Yo La La ! is a monthly show about French rap. It is aimed at educating Anglophones about the current state -and the history- of the French hip-hop scene, it features old and new songs as well as a non-French guest track of the month.

To subscribe to Yo La La !, use the following address: http://www.yolala.org/yolala.xml

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Yo La La ! #35 : The Swiss Show - Part I

February 2008

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Belated showcase of some of Switzerland's local talent, in all their multi-lingual glory, thanks to real Swiss dude Lucien (no relation). Sorry for the weird sound quality!

• "Rien a perdre" is the eponymous track of Double Pact's 2002 album.
• "Mais ou?", is from Stress' best-selling album Renaissance.
• "Superschwiizer" is from Gimma's 2006 album I gega d'Schwiiz.
• "Rapmaschina" is from Liricas Analas' 2006 album AnalFaBad.
• "Chapitre I: Albert est mort" by Greis is from his self-titled, bilingual double album

Yo La La ! #34 : The religion show

January 2008

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A special on religion in French hip-hop, from religious questions to prayers to religious critique to full-blown atheism.

• "L'onction" is the eponymous track of Fredy.K's solo album.
• "Faiseur de pluie", featuring Gas, is from Kohndo's album 2 pieds sur Terre/Stick to ground. This album may also be available at your friendly neighborhood record store!
• "Prière" is from Keny Arkana's debut album: Entre ciment et belle étoile.
• "Après la mort" is by Kery James (no idea where I got it from)
• "Hotmail" by Medine is from Table d'écoute
• "Think" is by some Thai hip-hop band I don't know
• "Vos dieux ont les mains sales" is from IAM's Ombre est lumière
• "33 comme l'autre" by MC Jean Gab'1 from his album Ma vie
• "Ni dieu, ni maitre" is from La Canaille's first album.

Special thanks to Suzie for her Asian hip-hop tracks!

Yo La La ! #33 : Tribute to Fredy.K

December 2007

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A special on the youngest member of ATK, who died recently in a motorcycle accident.

Rest in peace, Fredy, and thank you for everything you've done for French hip-hop.

Sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis.

• "Impalpable" and the interlude are from ATK's debut LP, Micro Test. A remix of "Impalpable" can be found on Oxygene Volume 2.
• "Ma mort" is from Heptagone.
• "Outro (Faits pour etre ensemble)" is from Fredy.K's solo album, L'onction.
• The "Les profiteurs" skit and "J'ai grandi dans ça" are from Klub des 7's album Le Klub des 7.
• "A qui je profite" and "Avant la tombe" are from ATK's 2007 album Silence Radio.

Special thanks to Jerry from KALX 90.7 in Berkeley, California, USA for his generous donation. If you live in the Bay Area, check out his local concert website: http://www.sfjerry.com

Check out my latest "Guess the sample" quizz on Coverville!

This quizz featured:

• MC Jean Gab'1? and JP?'s "Janis" from Liaisons Dangereuses
• ATK's "Qu'est-ce que tu deviens?" and "L'affaire hot dog" from their album Heptagone
• Seth Gueko's "Les fils de Jacques Mess'" from his album Patate de Forain

Yo La La ! #32 : The Lafayette Show

November 2007

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A special on French-American collaborations in hip-hop.

This show features an exclusive interview with Princess !

• Mafia K'1Fry and Princess' "On gere" is from the re-issue of their last album, Jusqu'a la mort
• Princess' "Rude Boy" can be found on her website
• IAM and Beyonce's "Bienvenue" is from Revoir un printemps
• IAM and Sunz of Man's "La Saga" is from L'école du micro d'argent
• NTM and Nas' "Affirmative Action - Seine St-Denis Style Remix" is on the Best of NTM
• Guru and Lucien's "Lifesaver" should be on Jazzmatazz 2
• IAM's "Wake Up" is from De la planete Mars
• Svinkels's "Alcohol" is from Qhuit's Gran Bang

Yo La La ! #31 : Behind the XLR8R mix

October 2007

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Explanations about the tracks I chose for the XLR8R podcast, with some rough translations of the tracks' main messages.

