers, where we find DA Uzi. The rapper of Congolese heritage began piercing in 2017 with a series of freestyles titled La D en personne. That same year, he joined with Warner Music's Rec 118 label and recorded some collaborations with Maes and Ninho, which helped propel his career forward. In 2019, he released his EP Mexico and a series of freestyles called WeLaRue, which paved the way for his first album, Architecte, in 2020. This work made him known in the scene, resulting in the publication of his second album Vrai 2 Vrai in 2021, followed by Le chemin des braves in 2022, where he appeared with artists such as Nekfeu, Heuss l'Enfoiré, Soso Maness, ZKR, MHD and Freeze Corleone, among others. His lyrics are distinguished by their authenticity, as he portrays his daily life, struggles, and hardships on the street with a heavy dose of realism and rawness. His harsh voice and technique of rhyming while shouting make him appear "crazy" or "possessed" on the mic, lending him a distinct touch.
Rap de campagne
From the Atlantic coast, we'll head into the heart of France: la campagne. Our first trip will be Alençon, the hometown of award-winning rapper Orelsan. Orelsan began his career in the 2000s, using online sites like as MySpace, until piercing in 2008 with the single “Changement”. His debut album, Perdu d'avance, published in 2009, was a triumph. In 2011, he published his second album, Le Chant des Sirènes, which earned him two Victoires de la musique. He experimented with television and film before returning to rap in 2017. In 2021, he released his fourth album, Civilisation, which was certified diamond. Orelsan has 15 Victoires de la musique accolades, making him one of the few rap musicians to do so. He is a representative of what has been referred to as alternative rap and rap engagé, despite some controversy around claims of misogyny and racism for his tune “Sale Pute”.
We'll head to Blois, the small town where Niro grew up. The rapper of Moroccan ancestry began his career in 2009, when he performed on the mixtape Talents fâchés alongside TLF, Black Kent, and Leck. Since then, his career took off thanks to features on Booba's mixtape Autopsie Vol. 4 and collaborations with Rim'K and Sadek. He released the street album Paraplégique in 2012 and the mixtape Rééducation in 2013, before releasing his debut album Miraculé in 2014, which prompted him to play at the Bataclan that same year. Since then, he has released nine additional albums, including his last, Taulier, in 2023, which was reedited. Niro is a member of the late 2000s rapper generation, which includes artists like as Lacrim, Dosseh, and Sofiane, among others, and serves as a bridge between the old and new generations, having collaborated with the vast majority of French rappers. His style may be described as hardcore, although he also does trap and world music as necessary. His lyrics are well-known for their high level of sophistication, which includes oxymorons, chiasms, and metaphors that precisely portray his character's complexity.
Our next destination will be in Vierzon, Josman's hometown. The rapper of Congolese and Angolan heritage began his career at a young age. In 2013, he became the youngest rapper to win one of the most prominent freestyle rap competitions, the End of the Weak, after moving to Paris to study baccalaureates. Then he continued to participate in more contests and released some mixtapes. In 2016, he released his single “Dans le vide”, which helped him get greater recognition. In 2018, he released his first album, J.O.$., which was certified platinum in 2021. Since then, he's released two mixtapes and four albums, including Split in 2020, M.A.N. in 2022, and J.000.$ in 2023. His approach is distinguished by the merging of diverse musical styles, rather than focusing solely on rap, and the development of his own style, far from existing norms, which led him to receive the prize for best song of the year 2023 in Les Flammes for the intro to his album M.A.N.
Part 1 of our journey concludes in Orleans, where we will meet Vegedream. He began his career in 2017 as a part of the group La Synesia and is best known for his track “Ramenez la coupe à la maison”, which was released after France won the World Cup in 2018. Then he went solo in 2018 with his debut mixtape, Marchand de sable. His success prompted him to collaborate with famous singers as Damso, Dadju, Ninho, KeBlack, RK, and Alonzo. In 2019, he released his debut album, Ategban, and in 2022, he released his second studio album, La Boîte de Pandora, which featured collaborations with Naps, Zaho, M. Pokoro, Heuss l'Enfoiré and Tayc. His music is heavily influenced by his Ivorian heritage, with danceable lyrics that are not particularly deep. He has discovered a niche in creating commercial music, particularly for football games.
Now listen to it!
In our upcoming issue…
Vol. 4. Du Nord au Sud: French Rap beyond Paris and Marseille (Pt. 2)