Respect Old School French Hip Hop

I spent most of this past Fete de la Musique in Paris at a Hip Hop block party. When the DJ put on this French Hip Hop song in the middle of his Old School set, the crowd erupted in cheers and started singing along. It was foreign to me, yet very familiar.

The song is “Respect,” by Alliance Ethnik, a French hip hop group from the mid-90′s whose members were all descendants of French immigrants from various Francophone countries. This song has everything that epitomizes the Golden Era of Hip Hop. Hip Hop Posse? Check. Positive lyrics? Check. Lyrical playfulness? Check. Vocals by Vinia Mojica? Check, check, check.

Alliance Ethnik’s album, Simple & Funky, was produced by Bob Power, who’s had his hand in many Hip Hop classics, perhaps most notably A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Maruaders, The Low End Theory, and People’s Instinctive Travels, as well as De La Soul’s Buhloone Mind State. You can’t get more Golden Era than that.

It’s nice to know the French have their own version of Old School Hip Hop. Journey with me back to the summer of ’95, and enjoy the video for “Respect.”

Sexion d’Assaut: Head Nodding French Hip Hop

Sometimes a beat just grabs you, and this hit by French rap group Sexion d’Assaut grabbed me and just wouldn’t let go.

It’s the third single off their new album, En Attendant L’Apogée : Les Chroniques Du 75, “A bout d’souffle.”

Sexion d’Assaut makes me nostalgic, because I grew up listening to a lot of rap groups, and there aren’t too many of those around anymore.

French Rappers Salute Michael Jackson

Photo of FURD courtesy of furd.skyrock.com

In honor of MJ today, here’s a French hip hop song by FurD, which samples Kanye West referencing Michael Jackson. Did you follow that? They took a line from Kanye’s rap in Keri Hilson’s “Knock You Down,” and made a loop of the line, “This is bad, real bad, Michael Jackson” to use as the chorus. I think it’s hot, and I love that the video is totally Old School.