• IAM's "Tam-tam de l'Afrique" is from their 1991 debut album, De la planète Mars
• La Cliqua's "Requiem" is from the La Haine "soundtrack"
• Lunatic's "Le Crime paie" can be found on the Hostile compilation
• Idéal J "Hardcore" is from Le combat continue
• Kalash "Tant qu'elle résonne (Musique Engagée)" is from their compilation A l'aurore du come-back
• Assassin's "Touche d'espoir" is the eponymous track of their 2000 album
• Sniper Feat. Leila Rami "Entre deux" is from their second album, Gravé dans la roche
• Supreme NTM's "Qu'est ce qu'on attend" is from their third album Paris sous les bombes
• Seth Gueko & Sefyu Molotov's "Patate de forain" can be found on Seth's street CD Barillet Plein
• Princess Anies "Trop despee" can be found on "Ma p'tite histoire", Princess Anies's street CD
• Booba's "Boulbi" is on Ouest Side
• La Rumeur's "Paris nous nourrit, Paris nous affame" is on their 2005 album, Regain de tension
• L'Atelier's "Le hip-hop c'est mon pote" is on Buffet des Anciens Eleves
• DSL? & Svinkels's "Prohibition" is on Qhuit's Gran Bang
• Saian Supa Crew's cover of Renaud's "Marche a l'ombre" is on Hexagone 2001
• Puzzle?'s "Fais le toi meme" is on Viens m'chercher
• La Caution's "The a la Menthe" is from their second album Peine de maures/Arc-en-ciel pour daltoniens

Note: due to technical issues, some pics couldn't make it to the XLR8R feed. They will be added on this site's artists pages, and for Renaud... here's the man at the beginning of his career, then four years later when he wrote "Marche a l'ombre" and nowadays.

Yo La La ! #30 : A dropout and a graduation

September 2007

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As my guest DJ disappeared, no Booba show for you but very, very important news concerning myself and the podcast.

Shoutouts to:

• XLR8R
• Flight 808 and Audible Treats
• Lauren Dane

Yo La La ! #29 : Tribute to Coverville II

August 2007

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French rappers cover political songs and Nas re-uses a classic French hip-hop instrumental.

Check out Coverville and Solipsistic Nation's Grimestep show.

You can download Tchad Unpoe's album from his website.

Tracklist coming soon.

Yo La La ! #28 : L'episode Quebecois

July 2007

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A Franco-French view on Quebecois rap. Funny tracks and serious tracks, with special thanks to Queen Zombie of the Living Dead Girlz for her donation, Brian Ibbott of Coverville for his inspiration and Cedric for his track selection.

Tracklist

• If you really want to listen to more of Roi Heenok?'s stuff, check out some here.
• Jean-Baptiste Duval is a spoof Quebecois rapper featured on Fatal Bazooka?'s album T'as vu
• "God bess the topless" is from Black Taboo?'s Au Nom du Pad et du Vice
• The studio version of Loco Locass?'s "Malamalangue" is on their Manifestif album.
• "CHIPS" is from Atach Tatuq?'s Deluxxx album.
• "Le Beat à Tibi", feat. Raoul Duguay, is from Anodajay?'s second album, Septentrion

To play my "Guess the sample" quizz, check out this Coverville episode

This quizz featured:

• IAM's "Tam-tams de l'afrique" is from their 1991 debut album, De la planete Mars
• Yannick?'s "Ces soirees la" is from C'est ca qu'on aime
• "Pollutions" by TTC and La Caution can be found on TTC's first album, Ceci n'est pas un disque
• "Saute sur ma musique" is from Cuizinier's mixtape Pour les filles Vol.2

Yo La La ! #27 : The Street Show - Part 2

June 2007

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Part 2 of the gangsta/ghetto/street rap show, featuring rappers from the 94 area (with an intro by Kennedy himself!), various other areas and members of the Mafia K'1Fry crew.

Tracklist

94

• "Nique sa mere" is by Kennedy. Check out his myspace!
• "Rap de tess" is from Nessbeal's La melodie des briques

Misc

• "Tous Illicites" is by L.I.M.
• "Le silence de ma rue" is from La Rumeur's L'ombre sur la mesure
• "Les fils de Jacques Mes" is from Seth Gueko's "Patate de Forain"

Mafia K'1Fry

• "En mode" is from Rohff's double album Au dela de mes limites
• "Thug Life" by Kery James is from Mafia K'1Fry's album Jusqu'a la mort
  
  

Yo La La ! #26 : The Street Show - Part 1

June 2007

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Following a discussion on the forum with a Yo La La! listener, here's a special on French gangsta/ghetto/street rap, or "rap de rue" as we call it. Many thanks to Erwan for providing the tracklisting and info about the artists.

This show also features a short interview with J-Flexx. Not only will you learn more about the man behind such famous lyrics as California Love, Natural Born Killaz, Keep Their Heads Ringing but he also comments on French gangsta rap. Check out his solo album Billboard Dreams.

Tracklist

International guest track of the month

• "Get mine and go" by J-Flexx is from his debut album Billboard Dreams.

Old School

• "Mon esprit part en couille" by Expression Direkt can be found on their album Wesh On Ecoute Ou Quoi.
• "Cours plus vite que les balles" by Ministere A.M.E.R. is from their second album, 95200.
• "Tout saigne" by La Clinique feat. Doc Gyneco can be found on their album

Booba

• The first track is Intro of his first solo album Temps Mort,
• The second is "Garde la peche" from his Ouest Side album.

