Vol. 5. Existing is resisting
Politics and French Rap
J'suis à deux doigts de quitter ce pays
Qui n'a pour nous que du mépris
Ils n'aiment pas ce que j'crois, ce que j'dis, ce que j'suis
Mais veulent la moitié de ce que j'ai pris
Je ne plaisante pas - Kery James
French rappers have long warned against rising racism and discrimination targeting non-native French citizens. For years, they have consistently denounced the growing influence of the extreme right, a stance that was particularly evident during the last legislative elections when many artists publicly opposed right-wing extremism.
The rise of the far right in France has not spared rap. A stark example was the backlash against Aya Nakamura’s rumored performance at the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony. Extremists displayed a banner reading, “There is no way Aya, this is not the market of Bamako,” attacking her Blackness, African origins, and perceived lack of Frenchness. This incident is just one among many highlighting the increasing hostility faced by racialized artists in France.
Sadly, this situation is just one of many that are becoming the daily breadth in the Hexagon. In the past months we have heard historical heavy-weights of French rap like Sinik - in an interview - and Kery James - as the opening quote of this article shows - publicly declaring that it is impossible for any French of Arab and African heritage to live in France anymore.
Qui peut prétendre faire du rap sans prendre position?
Qu'est-ce qu'on attend pour foutre le feu ?
Trop tard pour être pessimiste, face à la misère grandissante
Et la répression qui s'intensifie, ici la haine a remplacé le kiff
On nique la justice, on nique la police !
Qu’est-ce qu’on attend? - NTM
This now-iconic line from Arsenik’s “Boxe avec les mots,” later popularized by Youssoupha in “Menace de mort,” underscores rap's inherently political nature. Since its inception, French rap has tackled social and political issues head-on. In the 1990s, groups like NTM, IAM, La Scred Connexion, Ideal J, and Ministère AMER, among others, addressed police brutality, racism, and social inequality. The 2000s saw the rise of rap engagé artists like La Rumeur, Sniper, Kery James, Keny Arkana, and Oxmo Puccino, followed by Youssoupha, Médine, Orelsan, and Nekfeu in the 2010s.
But the engagement does not stop there. Even genres that might seem distant from political positioning, like trap and drill, have seen the emergence of artists with a strong political stance, such as Kalash Criminel and Freeze Corleone. These artists, while employing different musical styles, continue to infuse their lyrics with socio-political commentary. Most artists, if not constantly engaged, will take sides on specific issues, such as the ongoing genocides in Palestine and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the treatment of migrants and refugees, and more. Many have expressed their political positions through social media, signing public manifestos, releasing singles, or collaborating with civil society organizations, showcasing their commitment to global issues.
This is because, as stated above, rap is inherently political, even though many have tried to depoliticize it over the years. For those artists who are less publicly engaged, simply being a successful artist while being ethnically Arab, Black, or a migrant in today’s France is an act of resistance in itself. In a society where systemic racism and discrimination persist, their very existence and success challenge the status quo and inspire a new generation to continue the fight for equality and justice.
Don’t Panik: Rap as Public Enemy #1
On a les critiques imparables
D'une France qui oublie que les paroles de son hymne
Sont plus violentes que celles du gangsta rap
Je défends la cause des frères au Sud qui rêvassent du Nord
Mais ma liberté d'expression en chute est sous menace de mort
Ménace de mort - Youssoupha
Due to their vocal stance on issues affecting many in France, rappers have become prime targets for political leaders and media figures. They have been accused of being religious extremists, anti-Semites, and even of threatening national security or supporting terrorism. Politicians often use platforms such as social media, TV debates, and public performances to denounce rap, framing it as a challenge to social cohesion and national values, especially during election periods when divisive rhetoric can rally support.
Two notable cases exemplify this conflict: Médine and Freeze Corleone. Both artists have faced intense scrutiny, with critics accusing them of undermining national unity and promoting extremism. These attacks have led to public condemnations, parliamentary debates, and even calls for judicial intervention, underscoring the contentious relationship between politically engaged artists and French authorities.
Médine, a French-Algerian rapper, has used his music to critique racism, Islamophobia, and social marginalization in France. His 2005 album Jihad garnered attention for its title, with some accusing him of endorsing radicalism despite the album’s focus on self-improvement. Médine intended “jihad” as a metaphor for personal and societal battles, but critics ignored this and framed him as a security threat. In 2015, his song "Don't Laïk" criticized French secularism (laïcité), arguing it restricts religious expression, particularly for Muslims. The song included provocative imagery that fueled further backlash, especially from right-wing politicians.
The controversy escalated in 2018 when Médine planned a concert at the Bataclan, the site of the 2015 Paris terror attacks. Far-right politicians like Marine Le Pen and Laurent Wauquiez condemned the event, arguing it would insult the victims and labeling Médine as a promoter of Islamist ideology. These figures used the concert to claim there was an "Islamist infiltration" in France. Political pressure led to the concert's cancellation, highlighting the tension between Médine’s social critiques and the political establishment’s concerns about national unity and identity.
Freeze Corleone, a French rapper known for his cryptic lyrics, has become a controversial figure accused of promoting anti-Semitic views. His 2020 album LMF faced intense scrutiny for references to the Rothschild family and other symbols linked to anti-Semitic conspiracies. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin condemned the lyrics, leading to an investigation and the suspension of Freeze Corleone’s record label collaboration. Politicians like Valérie Pécresse called for a ban on his music, citing concerns about its impact on young audiences.
The controversy intensified in 2024 with his song “Haaland,” which alluded to the 2016 Nice attack, sparking accusations of promoting terrorism. This led to further concert cancellations and legal battles, with Freeze Corleone defending his music as social critique rather than hate speech. The backlash reflects broader fears in France over extremism, with political leaders using his lyrics to argue they threaten societal values, highlighting the challenges French rappers face in navigating artistic expression amid political and public scrutiny.
