#streamcaribbean "OZOROR" by Meryl, "An Vivan" by Maalkhema, "VEYRON" by Lé Will & Deuspi
The #streamcaribbean chronicles for 2023 continue. After Lorenz and his "Lunatiq" EP (January), Kevni and his "INEVITAB" EP, Yoan and his “Gemini II” (February), Rachelle Allison and her "Féeries" album (February), Maeliah and her “Aurore” EP (March), let’s talk hip-hop albums.
I'm not going to write a full review, because my interest in rap died out at the start of the Trap era in the 2000s. Korean hip-hop in the 2010s allowed me to follow the rise of drill from afar, but the musical evolution of French rap left me completely indifferent, especially as I've never seen my identity represented on a national level. Not that Guadeloupe and Martinique didn't have notorious representatives in the 90s/2000s like Lady Laistee, Doc Gynéco (Secteur Ä) and JoeyStarr (NTM), not to mention Sir Samuel and Vicelow (Saïan Supa Crew)... I was (and still am) R&B/pop and never cared about French rap. I didn't understand Creole well enough to get invested in the Kréyòl hip-hop of La Horde Noire, Karukera Crew, and so on. All of that to say, I've never been the target audience for French rap, so my opinion is worth what it's worth. The three albums I've chosen for the first half of 2023 highlight our Caribbean identity.
Meryl - OZOROR (april 2023 ; Martinique)
It's the album that's closest to what's winning in French rap right now. I see the catchy metaphors like love compared to the “Coca-Cola Mentos” combo. I hear the lyrical fluidity in the succession of (pop) culture references in Creole, French and English. I feel her rage to conquer through the recurring themes of love, hustling, and the artist's life... But, and this is the opinion I already had after her "Jour Avant Caviar" EP, I have the impression that she remains in her comfort zone. Yes, she knows how to make hits for the French market, she's comfortable with her Caribbean identity to make reggae songs, and inject dancehall classics nods, but in terms of artistic originality, what are her own standards? I still don't know... But she's still young, with the obstacle of not having any long-term success stories for a woman to look up to in her lane. She seems to be continuing to pave her way while emancipating herself from the mental chains of French industry to define herself. That's what our twenties are for anyway. With this album cumulating over 2 million streams on Spotify, she's certainly moving in the right direction. Let's see what a freed "Ghost" will create while giving free rein to a fantasy worthy of "Jack Sparrow".
Maalkhema - An Vivan! (may 2023 ; guadeloupe)
It's an old-school album with an intro, interludes, and outro. Over an hour of hip-hop revisited in a variety of old-school and contemporary styles, for an immersive experience. Between the reality of Guadeloupean youth in France in the 60s/70s/80s and the reality of life as an artist in a cannibalistic industry, Maalkhema tells the story of the complexity of human relationships. It's an album about love for your family, love for your friends, love for your island, and love for yourself. Musically, although he masters his flow in both French and Creole, he dares to step out of his comfort zone by singing the chorus of certain tracks with autotune. A particular favorite is "Konpè renwa & Konpè chaben", which gives a brief representation of the social and economic dynamics through the prism of colorism in Guadeloupe.
Lé Will & Deuspi - Veyron (may 2023 ; martinique)
This was the most entertaining album to listen to. This musical time-travel journey takes us through different styles of hip-hop, starting with “OLDSCHOOL” (available with English subtitles). The musical richness makes up for the traditional approach to trap and drill themes: hustling and sex. There’s enough variation in each track structure to avoid being bored. No song sounds the same or seems out of place, as Lé Will and Deuspi bridge the gap between rhythms, mixing lyrics in Creole and French. A particular highlight is the "Konpa freestyle", featuring a sample by Les Aiglons, which represents an original artistic direction for them to be distinctive on the international market.