Collaborations between France and English-speaking countries have multiplied in recent years, venturing into various domains from music to textiles, and extending to various festive and cultural events, as well as the creation of living and meeting spaces that permanently occupy walls dedicated to celebrating art and passing it on to younger generations. Musical collaborations across the Atlantic had built a poor reputation over time in France, yet collaborations with the english landscape are now emerging as models of success, proving to be both lucrative and fruitful. While France represents the second-largest rap market globally, French rap enthusiasts, particularly active and vocal on social media, have made themesleves seen and heard — as have the artists carried by this community, by the international community, through their unwavering and almost unconditional support; and seemingly ever-expanding financial resources. Their appetite for promising young artists has, for example, at key moments, contributed to the international success of Central Cee, who became the first English artist certified gold in France with his track "Doja."
The proliferation of these collaborations is surely explained by their success. How have these endeavors surpassed the language barrier to build and nurture a borderless community? Are these collaborations motivated by financial interests? How does the enthusiasm surrounding rap, a culture without borders, bring together engaged and involved individuals (through a lifestyle, similar experiences in different locations, and consequently, the creation of a community)?
The virality of the drill sound and aesthetic during the lockdown had an unprecedented international impact, propelling a handful of artists into the forefront of their respective scenes, such as the rapid emergence of Central Cee, who now stands as a model of independent and wholesome success. The artist whom now stands on global renown, began by sharing a series of singles on the GRM Daily channel in 2020. Since then, each track has accumulated tens of millions of views and hundreds of millions of listens. This popularity did not blind him. In fact, as he began to gain success locally, he went on to collaborate with European rappers, often in line with the drill aesthetic and trap influences. The international spread of drill in this particular context of COVID-19 has thus allowed artists to gather around a shared aesthetic rooted in a common culture. This facilitated discovery and resonance crossing the language barriers. The catchy Caribbean rhythms and sounds that infused drill gave way to captivating African rhythms and melodies or African-inspired ones, as seen in the double-single “Meridian & Special” by Tiakola and Dave, both commercial headliners of their respective countries, proud representatives of rap and its versatility. Furthermore, the temporal proximity of these EPs, released by Tiako and Dave respectively, alongside those with Gazo and Central Cee, extends the spotlight on Franco-English collaboration. This enables a deeper exploration of local scenes through the new headliners, particularly emerging from the drill scene. The track "Meridian" was even nominated in the "Flame of the Year" and "African or African-inspired Music Flame of the Year" categories at the second edition of the “Les Flammes” award ceremony, organized by Yard and Booska P, and celebrated with Spotify on April 25th. The ceremony aims to honor and celebrate popular cultures.
The diversity of the sound palette is vast, and artists are not short of exploiting this wealth to nurture their imagination, especially when accompanied by the innovative and exotic creativity brought by a foreign counterpart. This is the impression left by the track "QUI ?" from La Fève's "24" project, largely realized in Atlanta in the US, on which La Fève invited the english rapper Knucks. Both lyricists have a particular affinity for storytelling and a finesse unique to them in depicting their experiences, memories, and daily lives with cinematic detail. For La Fève, it's often a journey of introspection and the impulse of what this reflection provokes, leading the artist to share their pains, doubts, and ambitions with a confident energy and initiated by a visceral tone. Whereas for Knucks, it’s feels like it’s more about nostalgia, or at least the memory that allows him to paint an almost unreal romantic fresco, his pen recounting stories of his city and episodes of his life, portraying secondary characters and antagonists.
Their collaboration took place two years earlier, after I believe they met following their respective performances on the same date on the evening of the Fête de la Musique (similar in vibes to the London Carnival) on June 21, 2022. They thus created this track at the peak of their initial wave of success. La Fève had just released "Errrr" on December 17, 2021, and Knucks was promoting the release of his project "Alpha Place" which came out at the end of May 2022. Yet La Fève insisted on keeping this track for his first album, "24," released on December 22, 2023, rather than sacrificing it as a commercial single to fill a period of inactivity. This gamble, driven by a desire to merge two life experiences, two narratives, and shared ambitions, on jazz-trap like melodies, has proven successful. And they aren’t the only ones to have bet on themselves and the longevity of their success. Yard, a cultural media and platform, had produced a documentary in May 2022 around the release of "Alpha Place." The documentary, directed by Aida Dahmani, was premiered at Knucks' concert on September 23, 2023, at La Bellevilloise, one year after the footage was filmed. Serving as an opening act, the short film traced the artist's journey preceding and during the project's release, as well as illustrating the relationship he has with France, particularly through the ties forged with Yard. The English artist also gave an interview to Grünt, under the initiative of Morane Aubert. The cultural impact of this collaboration released at the opportune moment testifies to the wisdom of letting their structures mature: La Fève's “7W” 7Walone and Knucks' "NDO," No Days Off, along with his TruTribe, to support such international enthusiasm and the repercussions and financial responsibilities of such broad visibility.
