Soso Maness: child of the Northern Districts
If we had to remember only one name from 2020 in French rap, Soso Maness would obviously be at the top of the list. Because he brought joy to our ears during the first lockdown with his hit "So Maness". But also thanks to his "Zumba cafew" verse in the 100% Marseille project "13'Organisé". With his chatter, lots of humor and good mood, and an incredible style that can range from a simple black t-shirt to mafia-style floral shirts: a portrait of the enfant terrible from the Northern Districts.
Soso Maness, from the streets to gold record
Few people know this, but Soso Maness has been in rap, discontinuously, since he was about 10 years old (he's 33 today). Even as a young boy, the Marseille native was cradled and nourished by the rap of the big brothers of IAM or Fonky Family, and managed to secure a featuring with the group Intouchables (members of the legendary Mafia K1 Fry) on their first studio album, "Les Points sur les I", released in 2000. An early spotlight that should have put Soso on the tracks of the rap game, but here's the thing: the youngster had other desires, other projects...
Today, the rapper is still very emotional when he talks about some of his close ones, dead by gunshot or in prison for 30 years. He ended up repenting after his second sentence, in 2016/2017. Better yet, he completely took control of his life, using his time in prison to learn and educate himself, and come out stronger. Since then, he has strived, successfully, to break through in rap. Beyond that, he has become a true media personality, endearing, that people love to have on set: on Clique, Vice, Konbini or with various YouTubers, the rapper makes a sensation wherever he goes. Frankness, a way with words, incredible life experience, but also a great musical and artistic sensibility in general, that's all that makes us appreciate him. Obviously, it immediately worked with Project X Paris, a brand that above all seeks original profiles and strong personalities to present its clothes. It must be said that when it comes to style, once again, Soso is far from being left behind: we particularly remember his incredible outfit during the "On The Corner" video, shot in his neighborhood, in Fond Vert.
Soso Maness has real ideas when it comes to visuals. In his "TP" video, he made an entire clip "in first person", like in a video game. The cover of his album "Mistral", released in June 2020, is also super stylish. Floral shirt, impeccable white pants, sunglasses with a pair of pretty wild sneakers, and that orange flag floating in the background, it's all very well done. As for the music, the most important part, he has learned to diversify his palette, with a bit of singing, some autotune, lots of rap, and sometimes very surprising atmospheres, like in "So Maness" or recently in "Bande Organisée", and his few lines that made Twitter explode.
Soso Maness X Project X Paris, more than an obvious choice
For his personality and sense of style, Project X Paris has chosen Soso Maness to be one of the representatives of its streetwear collection. A choice that is not random: it aligns with the brand's desire to support talents from Paris to Marseille. Especially since there are already 3 streetwear stores in Marseille (Grand Littoral shopping center, Les Terrasses du Port, and since a few months ago in the famous Avenue Saint-Antoine), and we can feel the attraction of the Marseille people for fashion, particularly streetwear. We can almost say that they brought tracksuits back into fashion, as well as the glamorous bandit looks from Miami. They seem very influenced by the dress codes of 80s gangster films, with all the assumed extravagance that can come with it. For Soso, it's just about exploring one of his passions, fashion, and we're delighted to give him this opportunity. Especially since he knows a thing or two about textiles, having launched his own merch line in 2020, the "Franc-Manesserie".
So it was in good spirits that we met the Marseille native at the Quartier Général in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, a well-known place for those looking to book venues for big, trendy events. A rather vast place with plenty of space, but this space was entirely occupied by Soso Maness, his charisma, and his humor. Charming, the rapper knows how to be, especially on certain TV sets or when it comes to putting on a brand new red hoodie from Project X Paris. He's not afraid to surprise, even if it means bringing out the denim jacket to pair with a Project X sweatshirt. Because you should know that in addition to rap, Soso cultivates a love for rock 'n' roll, but also for French music, particularly Renaud, a great ambassador of the denim jacket in France.
But even with the boldest pieces, like the tracksuit covered in PXP logos, he looks good. It must be said that with his open smile and sunglasses, it's hard not to be photogenic. The blue tie-dye sweatshirt with white shades is perhaps the one that suits him best, as it's in the colors of Olympique de Marseille, his favorite club obviously. Even the jackets, which are models that are not always easy to pull off depending on one's build, look good on him. Daring, smiling, approachable, and never afraid to take risks, we can say that Soso Maness has done justice to this new Project X Paris collection.
