Naps is now a fixture on the French rap scene. His aura has spread far beyond the borders of Marseilles, and he's now taking France by storm. Here's a look back at the atypical career of a sound lover.
It's now been a few months since the release of the 100% Marseilles-based project 13'Organisé, enough time to take stock of the consequences of this earthquake. A number of faces are now essential to the French-speaking public, including Naps, of course. The Marseille-born artist's 2020 /2021 season will be a busy one: a major collaborative project, then another solo success, "Les Mains Faites pour l'or", as well as "Naps". A beautiful collab with your favorite brand, Project X Paris
A full house for the artist, who probably didn't imagine all this success when he started rapping.
It was at the age of 15, in 2006, that Nabil Arlabelek (his real name) began teasing the microphone with Click 11.43 . Since then, he has come a long way, with 6 solo albums to his credit, and a number of gold and even platinum discs. With his sun-drenched, rhythmic music, which remains streetwise in its approach, he has reached out to all the neighborhoods of France, not least those of his hometown, which supports him wholeheartedly. Here's someone whose art suffered greatly during CoVid, as his repertoire contains some real potential club hits, some of which, like "Pochon Bleu", have become classics of the style. In his latest 27-track project, he took the liberty of inviting Jul twice. But also Zaho, SCH, Manny, Le Rat Luciano and Soolking. It's a 5-star cast that shows the whole game has opened its doors to him, and that he's been validated by the milieu. And not just the music world, since he has even managed to get make a cameo appearance in the latest Netflix bombshell, "Caïd". (). A previously unreleased track, "Le Petit Marseillais", was even made especially for the series, proof that the man is generous!
A natural validation for an artist who has now mastered his recipe to perfection: rhythm, lyrics with a fair amount of slang, a little singing, sunshine, and always humor, an important aspect for Naps. He's an unabashed sensation, with his flashy shirts reminiscent of Tony Montana, from whom he draws much inspiration (even in the title of his latest album). Not least because, despite his darker side, he remains a model of success, the poor young Cuban who became the boss of Miami. This attraction to the staged and the extravagant is well reflected in his collaboration with Project X.Tie & dye hoodies and sweatshirts blue or green, fit him as if he were born in them. tracksuit set with numerous PXP logos And yet these are not the most conventional pieces in our collections. Faithfully camped behind his lightly smoked glasses, with that deceptively calm attitude, he's ready to pull out a movie line at any moment.
An artist is someone who truly reflects the spirit of the city of Marseille, with his or her energy, outspokenness and daring when it comes to streetwear. Remember that the people of Marseille have been avant-garde when it comes to today's fashions, bringing in T-shirts in very fluorescent colors or bringing soccer club tracksuits back into fashion. As for rap, here again, Naps is a true product of Marseilles, heir to the "Kalif Hardcore" movement (named after its creator) like Jul and so many others. One thing's for sure: he's one of the most important faces of 2021, and we'll be talking about him again!