Beyond artists like Médine and Freeze Corleone, several others have faced significant opposition, reflecting a broader struggle over freedom of expression. The influential rap duo NTM, for instance, became targets in the 1990s for their critiques of police brutality and social inequality. Their 1993 song "Police" led to public outrage, lawsuits, and censorship attempts, with Joey Starr even convicted for incitement to violence after allegedly encouraging violence against law enforcement.
Other rappers like Rohff, Sniper, Kery James, and Ministère AMER have also faced political scrutiny. Rohff has been criticized for his socially conscious lyrics addressing discrimination and the struggles of immigrant communities, while Sniper’s 2003 song "La France" led to a lawsuit for incitement to racial hatred, despite charges being eventually dropped. Kery James and Ministère AMER have also been targeted for their critiques of racial and economic inequalities, with some political figures accusing them of promoting anti-establishment or violent ideas. These cases highlight the ongoing tension between French rappers’ social critiques and the political establishment, which frames their music as a threat to public unity and republican values, particularly when it challenges secularism and national identity.
The backlash against French rappers reflects a fear of losing control over public discourse. Their music challenges the status quo by highlighting social injustices and questioning national institutions, sparking discomfort in a society that prefers to avoid such debates. Is this intense reaction simply about preserving national values, or does it reflect deeper anxieties about identity, power, and the disruption of traditional narratives?
La France est une f**** et on se fait trahir…
Allô zenfants de nos quartiers, ne nous laissons pas dénigrer
Même la statue de la liberté a le statut d'immigré
Allô zenfants - Médine
In 2017, Médine released Prose Élite, an album whose cover features a street banner blending his portrait with that of Victor Hugo. The message is clear: Médine presents himself as a modern-day Hugo, using his words to challenge power and give voice to the marginalized. The album title itself is a wordplay—prose élite (the prose of the elite) or prosélyte (proselyte)—reinforcing his role as both a critic and a messenger.
Médine draws a parallel between the backlash he faces today and the criticism Victor Hugo endured in his time. Both have been attacked for speaking out against privilege, exposing how societies often reject those who challenge dominant narratives. This connects to a broader issue: historical amnesia, the tendency to selectively forget or rewrite history to maintain a comfortable national identity.
Historical amnesia is a process through which societies shape their collective memory, often omitting or distorting events that challenge their self-image. This concept, rooted in the work of sociologist Maurice Halbwachs, explains how historical narratives are constructed to serve political, cultural, or psychological needs. Governments may downplay certain aspects of history to promote national unity, while educational systems often prioritize stories that align with patriotic ideals over those that reveal past injustices. The result is a distorted understanding of history that perpetuates systemic inequalities and prevents meaningful societal progress.
In France, historical amnesia is particularly evident in the way colonial history is addressed. The country’s role in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia is often downplayed, and the contributions of colonial soldiers in World War II remain underrecognized. This selective forgetting extends to post-colonial immigration, where descendants of these communities are expected to assimilate without acknowledgment of France’s role in shaping their histories. The contradiction between the country’s ideals of liberté, égalité et fraternité, and the lived experiences of these communities fuels ongoing tensions around identity, belonging, and systemic racism.
The echoes of Vichy-era exclusionary policies still shape contemporary discussions on race and immigration in France. During World War II, the Vichy government sought to "purify" French identity by excluding Jews and other groups. This exclusionary nationalism continued to influence post-war policies on immigration, particularly toward North Africans, who were often marginalized and subjected to assimilationist policies. This is evident in France’s policies against visible religious symbols in public spaces—such as the 2004 ban on hijabs in schools—which disproportionately target Muslim women. The expectation that immigrants must completely abandon their cultural heritage to be considered truly "French" is a direct legacy of the Vichy-era conception of identity.
French rap actively counters the Vichy-era exclusionary narrative by challenging the sanitized version of national identity it promotes. Through their music, rap artists reject the idea that immigrants or their descendants must abandon their cultural heritage to be accepted as French. They expose the exclusionary practices that persist today, such as the marginalization of immigrant communities in the banlieues and the criminalization of Muslim identity. By addressing these issues, rap artists critique the lingering influence of Vichy-era ideologies, asserting that diverse cultural identities are legitimate within the French nation. This form of resistance redefines what it means to be French, offering a counter-narrative to exclusionary policies and challenging the notion that there is only one way to be "French."
At its core, the resistance expressed through French rap and other Black and Maghrebi artists serves as a powerful counter to France’s refusal to fully confront its colonial past. Through their music, these artists challenge not only the narratives surrounding French identity but also the systemic inequalities that persist today. The controversies surrounding figures like Médine, Aya Nakamura, Kery James, and Booba transcend music—they question who truly gets to be considered "French" and who is allowed to succeed without facing racialized scrutiny. These artists are pushing the boundaries of what it means to belong to the nation, offering a broader, more inclusive definition of French identity.
The persistence of these questions underscores the ongoing process of historical amnesia in France. The struggles of immigrant communities, particularly those of Black and Maghrebi descent, reflect a refusal to reckon with the uncomfortable truths of colonialism, race, and exclusion. By reclaiming suppressed histories and challenging dominant narratives, these artists compel France to confront the realities it often chooses to overlook - as Hugo did in his day which earned him an already ‘forgotten’ disrespect -. In doing so, they demand a more honest and inclusive national dialogue that recognizes the contributions, struggles, and identities of all its people.
Now listen to it!
In our upcoming issue…
Vol. 6. Identity in Spanish Arab rap: countering racism and right-wing discrimination
Nice work! Always a pleasure to read your stories. Can't wait for the next episode !
Congratulations