Few rappers have so embodied a department, spreading its mentality throughout France. Rim'K belongs to this select club, and the rap game kingpin has carried the colors of his 94 region high throughout his career. So for Project X Paris, it was the ideal collab! A legendary shoot to honor Mafia ambassador K'1 Fry.
Rim'K, the hyphen of French Rap
Over its 35-year history, French rap has witnessed many fabulous stories and incredible adventures, all culminating in great and respectable careers. But few stories are as beautiful as Rim'K's. Born in the Paris region in the late 70s, he is now one of the most respected rappers in the game, with a long and successful career. First as part of a group, then as a solo artist. He's lived through every era, each time coming out on top, and above all, remaining appreciated by almost everyone. Le Tonton du Rap FR was a real hyphen in the game. A link between the neighborhoods and the rest of France, for a start. Because the "Mafia K'1 Fry" mentality, a collective of rappers from a wide range of backgrounds, affected more than just France's cités, but the whole country. This idea that together we can go much further and overcome anything has inspired thousands of young people.
But also a link between France and "le bled". In fact, it was thanks to "Tonton du Bled", a track featured on the 113 album "Les Princes de la ville" (a true French rap classic, with the late DJ Mehdi on production), that the rapper and his group became known throughout France. Initially confined to rap fans, the 113 phenomenon made a name for itself in the eyes of the nation, driving a Peugeot 504 onto the stage of the Victoires de la Musique awards in 2000 to collect their trophy. With this track, Rim'K cultivates an image of an ambitious young man, determined to succeed in the country where he was born, but who is very proud of his dual culture and proudly claims it, being both French and Kabyle, just like Zidane. Rim'K also has something in common with the soccer legend: his hard-hitting rap is both humorous and streetwise, with tracks like "Au Summum" and "Jackpotes 2000", as well as others like "Hold UP" with Intouchables and "Banlieue" with Booba. Each time, the Tonton continues to make his mark, with his nickname becoming official and his stature increasingly respected.
He went on to shine as a solo artist, since Mafia K'1 Fry and 113 were less active. And he took advantage of his solo career to become the link between all generations of French rap, having experienced it all. Commercial successes such as 2009's "Maghreb United", on which he brought together a host of artists with big hits. More confidential releases, such as "Chef de Famille" in 2012. Then, a real musical revival in which he adopts the sounds of the new generations of Rap FR, with resounding success. First with "Monster Tape", then with "Fantôme", a real box-office hit (filled with feats with "youngsters" like Sadek, SCH, etc.), followed by "Mutant", in 2019. A record that consolidates Rim'K's new success, and decorates it with a diamond single, thanks to the feat with Ninho, "Air Max". A hit that shows that the Tonton is truly the coolest guy in the big French rap family, always up to date, cheeky as in his early days, with both feet firmly planted in the neighborhood. "Midnight" and "ADN" will also be two very good albums, with their mix of styles between old school, Trap and drill, a new fashion that is now unavoidable. It's rumoured that he may well release an album by the end of the year, although nothing has been announced by his teams as yet. In any case, we're likely to be hearing a lot more from Tonton Rim'K, and that's something we at Project X Paris are happy about.
Rim'K and Project X, the most authentic collab
We very recently collaborated with the rapper, and it's a partnership we're very proud of. We hadn't yet had the chance to work with artists who knew the older generation of rap, but also the first steps of streetwear in France. So we decided to go for a rather elegant, classy, simple and effective shoot to respect the OG that Rim'K is. But we also wanted to give him a nice souvenir of the shoot, by bringing back an authentic Rolls Royce, in front of which he posed, not hesitating to sit inside. We opted for a streetwear outfit very light to contrast with the dark exterior colors of the car: a multi-pocket workwear jacket in beige, with multi-pocket workwear pants in the same color. An outfit that highlights workwear, one of the oldest components of streetwear. Underneath the jacket, you can see a white Project X Paris Signature t-shirt, with the logo in black, our brand's star product.
We're still in workwear, but we've completely changed the mood to something a little more underground, a little less flashy, a little less Rolls. This time, we head for a warehouse redecorated for the occasion, in "studio chill" mode, with a big old-school leather sofa, some TVs and speakers. And in the middle of it all we find Rim'K, this time in a two-tone black and white outfit. A multi-pocket workwear jacket in black, over a white t-shirt. At the bottom, we find the same alternating hues, with black multi-pocket workwear pants, and a pair of Air Force 1 white. We added to the outfit a bag Black Monogram from PXP, for that little streetwise touch. And that's all there is to it! An outfit that's both sober and classy, and goes well with Uncle's sunglasses.
The final look is a little more casual, but still inspired by the street, with this phone booth in which Rim'K sits like the prince of his city. Here again, no haphazard attempts at elegance and sobriety. round-neck sweatshirt unisex signature in white, an essential for our brand. We've also got the beige cargo pants for bottoms, which transition to the rapper's pair of Air Maxes, also white. The look goes particularly well with the hues of the decor, and the rather light outfit will be a hit for your slightly cooler summer evenings. If you're ever heading off somewhere a little chilly, we've also given Rim'K the quilted Teddy jacket, in greige.
At Project X, we're delighted to be able to work with an authority like Rim'K, and we're announcing a new kind of collaboration with him very soon. We'll be in touch soon.