Negrito with Project X Paris, always more inventive
The rapper from 77 honored us by joining us for a memorable multi-stage photoshoot, and it’s an opportunity for PXP to talk to you in detail about the character of Negrito, who is one of the "kings of melody" in French rap.
Negrito, the unclassifiable rapper
It’s not easy to classify Negrito’s career, as the rapper has many strings to his bow. Officially in the game for over six years, his career is already dense and full but above all, very varied. Because while he is seen today as one of those who best master the art of "melody" in rap, this way of singing while kicking to make it catchy, we cannot limit Negrito to that. He can do many other things and, moreover, he probably had the double influence of his elders’ more traditional music and the pure and hard rap of his "big brothers" from the neighborhood. Because during his first appearances on the mic, the rapper was a kicker, even a shouter sometimes, whereas today he can also sing, as in "Fiché," his latest single featuring L2B, or on several tracks from his last album "Débrouillard," released early 2024. On this project, he does not hesitate to explore the latest trends like plugg, on the track "Clan" with Fresh LaDouille. One more proof of his very wide artistic palette.
Varied and full of potential, like the 77
We can’t help but think that if he manages to switch so well from one style to another, it’s also thanks to where he comes from, crossed by multiple influences. Negrito comes from Dammarie-les-Lys, in 77. A department where huge neighborhoods and sometimes big towns coexist with countryside and fields, with a rural/urban mix that also strongly resembles 91. No coincidence if these are the two most creative and diverse departments in the Paris region rap scene over the last ten years. A department with its old glories, local stars, all creating a very dynamic scene: Uzi, Ninho, ISK, Timal, Negrito, not forgetting of course the stars Djadja & Dinaz; we can say there is real emulation in this area, and Negrito was able to benefit from all these influences and put them to good use to build his universe and his discography of 3 albums (so far).
Cinema and acting in the blood
Like all rappers of the new generation, Negrito nourished his rap with very well-digested references from elsewhere, notably cinema, but also sports like football for example. Regarding cinema, we specify that he first became known during the 2020 lockdown thanks to a series of freestyles called "La Purge," which counts six episodes so far. "La Purge" is that ultra-violent film that was a hit, a sort of horrific social satire in which Americans are allowed to commit the worst crimes during a specific period to get rid of their "impulses" and behave quietly the rest of the year. With, in the background, glaring social inequalities between different American citizens, some able to barricade themselves at home while others are unfortunately forced to venture outside. A film that deeply marked his musical universe, even if today the influences are much more diverse in his music. However, his love of staging in his videos remains, and that’s good because it will serve us at PXP!
Too street and too stylish This sense of staging will obviously serve us during the shoot. Even if, for some locations, Negrito didn’t have to make much effort to adapt, as we took him to the street, right at the foot of the block, for a 100% authentic sequence guaranteed without frills. Even in terms of outfit, we went for very effective, with relative sobriety: the Urban Explorer shirt, paired with white cargo pants, worn with a small chain, here is a very "relaxed" and very summery outfit while remaining very street, but with a real touch of style, since the patterns on the shirt make it stand out quite quickly. Exactly what we like at Project X Paris: streetwear, but that can stand out from the ordinary.
Project X Paris and Negrito in California mode!
The rapper obviously gave us carte blanche regarding the shoot, the choice of locations, but also the number of participants or some "gadgets" and decor elements. Our stylists outdid themselves and proposed a vibe we hadn’t seen yet in our shoots: a summery vibe, but rather early evening. No more blue sky, welcome electric lighting, and especially clothes that take us into a somewhat Californian atmosphere. All this, with the idea of sticking to the identity of the capsule from which the shooting pieces come: the new California Vibes capsule. We notably find the all-over palm tree polo, but above all, the palm tree hoodie, because we repeat: no successful streetwear outfit without a good hoodie. All this with a pair of Jordans, and especially cargo pants, and here is Negrito dressed like never before. To lend him a hand, our stylists called in reinforcements, and the extras all adopted the unisex Essentials Project X Paris hoodie in orange. And to push the California vibe to the max, we also brought a nice Dodge Ram, in orange and black, to go with the colors of the participants’ clothes. We told you, our stylists were inspired!
Comfortable in PXP even in the studio For the last stage of the collaboration with Negrito, we wanted to get him out of his comfort zone. We made a mini photo studio with a nice silky green background and some paintings. There we find two outfits, one of which is still composed of pieces from the California Vibes capsule: a shirt with palm tree print and shorts with the same print, all in white and green for a really stylish overall effect while staying really in the streetwear spirit. For the second outfit, we stay in a summery vibe, but a bit warmer, for the evening for example: multi-pocket cargo pants, a timeless piece, and above all one of our bestsellers, still from the California Vibes capsule: the hoodie, with the palm tree print on the back and the white/cream color that is still very pleasant.
We really enjoyed Negrito’s time, with a really creative and very varied collab, reflecting the rapper’s music. We hope you also notice that the shoots keep improving in quality, and with the rapper from 77, we really let our imagination run wild, a real pleasure! To be done again as soon as possible, wishing him the best for the future from all the PXP teams.