Reviews (page 2 of 8)
I was positively surprised. This guy raps well and it's musically interesting, too.
French rap is awesome
idont know
Franse rap, helemaal ruk
Well, it’s official. This is more or less gibberish to me. In the past, I’ve understood things. I speak some Spanish. I’m almost fluent in Arabic. French? Never studied. I am helpless against this beautiful barrage of words. And it is beautiful. The beats are awesome, the flow is great, and the vibes are spectacular. I mean, the album is realistically 15 minutes too long at least, but almost every song is built out of mind blowing sample on mind-blowing sample. Every single song has an insane flow, and a near-limitless amount of coolness. It’s also worth noting that this was the first big/noteworthy French rap album, surely the reason it exists on this list. I find that a great reason to place an album here, as France is a wonderful, vibrant place, or so I’m told. Either way, great album. Love it. Recommended, belongs on the list. 8.9/10 DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: YES REASON: first majorly recognized French rap album, also it’s really good
Fun French rap album!
Too much Rap for my taste. Although it has some good vibes 👍🏼
French rap is cool. Sick flow.
I mean, the album was cool and interesting, but I feel like I can't properly rate it. It sat in the middle for me, I can't understand the lyrics, but the beat and vibe were decent. I'm not the biggest rap guy, especially from this era, but I can absolutely appreciate a foreign rapper from this era.
Now I can't comment on the lyrical content but the production is pretty good for the era and it's still a jam.
Interesting to find French rap. The style ranges but felt very squarely 90s.
This guy is the Lyrical Napoleon Bonaparte! ...At least I think he is. I'm not very good with historical references. The music is very well done. I have zero idea what he's saying. I'm comfortable giving this one 4 stars.
French rapping. Probably the best sounding rap. It's not for me but this seemed to be a well put together album.
não é um gênero q escuto muito, mas eu escutei por um tempo esse album. ainda curti 2 músicas: l'historie de l'arte e caroline
I like the music, the production is really good but I don't speak French so I'm missing half the album I feel. 3.5/5 though it probably deserves better
Zee frenchie froggy legs, escardo. Ouvre la potre.
Äntligen lite hiphop! Fransk dessutom. Mycket bra
I enjoyed this more than I expected to.
I'm a bit of a hypocrite if I say Planet Rock is hack and this is cool so I'm carefully going to explain why this is better despite the language barrier. This album seems to have a delicate blend of the 60s reprise in the early 1990s; akin to the soulquarians from Electric Ladyland studio and, NY boombap. The beats, production and overall sound quality of each individual sample and or live track all adds to this vintage appeal, while giving MC Solaar room to rap in that unique 90s style. Despite the language barrier, the swagger proficiency, and fluidity of the word play and features actually makes this a really enjoyable listen. Obviously I can't give it 5 stars but I'm arguing with myself for being so critical of hip hop. But, I'll make my mind up tonight. Worth a listen.
To be honest, this was a big surprise! I enjoyed a lot!
Can't speak French rap
No clue what he's saying but I enjoyed the beats.
Didn't understand it, didn't hate it.
Very cool and groovy!
french
Very different to the point where it's slightly intriguing. But are we sure that French hip-hop has that much popularity worldwide to warrant a spot on this list?
It's De La Sol in French. Makes me realize how little of the French I took in grade school has stuck. I like the nods to old-school, like Quartier Nord.
had a great time listening to this with c because they could translate the french and let me know wtf the songs were about. had a great time
0.5
I don't understand French, but I think his flow was solid. 3.5 stars
I thought this was okay at first but became more irritated with it as time went on. Title track was my favorite. Light 3 stars.
Et maintenant le voyage a la MC Solaar! Pamplemousse Baguette Jus d'orange Boeuf Soup du jour Camembert Jacques Cousteau Baguette
Didn’t understand a single thing but this album still slapped. Really cool beats and a nice flow, that sometimes makes me forget these lyrics are in French. Just a bit too long. Favourite songs: Victime de la mode, Ragga jam
In the beginning I was really enjoying it but then it started to drag on.
