While the 92, 93 and 94 regions have long been the focus of attention in the rap game, in recent years the 91 region has established itself as "THE" purveyor of French rap talent. And it's all thanks in part to Kodes and his friends from Bâtiment 7 in Evry. Focus on his meteoric rise.
Évry, capital of Rap
If we want to talk about French rap over the last ten years, we obviously have to talk about the 91 region, and in particular Evry. It's a town that many people in the Ile-de-France region don't know, because of its relative distance from Paris and the time it takes to get there from the capital. But this hasn't stopped the young people of Evry from creating their own codes, their own language and their own style of rap. Today, the town's influence is felt all over France, as many talented artists have emerged from the town and its artistic identity has strongly influenced rap production in recent years. After Niska, who conquered France with his "Matuidi Charo", then with the mega-hit "Réseaux" and "Sapés comme Jamais", it's now the turn of Bâtiment 7 in the Parc aux Lièvres housing estate to shine, with Koba la D at the forefront, closely followed by the whole of Seven Binks, of which Kodes is one of the founders. He's one of the guys who pushed the boys to get serious about music and leave the nonsense behind, and it was obviously a great idea!
Kodes is one of the first of the Seven Binks gang to take up rap, with a style that's punchy, catchy, even aggressive at times: the rage of the Bat 7 himself. In fact, there are a number of similarities between his style and that of Niska, another Évry rap legend. "Desko", as he called himself when he first started out, is the standard-bearer for the values of his neighborhood: resourcefulness, solidarity, bravery in the face of adversity, but also a firm believer in one's dreams and destiny, and in giving oneself the means to achieve them. When he began rapping with the Spartan Mafia around 2015, the man nicknamed "Kodes la B" (for "the barrier") had no idea he would become such an important rapper. But 7 years later, with 2 solo projects and 4 group projects under his belt, he's ranked among the serious artists whose releases are eagerly awaited. The bad boy of the Bat 7 doesn't hold back when it comes to kicking, whether in the studio or freestyling, even though he started out in a hard-hitting rap style.
But he has also managed to diversify his artistic palette, an essential step on the road to becoming a headliner in today's French rap scene. He's able to liven up an evening with some of his rhythmic tracks, and even to slip into a more melancholy, melodious rap, with a little more emotion. As he prepares to release his third solo album in 2022, the rapper has reached a real turning point in his career, and he's well aware of it: he's a hard worker who releases a huge number of tracks and videos, takes part in feats and seems determined to occupy as much space as possible. For Kodes has the "rage de vaincre" made in 91, and intends to make his success story last as long as possible. Signed to Wati B, an extremely important label in the history of French Rap, he has all the cards in hand to take his career to the next level. Because, in addition to his mastered rap, with music that respects the codes of kickage, the rapper has more than one string to his bow, and we were able to observe this during our collaborative shoot with him!
The Kodes x PXP collab
Artists sometimes have rather discreet personalities, and are not necessarily compatible with posing in front of a lens, or putting themselves on stage during a photo shoot. But for Kodes, who is used to being in front of the camera, it seems rather natural! It has to be said that in all his clips, the rapper has a crazy attitude and a polished style. So most of the work was already done, and all that remained was to imagine an incredible setting for a memorable shoot. And so it was, with the magnificent Ferrari F8 Tributo Spyder adding a touch of luxury to this rather streetwise, summery shoot. All of this, of course, sublimated by the outfit from the Springbreak capsule, a colorful collection that's a must-have this summer. A short with tropical print, paired with a casual, loose-fitting shirt in the same colors, for a very successful overall effect, and it's in the bag: you've got a real streetwear outfit, worn in style, with the addition of sunglasses and an imposing "bling" around the neck.
The rapper is also very much at ease with the other outfit from the Rainbow capsule, a little less exuberant than the first but also much more streetwise. It has to be said that the outfit is a little darker, even if the logos on the torso remain very colorful, in rainbow colors. This time, we gave him a t-shirt with the logo gradient all over, and a little reminder of the logo around the collar. Add to this the shorts, which also feature the rainbow gradient logo motif all over, with the same black background and a slightly reworked logo on the front of the left leg. Proudly seated in the Ferrari, Kodes pulls it off divinely well and the very street rendering is really effective, still with the same impressive watch and chain. This is probably the rapper's most streetwise and natural outfit, on a par with the Bandana capsule: a shorts + shorts set. hoodie with bandana motifs, with a change of scenery. Gone was the outdoor Ferrari, replaced by the small four-seater Robin DR 400, waiting in its hangar for an opportunity to show itself off.
A change of mood that didn't faze the rapper, who went about his business like a true pro, taking some really great photos thanks to our designers' work on the lighting in particular. We still found time to let the artist try on a fourth outfit, this time from the "Patchwork" capsule, which plays with superimposed blocks of color to create a soft, stylish look. It's an outfit that moves away from streetwear and more towards workwear style, and here again, Kodes is on top form: beige shorts with a double logo embroidered on the left leg, and the "Patchwork" logo on the right. shirt with "Patchwork" color blocks, the collection's star piece, worn with a white tank top underneath and a pair of black sneakers. A true flawless performance for the rapper from 91, to whom we wish all the best for the future, especially for his solo album, due out soon. Here's hoping we can collaborate with him again in the near future!