The rap game has had barely a year to recover from the tidal wave caused by the release of "13 Organisé", the 100% Marseilles-based project put together by Jul. Under the impetus of the UFO, the city of Marseilles is preparing to launch a second wave, this time inviting Paris to the party. Welcome to the year of the "Organized Classico". Project X Paris was able to collaborate with the key players in this great match.
Marseille, capital of sape, relaunches the rap game
Historically, hip hop culture has always had a very "competitive" aspect: between rappers, between groups, between labels, but also, and above all, between cities. In the USA, we obviously remember the competition between New York and LA for rap game supremacy. In France, it's obviously Paris and Marseille who are vying for the title of "rap capital". And over the past year, Marseilles has shone brightly. This is largely due to the earthquake caused by the release of the "13'Organisé" project, led by the inevitable Jul. The "UFO", as he's known, has managed the tour de force of bringing together all the generations of Marseilles rap on a single album. From IAM to Naps and Soso Maness and, of course, SCH and the Fonky Family. The album features a wide range of musical moods, as in the tracks "Bande Organisée", "L'Étoile sur le maillot" and "Je Suis Marseille".
In commercial terms, it was obviously a hit. The first single is now certified triple diamond, almost unheard of in French rap. As for the album, it easily went platinum. And in terms of critical acclaim, here too, the Marseillais have done extremely well. The Naps Jul, Soso Maness SCH, Elams and Kofs brought together fans of old-school rap with younger listeners who enjoy more rhythmic, club-style tracks. Symbolically, it was another success, with the city sending out a strong message of unity between all its neighborhoods and generations. A real tour de force for the Marseillais, who proudly represent the colors of their city and their hip hop. It's a tour de force Jul intends to repeat, but this time with the help of Paris!
Parisian rap artists invited to Classico Organisé
In another stroke of genius, the UFO made an exceptional announcement ahead of the Marseille/Paris match on October 24. A huge collaborative project was to be launched, with over 150 artists on the tracklist from the two capitals of French rap: the "Classico Organisé" was born. We've already had a taste of what's to come with the single "Loi de la calle", featuring Lacrim, Mister You, Jul, Da UZI, Kofs, Niro, Alonzo and Le Rat Luciano. This dark, streetwise track is highly reminiscent of rap from the late 2000s. A deliberate nod from the artists.
What's most striking is the incredible number of rappers who answered the call. It has to be said that "Le J", as it's now known, has a knack for bringing people together through its simplicity and authenticity. Once again, all generations were present: Rohff, Arsenik, le 113, Oxmo, Tunisiano and Aketo for the older crowd, and Bosh, Kanoe, Uzi, Koba la D and Bolemvn for the younger ones. The line-up promises to be explosive.
Streetwear brand Project X Paris dresses both crews!
Of course, the streetwear brand Project X Paris couldn't miss out on these events, which had a great resonance in all urban cultures. The music echoed what PXP was trying to do in terms of clothing. There was no rivalry or competition in our collections, but rather a desire to draw inspiration from the energy of the two cities and offer pieces that captured the spirit of streetwear in Marseille and Paris. After all, for some time now, Project X Paris has no longer been an exclusively Parisian brand. It has exported to the Côte d'Azur with several store openings to satisfy growing demand in Marseille. 3 boutiques have been opened in the city's biggest shopping centers, one in Grand Littoral, another in the famous rue Saint-Ferréol, and finally another in Les Terrasses du Port. It was in this spirit that the "Crew" capsules were born.
To proudly wear the Paris Crew Project X Paris has chosen to collaborate with the cream of the current rap scene in Paname. So we were delighted to work with Bosh He was very busy with the release of season 2 of "Validé". He brought his brutal side to our collections, in a very effective way. PXP was also lucky enough to dress Uzi a great revelation from 77, who exploded onto the scene with his hit "A la fête" and a successful album. Finally, of course, the phenomenon Koba la D agreed to give strength to the brand by becoming one of our muses, for the duration of a collection. These three artists will be on hand to perform "Classico Organisé", which comes out on November 5. We're obviously hoping they'll shine, but the truth is, we're not too worried about them: it's bound to be a heavyweight affair.
But Project X Paris didn't choose sides in this classico - or rather, the brand chose both teams! After a highly successful collaboration with SCH who has always had a real love of sape and streetwear, PXP wanted to consolidate his Marseilles roots by collaborating with one of the city's rap greats: Naps. With almost 15 years in the rap business, the native of the famous Air Bel district has managed to establish himself over time. Of course, keeping up with the times also means getting into the groove, so Naps was keen to be part of the " Marseille Crew "by PXP. A really successful collaboration, with slightly slimmer, more elegant cuts. But we couldn't work with rappers from Marseille without working with the most present, smiling and restless of them all: Soso Maness. Like him, Project X Paris has a rock'n'roll, punk spirit that's off the beaten track. His frankness, good humor and sometimes exuberance fit in perfectly with the ideas conveyed by the brand, and we hope that the rapper will carry these values high during the forthcoming "Classico Organisé". But don't worry: he'll be on top form, that's for sure.