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As rap continues to establish itself as a leading cultural phenomenon in France, Netflix has had a good nose for it, offering a brand new program 100% dedicated to rap, which has proved a big hit. With a star-studded panel of judges, competitors out to win it all, and 100,000 euros up for grabs, it's time for the "Nouvelle École" of rap!
The first-ever televised rap contest
If we go back just 10 years, it's hard to imagine a program entirely dedicated to the French rap could have been such a big hit. But things have changed in 10 years, and very quickly. Rap and street have infiltrated everything, from films and TV shows to series such as " Validated ". And almost every time, it's a huge success. This year, it's fair to say that Netflix has pulled out all the stops, unveiling a truly ambitious program for a French-speaking audience that may have been a little skittish in the past, but now seems to be passionate about the rap game. With "Nouvelle École", Netflix offers a French adaptation of "Rythm + Flow", a show that has already achieved cult status in the U.S., and which is also a real hit, driven by the trio of jurors T.I. Chance The Rapper and Cardi B. A jury of stars and industry insiders, with three very different profiles. For the French-language version of the show, the cast had to be equally impressive. And so it was, with 3 headliners: Charo boss Niska, Belgium's most famous Bad Girl Shay, and Marseille's SCH, who's been at the top of his game for years now. The concept is simple: the jurors have to go out and find talent in their respective towns. These talents will compete in a variety of rap-related events, including freestyles, clips and on-stage battles. The prize: a handsome cheque for 100,000 euros for the winner, and a solid reference on his or her CV for the rest of his or her career.
The jury
SCH
(Marseille)
NISKA
(Paris)
SHAY
(Brussels)
Beyond the competition between all these talents and the 3 stars of the jury, we were treated to a performance by many personalities from the rap game. Soso Maness in particular, who was involved in the castings in Marseille, but also Naps and Jul. Gradur and Isha were also on hand to help Shay with castings in Brussels. Last but not least, Guy2Bezbar made an appearance, as did Tiakola, Ninho and Fianso, who came to give the young rappers some advice for their future. In short, a fine panel of artists who all know what they're talking about, each with their own sensibility and background, came to validate the program and give strength to the youngsters. And therein lies the greatest success of "Nouvelle École": giving a big boost to a new generation just waiting to blossom.
A real springboard for the new generation
Through this sometimes tense competition, we discover a whole range of personalities who will undoubtedly be part of the rap landscape in years to come. BB Jacques, Leys, Fresh, Houssbad, KT Gorik, Vink, Elyon and many others brought a breath of fresh air at a time of year when big rap releases were few and far between. As a result, the public became passionate about the careers of all these artists, and the series quickly became the most talked-about topic of the moment. A victory for culture, but also a victory for all these young artists, who will have had millions in visibility, as well as contacts with very important people in the industry. We can imagine that featurings are on the cards between the rookies and the stars of the game, some of which have already begun, and so much the better.
Obviously, not everything was perfect for this very first French-language season, and that's only to be expected. Casting decisions can be questioned, as in the case of poor Ben PLG, who gave a fine performance. It's also regrettable that some candidates were put in "easier" conditions, with an intimate studio casting session, while others had to rap in parking lots or in front of an audience. We can also regret a few slightly negative attitudes at times (but the candidates' emotions are strong, it's normal), as well as a slight lack of preparation for some artists, on certain tests. But overall, this first season has been very, very successful, as evidenced by the program's audience figures and the streaming figures for the competing artists, which continue to climb. The level of female rappers is also to be applauded, as the girls have shown that even if they are still under-represented in the industry today, they have absolutely nothing to envy their male counterparts, even when it comes to rapping hard. And while some competitors have been "content" to adopt popular rap trends, others have tried completely new things, like KT Gorik, BB Jacques and a few others. A real positive point to add to the credit of this "New School", because at Project X Paris, what we prefer above all is originality. What's more, with the presence of Jacky Brown and Driver, the show brought together all the generations of rap in a very positive atmosphere, which was a pleasure to see.
The cast
FRESH
BEN PLG
HOUSSBAD
BB JACQUES
KT GORIQUE
WHITE N
And much, much more...
We already know that, given the success of this first edition, Netflix has decided to renew the experiment for a second season. With "Nouvelle École", the platform could well have a program that becomes as important as "The Voice", but for French rap. It's quite a feat, and we hope that season 2 gets underway soon! And if you're tempted, castings are already open.
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