93

• "La vie qui va avec" is from Sefyu's debut album, Qui suis-je?
• "Ne me parle pas de rue" is from Mac Tyer first solo album, "Le General". It also features Booba.
• "Mon crack" by Alpha 5.20 is from "Vivre et mourir a Dakar", featuring Iron Sy and Lino.

Yo La La ! #25 : Kalash Politics

April 2007

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A show recorded in a hurry, just before the French presidential elections, featuring an interview of political band Kalash (questions dubbed by my good ol'Brit James P). Sorry for the weird sound levels and quality.

For the original (French) version of the interview, right-click here

Full Tracklist: coming soon.

• "Tant qu'elle resonne (musique engagee)" is from their compilation A l'aurore du come-back.

If you need more political hip-hop in the mean time, check out the "Explicit Politik", "Ecoute la rue Marianne" and "Morts pour rien" compilations.

Yo La La ! #24 : Cherchez encore la femme

March 2007

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The second special on French Female rappers, featuring Casey, Bams, and Keny Arkana. International guest track of the month is by Dutch female rapper Nina.

Don't forget to check out my part of the exquisite corpse mix at solipsisticnation.com.

Tracklist:

• "2e Generatie" is from Nina's debut album, De lastigste. Ja Toch!
• "Ta meuf la caille" is from Faf Larage album Rap Stories
• "Une lame dans ma veste" is from Casey's first real album, Tragedie d'une trajectoire and "Délit de faciès" is from her debut street CD, Hostile au Stylo
• "Y a-t-il" (feat. Casey and Ekoue and "Please tends l'oreille" (feat D Taz) are from Bams's De ce monde album.
• "Eh connard" and "Nettoyage au Kärcher" are from Keny Arkana's debut album: Entre ciment et belle étoile.

Yo La La ! #23 : Cherchez la femme

February 2007

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The first special on French Female rappers, featuring a lil' Diam's but mainly Princess Anies, Ste Strausz and Lady Laistee.

An important piece of news is the partnership with GhostFace Killah's Hip-Hop Hold'em website, http://www.GFKPoker.com. They're hosting a free roll tournament so click on the banner below for more info.

To discuss hip-hop, poker, and this partnership, check out the forum.

A big shoutout to Kalash for an awesome show and an awesome interview, to be aired in Episode #25, the politics special.

• "Qui pourrait me dire" (feat. Diam's, Isis and China can be found on the compilation Mission Suicide or, like "Trop despee" and "Si j'étais un homme", it can be found on "Ma p'tite histoire", Princess Anies's street CD
• "Une décennie" and "Toutes ces femmes" are from Ste Strausz's latest album Fidele a moi-meme
• "Met Play" is from Ste Strausz first album, Ste Real
• "C'est la meme histoire (C'est asmeuk)" by Ste Strausz is from the historical La Haine soundtrack
• "J'hallucine" and "Faut qu'j'respire" are from Lady Laistee's latest album, Second Souffle
• "Black Mama"is the eponymous track for Lady Laistee's first album

Yo La La ! #22 : Oxmo Puccino

January 2007

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Oxmo Puccino, aka the Black Mafioso, Black Desperado, Black Jacques Brel or Black Popeye is one of the most gifted rappers ever. This episode tries to capture all aspects of his talent, from witty fictional stories to the most depressing introspective songs this side of the Atlantic.

• "Hitman" and "L'enfant seul" are from Opera Puccino
• "Dans quatre jours" featuring Mr Eon from High and Mighty is our international track of the month. It can be found on this compilation.
• "Demain peut-être" and "J'ai mal au mic" are from L'amour est mort
• "L'amour est mort, mets..." and "Black Desperado" are from Le cactus de Sibérie
• "Perdre et gagner" and "Nirvana" are from Lipopette Bar
• "Mama Lova" feat. Diam's can be found on her tenth-anniversary compilation, Dix ans d'une Diam's. The original, sans Diam's but with the Shaggy sample is from DJ Kheop's first compilation, Sad Hill

As Oxmo told me during an online chat, ask me to translate one of his songs.

A big shoutout to TekiLatex

for an awesome concert and an awesome bumper!

Finally, this show is dedicated to Mark Hunter. Thank you for your donation!

If you liked what you heard on Yo La La !, by all means do buy the artists' albums. The French rap market is in no way comparable to the US market so most of these guys are far from being millionaires. Many have day jobs, live off welfare or worse. The links below point first to the american Amazon.com, then the French Amazon.fr or non-merchant sites if the albums are not available in the States.

Yo La La! has been around for a while now, so don't forget to check out the 2006 and 2005 shows too!