The engagement of their community has been exponential since the beginning of their careers. As seen through La Fève latest's release, emblematic of the "no promo" promotional strategy, announced his return by opening pre-orders for the project on a mysterious, almost shady, website, without a title, cover, or tracklist - which later became "24," adorned with an alternative cover for die-hard fans. The succes was almost instant. The tracklist revealed upon the project's release on streaming platforms, the feature with Knucks, as well as those with Tiakola, Zequin, and Yung L.A. Like his previous projects, "24" marks a new era for La Fève, summoning a new stature: four months after the release, the artist has since been seen modeling for the brand Off-White. Or even sitting courtside at Paris Basketball games.
But how to overcome the language barrier, to surpass it? While half of the song may sometimes remain a mystery to some listeners delving into foreign rappers. The image seems to be a spontaneous and intuitive alternative; paintings, album covers, or visuals, manage to speak and be understood, or at least provoke an interpretation based on perception, without using words or resorting to a language; other than the universality of sensitivity. Perhaps it is for this reason that we see a new scene of young visual artists emerging and flourishing, in addition to the abundance of great directors, as well as smaller ones, animating the musical ecosystem. When understanding fails through listening, observation takes over. Music videos can be an indicator of the substance of the message. Just as though an exhibition where a painter depicts, through the prism of their perception and sensitivity, the facts and words of an era, a theme, or an experience. These elements resonate with viewers and help portray a time period within a context. And by extension, the feelings and determinations that can equally animate rappers, products of this environment depicted on canvas (environments and products ambivalent according to the painter and their artistic intentions), and thus complement their lyrics in an analogical and complementary manner.
This seems to be reflected in the way the 667 x CRTZ drop unfolded. The announcement of this ephemeral and limited collection was supported by a short film signed by Walid Labri, accompanying the collaborative collection of Corteiz with the 667 collective, accompanied by the track "Règne sur le monde de Freeze Corleone." The short film portrays the life of a young boy living in northeastern Paris, whose daily life changes when he sets his mind to the mantra of reigning over the world, triggered by the textile set attire from the "667 rules the world" collection. The short film, first in the series of advertisements for new collections or products, illustrates this desire to depict through images and projection, the words of a track or a creative project. This allows overcoming the obstacle that the language barrier can represent while capturing the essence of the initiative. This approach is evidenced by the fact that only an excerpt of the song will be included, and this at a key moment in the production, to accentuate the dynamism, and not take up more space than the scenario and the universal narration, akin to the rapper's lyrics.
It is through these experiences that viewers relate and participate in this environment; the multitude of individuals interacting with an object of experience constitutes a community. The goals and motivations of different communities can be clarified by their means of communication and their places of gathering and living. In most cases, X (formerly Twitter) is, sadly for now, the answer to these two questions. However, it is observed that a part of this X audience increasingly transcends the digital environment to meet in "real" places; concerts being a prime example. The proliferation of smaller events in venues sized accordingly, offers accessibility to all budgets. Moreover, the abundance of new niche artists allows for the programming of diverse artists and counteracts the overrepresentation of headliners at festivals and major venues. But a plurality of living spaces surfaces to remedy these lacks of meeting places; and of life. Concerts allow for exalting in celebration. A certain number of conferences educate and transmit the knowledge and values of hip-hop. Pop-up events for clothing brands illustrate the enthusiasm and success experienced by independent creators; who have shared their creations and brand ambitions online. As demonstrated by the pop up store dedicated to the 667 CRTZ collaboration, a physical and Parisian exclusivity that, despite the crowds and limited access to the venue, raised awareness among French youth and enthusiasts of all ages from the textile and music scenes; to take an interest in the London-based brand (supported by the validation of the Franco-Senegalese collective, known for its exclusivity and sectarian nature ), and vice versa.
The vectors of experiences, gathering and dialogue are numerous and tend to materialize in the tangible world. Exhibitions of graphic designers, photographers, and visual artists trigger enthusiasm for the representation and valorization of analog and digital works. The second edition of the "TUNNEL" exhibition organized by Fifou at the end of January 2024 in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, brought together his foreign colleagues: Ciesay and american Jonathan Mannion. The immense prints covering the walls of iconic photos of Tyler the Creator next to Prince Waly or Eminem, put musical and artistic products from these three countries on an equal footing; including both the photographers and the subjects of their photography. The ephemeral nature of these gathering places and meeting places does not yet allow for the cultivation of a community on a permanent basis. However, this culture is currently benefiting from an unprecedented enthusiasm. The House of Hip Hop in Paris - La Place, is a first step towards this goal. Les Frères Laumière or Hotel Radio Paris, are places where encounters and performances take place almost daily, whilst sharing this atmosphere with the curious and enthusiasts through live broadcasts on social media platforms like Instagram or Twitch. But also through edited recordings that capture these events and encourage people to pull up to future events to experience it for themselves.
