#streamcaribbean "INEVITAB" by Kevni

The #streamcaribbean chronicles for 2023 continue. After Lorenz and his "Lunatiq" EP released in January, it's time to talk about Kevni and his "INEVITAB" EP available since February.

I can lala along 90s dancehall classics. I like to wine by myself or on the right partner, but I listen to this genre far too occasionally to declare myself a fan. But as it happens, dancehall over the last 5 years has become more zoukified, so my Spotify algorithm sometimes suggests new dancehall releases. Kevni was one of them at the beginning of the year, with a brand new EP. For 18 minutes ish, I was ready to put aside my disinterest in the musical genre to give it a try. And I don't regret it. "INEVITAB" combines the experimental concept of an old-school mixtape with an album format suitable for streaming.

Apart from his featuring on "Boug An Mwen" that I mentioned in the #streamcaribbean podcast with KRYS [read the English transcription here], I'd never really listened to Kevni. After falling in love with "INEVITAB", I listened to his debut album "TOP BOY"... And I can confirm that I have no affinity with his previous artistic proposals. I'm not the target audience, so my opinion is worth what it's worth.

From dancehall to bouyon via shatta and reggaeton, "INEVITAB" reflects Kevni's musical explorations over the last fifteen years. Regardless of the tempo, regardless of his voice’s modulations in the bass or in the treble, his flow adapts to the melodies to the point where I ignored the lyrics on my first listens. I preferred to stay in this Caribbean universe without rolling my eyes or gasping at the overly misogynistic and/or toxic lyrics I might have heard. But to include it in this series of music reviews, I had to really listen. And then...

The versatility of the instrumentals finds an echo in his approach to traditional themes that his way with words enhances while conveying a contemporary Caribbean identity. Blending Creole, French and English, Kevni strings together rhymes, puns and metaphors with a fluidity that proves our cultural richness and multiple influences.

After an egotrip introduction with "ROCKSTA", he highlights the hustle culture with "MILLION CASH" and "MONEY MO", where money represents an obsession in a context of precariousness. Sex is also in the spotlight on this EP. Between "JIMAN" and "DONDADA BOSS" (with Matieu White), Kevni offers a vision of a woman who fully embraces her sexuality. Two points for advocating pleasure between consenting adults, using crude language without degrading women. Triple points for advocating safe sex in all circumstances. Bonus point for the "JIMAN" music video, which manages to use porn visual codes without falling into straight vulgarity.

That's why "IMAJINÉ" (with LaRose) caught my attention all the more. Behind the screen of "what ifs?" where fantasies are projected, the theme of romantic love doomed to failure emerges. Listening to "DI MWEN SA", the EP's final track, loving someone is a difficult science to master. Time, patience, and willpower - these are the three ingredients Kevni recommends for quality emotional intimacy... Between dream and nightmare, between night and day, the calm after the storm only returns if you make the right choices. But, as he so aptly puts it, understanding a situation doesn't mean knowing how to manage it. This approach to male vulnerability, without naming it or undermining its credibility, brings this musical journey to a close with a hopeful reflection on the "INEVITAB" change of mentality in the relationships between men and women.

In short, "INEVITAB" is an excellent calling card for Kevni. As much as the "Top Boy" album kept up with what was expected of a French "urban" artist, this EP gives free rein to his maturity, with a clear Caribbean dimension. The musical diversity makes you want to win and have fun on your own, in the car, or at the club. His writing style deserves to be studied in greater depth to appreciate the evolution of 21st-century French Creole. The lyrics encourage us to reflect on our relationship with money, sex, and love in a direct and healthy way. What's your favorite track from this EP?