Hostilities have begun in the second season of "Nouvelle École", the first episodes of which have now been released. The show has already taken France's trend rankings by storm. This dazzling success is hardly surprising, considering the craze generated by the first season, which revealed such French rap talents as BB Jacques, Ben PLG and Fresh LaPeufra. For the second season, At Project X Paris, we've already got our favorites among the candidates, but also among the luxury guests! With a sneak preview at the end of the article.
Arka, the "fuego" of the South
The second season of "New School"Season 2 has only just begun, and already the candidates have virtually no room for error. This is due to a level that is perhaps even higher than in season 1, and a small number of tests, which leaves very little room for error. And in this game, Arka does rather well. Spotted by SCH, the rapper from Aix-en-Provence was consistent, whether during the casting, his first appearance on stage in front of the judges, or even during the cypher.
With a rather flashy look, you can imagine how much we like it at PXP. The contestant was also spotted backstage at Nouvelle École Saison 2 proudly sporting a black signature cap by Project X Paris.
Coelho, the most productive?
Being the "Nouvelle École" of French rap doesn't necessarily mean being 20 years old and just starting out. Some candidates have a background a little more extensive than that of their competitors, and among them we can obviously name Coelho. The native of Nantes was not selected by a coach, but was introduced directly in front of the audience during his first stage appearances. And he blew everyone away. He's already opened for Sniper, for example (he's signed to Tunisiano's label). With his talent for kicking and his slightly nonchalant air, he has everything it takes to be a crowd favorite, as well as being one of the most technically gifted on the mic. Again, with 5 projects under his belt since 2017, it's easy to see why. A big customer!
Lpee, pure technology
Talking of technique, here's a talent who wasn't short of it, especially during the cypher, where he played his part perfectly. The Parisian is also one of the most experienced, with quite a few projects under his belt, whether solo, in duo, or with his group LTF. And it shows: he masters his subject and is capable of surprising versatility, even if kickage seems to be his specialty. As a member of Niska's team, he has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but so far it's been flawless. Keep an eye on him, especially as Twitter polls suggest he's one of the favorites to win. But there's still a long way to go...
Lpee was also spotted wearing an iconic piece from our brand, as well as French streetwear, in this case our signature black hoodie.
Yuz Boy, the most elusive
It's a seamless transition to our next darling from Project X Paris. Yuz Boy has obviously attracted a lot of attention since his first appearance, and rightly so. He has a unique universe, which seems very unstable, very messy, but above all full of raw energy and talent. He seems to have a thousand flows, which can sometimes unsettle listeners, but one thing's for sure: he leaves no one indifferent. Starting with Niska, who was very easy to convince during the casting session. On stage, he's already a real showman, and as a cypher, he's as good as any. What more could we ask for, apart from new verses? We can't wait to see what he comes up with in the rest of the show, because with his universe, his ease on stage and on the mic, and his well-groomed style of dress, he's got everything to go far and make his mark. And that's all we hope for!
SLKrack, the madness of the 18th
We were obliged to talk about one of the rappers who is currently the most prominently featured on "Nouvelle École", SLKrack, also known as SL500 or Juan Coca. The man of many pseudonyms has only one face when he steps behind the mic: that of a kickeur in the purest Parisian tradition, with a very dark power that emanates from his verses. Here again, we're not dealing with a rookie, as the rapper has been signed to Doums' label for 3 years, and already has a number of projects under his belt. You can feel it in the freestyle at his casting and in his first appearance on stage in front of the jury. He has the real confidence of someone who has already mastered his art, and just needs a little spotlight from the show to see his career take off. See you in a few weeks' time to find out whether he'll be the big winner, or the magnificent loser of "Nouvelle École", but one thing's for sure: you'll be hearing a lot more from him in the future.
Ash to the eye, the cutter
Once again, not many women in the cast of this season 2 of "Nouvelle École", but that's okay: they're used to having to do twice as much as the guys to achieve their goal, and that's never stopped them from being excellent artists. Ash to the eye is one of the candidates who make a real impression, not only with her looks, but also with her talent, as she laid down one of the best freestyles during the castings at the start of the show. She hails directly from Champigny, in the 94 region of France, and it's clear that she's not here just to make up the numbers. She's got real energy on the mic, and several tricks up her sleeve, as she's also a dancer and photographer. So she'll have a fine artistic approach that the others may lack, as well as a drive on the mic that seems inexhaustible, and for that alone, we'd like to see her go as far as she can.
WarEnd, an atypical personality
WarEnd a rapper originally from Toulouse and born in Créteil (94), has been immersed in the artistic world since his youth. He began singing at the age of 16 and is self-taught. As an avid reader and fan of complex thinking, WarEnd has developed his own universe, embodied by two distinct characters: WarEnd himself and John, his mysterious alter ego. Music plays an essential role in his well-being and allows him to express himself fully. Recently, his song "Sans nuances" was featured in a trend on TikTok, helping to raise his profile.
Flash, full of regret
Hexagone is a bit closed-eyed when it comes to rap, and the French public has a hard time naming any great rappers from the French West Indies. Yet Guadeloupe and Martinique are home to a wealth of talent, and Creole is a language that really works well in rap tracks. Flash was there to carry the banner, having been recruited by Shay after a long journey. With his ease on the mic, his mix of French and Creole in the tracks, his facility with kickage, and who seems to have quite a bit of experience, he was the ideal candidate. Unfortunately, the pressure was probably a little too much for him, at just 20 years of age, and he failed to make it on stage in front of the jury. The rhythm was there, and he even came close to getting the crowd on board even though he'd forgotten his lines. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to convince the judges, but it did convince us! We hope to see him back on stage soon.
We also saw him backstage with our hoodie this time in burgundy. Project X Paris once again makes its mark on the rap scene, confirming its status as France's number-one streetwear brand.
Kalash and Rim'K: our leaders have talent
We couldn't end this article without mentioning a few luxury guests who have come to lend a hand to Shay, Niska and SCH in their search for the star of "Nouvelle Ecole: saison 2". First and foremost, Kalash who, for her part, organized a sort of talent scouting event in the West Indies, where Shay went to select the crème de la crème. A remarkable appearance, for an artist who remains as influential as ever in the game, and with whom we were lucky enough to collaborate during a shoot for Project X Paris. He's really the kind of artist we're all for: complete, always original, and obviously a big fan of fashion and streetwear.
Our second big favorite is Tonton Rim'K, the inexhaustible legend of 94, 113 and Mafia K'1 Fry, always at the top of the charts whenever he releases a project. He introduced a number of talents to the jury himself, such as Coelho, but above all gave his expert opinion on the candidates' performances at the microphone. With simplicity and kindness, as always. We'd like to take this opportunity to announce that you're likely to be hearing from Rim'K at PXP very soon, as we'll be collaborating with him in the near future! That's all for now, but stay tuned. One thing's for sure: "Nouvelle École" has done it again in terms of casting for season 2. We can't wait to find out what happens next, can you?