The London scene has understood this, and hasn’t - always - exploited it, but rather cultivated this creative ecosystem through transmission, awareness of art, meeting and dialogue, and a taste for well-being. This is the bet and ambition of the cultural and community café BeauBeau's; located at 5-6 Gravel Lane in East London. This young business, born in May 2023, offers weekly clubs: chess, music cyphers and initiations to composition; jazz or rap performances, or even art clubs led by the artist Teoni. The place is adorned with works by contemporary artist Slawn and is gradually filled with works created by the owners' relatives or enthusiasts of the art club. The café also offers clinic services through its dedicated practician, to render medical care more accessible. This family business was born around the birth of the young couple's first child, Beau. His parents Slawn and Tallulah, and 'nana' T's mother, and Beau's grandmother; wonderfully orchestrate this convivial and warm place. In the morning, the atmosphere is perfect for quietly working from its opening, usually around 10 a.m. Coffee and other hot and cold beverages are served at reasonable prices. For lunch, there's jollof rice, a traditional West African dish, accompanied by juicy chicken with a sauce recipe that's a well-kept secret. In the evening, London's creative youth takes over the basement and spills over onto the sidewalk. Individuals condemned to wait outside initiate joyfully in discussions among latecomers, patiently waiting to make their way inside - to observe the excitement of all these youths exploring their passions within an atmosphere favorable to discovery.
Young people often come by in search of collaboration or work opportunities., if its not just to enjoy the atmosphere and get some work done. It's a motivation that drives many to attend concerts, conferences, or pop-ups - and BeauBeau's has the charm of bringing all these assets and opportunities together. It is in response to this growing demand for first experiences and opportunities in the creative industry that the SONDR platform was born. Founded in late 2023 by Hilary Xherimeja, a Londoner of Albanian origin who, following the end of her adventure with Mission Statement Magazine. She surrounded herself with a team of inspiring young women offering their support in organization, brand design (Emilyana Gouveia), set design and scenography (Skye Halsey), or in terms of image (Lily McMurray). They had met during their work with the aforementioned publication and offered their support to Xherimeja’s new business, but she explains it had been in the works for a while and its rapid success is the product of all her previous years in the field.
The platform brings together job offers, including first experiences and offers for more established professional entrepreneurs; for various durations and positions, as well as a multitude of freelance missions in person and remote. Thanks to its repertoire of collaborators and creatives, opportunities are updated regularly; offering a variety of jobs and internships in the fields of music, art, cosmetics, culture, design, or tech; to which anyone can apply. A certain amount of editorial content is shared on their website, presenting through a short written interview the careers and roles occupied by artists, professionals, and protagonists of various industries. In this concern for transmission and accessibility, Sondr organizes conferences and round tables, entitled "Yellow Table Talks".
Finally, Sondr participates in the organization of events for brands, associations, and projects, wishing to benefit from their expertise and production team, such as the London-based independent clothing brand Protect.ldn, which called on the organization to assist them with the proceedings of their pop up event. On this occasion, BeauBeau's was set up as their ephemeral point of sale for the Big Prize archive drop, during which, through buying a scratch card priced at £15, the customer received at least one t-shirt worth £20, and at best a production sample 1/1 or a puffer jacket worth around £250. The event attracted crowds to the café, with the stock selling out in just 1 hour and 30 minutes, leaving many without access to the store. The younger ones resorted to grabbing decorative newspapers at the image of the brand, souvenir of their day, having been unable to buy a scratch card.
More recently, Sondr collaborated with Nike for Air Max day, celebrating the release of the "DN" model. The collaboration involved organizing an event to showcase the new pair of shoes, surrounded by a sound experience led by DJs, followed by performances by rappers Antslive, Rushy, and Ashbeck in the evening. Nike also commissioned a French crew to organize a similar event in Paris to promote its new product. It was the Undercover collective, led by the multi-hatted photographer and DJ Alyas, who were tasked with occupying the venue located in La Courneuve: the Dynamic Land, an amusement park set up by the multinational for the event. The enthusiasm for the 4 artists: Bushi, Zequin, Sherifflazone and Malo; who were scheduled to perform there, led to such a mobilization that some were unable to access the building's premises. And this despite the tickets, with delimited time slots, available for free on the ticketing platform beforehand.
It is also to be noted that the Parisian collective had partnered with the English collective 'Lost Boys' for an evening in Paris bringing together a DJ line-up from both countries and a live performance by Sainte; under the flag of Undercover and Victory Lap Radio. In January 2024, the Lost Boys had reoccupied the Sacré Club, this time accompanied by young talents BXKS and LEN. Finally, and most recently, it was Alyas, accompanied by Armel Bizzman, who traveled to London for a third installment of the collaboration on February 23rd. DJ Londoner Chef Dee, behind the Lost Boys collective; seems open to collaborations and progressive local development through mutual investment in venues; and in the spread of respective sounds through their ground work, essential in the consolidation of this growing community.
It is a joyful future and a prolific creative landscape that is taking shape and structuring itself, and as a new wave of young creatives form, educate themselves learn and draw inspiration from the existing actors and protagonists. The links with England are being forged and strengthen the image and united stature of the european creative landscape, facing the slowly faltering American behemoth showing and testifying to its growing interest in European developments.