Kalash collaborates with Project X Paris
If we had to choose 10 songs that have marked the rap game over the last ten years, Kalash would be in the top ten. With "Mwaka Moon", he exploded the charts. But his career is much richer and longer than this simple success: the artist has managed to establish himself as a worldwide reference, particularly in dancehall. He's also one of the most stylish personalities in the game, and we at Project X Paris love that!
Kalash, Caribbean idol
For a long time, the sound of the French West Indies suffered from a lack of visibility in France. Even in the French West Indies, the media didn't necessarily reflect the diversity of the local music scene, and dancehall in particular was kept under wraps in mainland France for a long time. While West Indian communities were obviously always in touch with what was going on locally, the rest of the population was not necessarily aware of it. Until the explosion of Admiral T. In the mid-2000s, the Guadeloupean star enjoyed incredible success with his music, heavily influenced by dancehall and reggae, in which the West Indian identity is omnipresent. He has even managed to turn songs on which he sings in Creole, a language he has little mastery of in mainland France, into hits. His success even extended far beyond French and West Indian borders, and paved the way for what was to follow. And what followed shortly afterwards was the Kalash phenomenon. Obviously very influenced and inspired by the star's music, Kalash launched his own musical career in the early 2010s.
Not necessarily a natural career for the son of a philosophy professor, Kalash was raised in a very religious environment, having attended almost exclusively religious schools throughout his schooling. But Kalash's father was also a music lover and fan of Lenny Kravitz, just like his son. And given the rest of his career, we can imagine that Kalash drew a great deal of inspiration from Lenny's sense of style, his showman side, which shines while being generous with the audience. He began his dancehall career in 2003, almost 20 years ago, when he was still under the age of majority. He released his first album in 2010, and began to gain real visibility locally. Then, in 2013, he released his second album, featuring the legendary Admiral T. A consecration in itself, but Kalash isn't going to stop there. His single "Bando", with its gangsta vibes, was a big hit in France, as was the album that followed, "Kaos".
This time, there were two featurings with Booba, who signed the artist to his label, and the gold disc was achieved in less than two months. A huge achievement, but nothing compared to the tidal wave that was to follow. This tsunami is called "Mwaka Moon", and it will sweep away all the competition in its path. With this album, Kalash succeeded in imposing his own musical style, moving between singing and rapping, with very little use of autotune, as he is fortunate enough to sing very well. Even the video clips are a slap in the face, whether for the single "Mwaka Moon" or the video for the track "Y en a vla", which is also extremely beautiful. With this project, Kalash achieved true star status, and since then he has given free rein to his creativity with two albums, "Diamond Rock" in 2019 and "Tombolo", released in April 2022. These are projects in which the artist has multiplied his feats, with all the game's headliners, including Gazo, Damso and Wejdene. He goes where he's not expected, and continues to surprise and diversify with each release. And we at Project X love that!
Kalash & PXP: 100% stylish
Visually, Kalash has broken new ground with each project, with ever more stylish and original outfits. All the while maintaining a very streetwise image, even when he had the opportunity to walk the runway for the Blue Marble brand at Fashion Week 2020. Inevitably, this fits in well with the image of our brand, so we were delighted to be able to do this collaboration with him. He lent himself perfectly to the game, having already a fair amount of experience in the field, so it was pretty easy right from the first outfit. An outfit from the 90's capsule, with two-tone stripes for a sober yet classy look. A white jacket with brown stripes, a stylized logo and a clean, old-fashioned design, with a two-tone pants with yokes, using the same colors for the stripes. Worn with white sneakers and a few jewels, it makes for a crazy look. The same goes for the oversized varsity-style jacket with embroidered patches, again inspired by the 90's, with a brown color that's very effective. Above all, it fits in perfectly with the decor, a sort of undergound garage, with a circle of candles on the floor adding a touch of mystique. And to add a bit of ruggedness, we brought along this little Apollo Sano Predator quad with its aggressive look.
Kalash has a flair for detail, as he added a PXP shoulder bag to his jacket, adding a little more street flair. We then went for something even more American in its influences, with the University capsule, inspired by the clothes worn by American students in the colors of their campus. In a more musical setting, with a white backdrop and speakers stacked everywhere, Kalash wore the white-and-green-colored university ensemble perfectly. A jogging bottoms white and green stripes for the bottom, and a varsity hoodie in the same colors, with a big central "P" for the logo. Add a pair of sunglasses for attitude, then finish the look with a visually striking oversized quilted varsity jacket in the same colors. The result is a perfect outfit that pays homage to iconic streetwear pieces.
The same setting for the last part of the shoot, but with a change of colors! Make way for wintry black and slightly darker outfits, with the classic outfit Signature Project X Paris. Our iconic outfit, if you can call it that, the one that continues to put us on the map, and Kalash wears it simply but stylishly. A black PXP signature hoodie for the top, black signature jogging bottoms for the bottom, with a shiny watch and bracelet for a touch of light, and once again, it's flawless. We even took the liberty of adding a quilted vest from the "Drill & Drip" capsule, one of our latest releases, which features the winter wear favored by drillers. All worn with a balaclava, of course, an indispensable tool for all those in the drill. In short, an excellent time spent with Kalash, who did his utmost to provide us with some beautiful shots. We hope to be able to renew this collaboration in the very near future, as we can tell he loves sapping, and we couldn't dream of a better PXP ambassador. We wish him all the best for the rest of his career, which promises to be incredible.
WHO WE ARE
Project X Paris is the wager of two young French designers to combine the art of urban living with current trends. It's a delicious blend of fashion, culture and minimalism. Combining Lifestyle and streetwear, the young brand born in 2015 conquered major cities such as Dubai, Berlin, London and Los Angeles before settling in Paris.
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