Cool, sounds like 90s rap. But in French. Did I get that right?
A rap album that actually uses real musicians! Good flow and interesting to hear in French. I enjoyed this.
Having a hip hop album in a language I do not know is kinda nice. Let's me focus purely on the groove.
J’adore
This album makes you feel cool for listening to it. Such an interesting blender genres, and it all works together so well. This is something ordinarily that I would never listen to out of the blue but I'm very thankful I got offered this today. My only issue with the album is a few. The first half definitely feels more cohesive and transitions into every song, quite well and with the second half, I'm less certain of that fact. I think the the rhymes that we hear throughout the album are so crisp. Obviously language barrier is present. However, this does not affect my enjoyment of this album. I find it so interesting to hear how other languages morph rapping to fit their tones and phrasing, and I think it's just demonstrated particularly well here. Fav Track: Matiere Grass Contre Matiere Gris
Hell yeah, this is "slaps" as the kids say
More like this please
Lovely stuff
60/100
Despite how much I hate on electronic music and non-American rap and hip hop, this is actually an interesting record. No idea what he's saying as I'm not French and haven't gotten it translated, but it's still a lot of fun.
This was surprising. Maybe to like rap it needs to be in a foreign language! I mean I didn’t love it but it was pretty enjoyable.
I don't speak French, so I don't understand much of what was said. He has a good flow considering it's early 90s. He's got some speed that might give Twista a run for his money. Even if it is in French. Reggae song kind of dragged it down. It reminded me of Sean Paul song. I hate Sean Paul. Nice savvy jazzy choice of samples. 3
I was sort of dreading this based on the language, but I was actually really into this. Great album, seriously. No idea what he's talking about, but I like the vocals, phrasing and beats. 8/10/26
Fun! It was really interesting to hear how the french language intertwined with the beat. It works really well.
Listening to someone rapping in another language hits home how much I find solid flow to sound instrumental instead of purely lyrical. There's a meshing of his style and sound with the brass work that is so solid. This continues the trend of me rating albums higher when I listen to them on a train or subway. Hearing a French rapper in Quebec added a charm to it. Cool album.
I don’t understand French, but this one had great grooves all the way through.
fun
Pretty interesting! Definitely a throwback to the 90s.
I don't understand enough French for this to be interesting
The sort of music I normally love to listen to but this is a bit run of the mill
Very cool
I'm upset that I liked this as much as I did. Musically, this is probably my favorite hip hop album that I've heard. There's definitely a higher musical bar for non-English albums to make the list, and this album has no problem clearing it
Genuinely hated almost everything about this album
Man if i understood a word of french this would be great
I liked this ok all the way until Ragga Jam. That was notta my jam.
pretty cool 3.5
I had never heard of this artist before and I am so glad I got to give a listen! This was excellent and I would go back for more.
Didn't understand that much but was pretty good
Mediocre stuff. Nice sampling but it drones on. Cool highlights here and there though especially at the end of the album
Qui Seme Le Vent Recolte La Tempo was a very fun album. Just like with the title, everything about this album is very French from the rapper currently living there (and at the time too), the lyrics being in French and even a good majority of the comments being in French too. Of course, due to that second point, i can't judge this album's lyrics as i do not speak French but i can praise both the music and the flows as they are both really good. The music has this incredibly fun jazzy Public Enemy vibe to it and this album also has some incredibly smooth flows. I don't have too much else to say about it, it's just a really fun album. Best Song: Qui Seme Le Vent Recolte La Tempo Worst Song: Ragga Jam
love this era of hip-hop but have to think there are so many more to choose from over this
8.5/10 = j'adore mc solaar depuis le lycee! i remember in my sixth form my french teacher putting another song from a different album on and we had to translate the lyrics and they're always so clever and double meanings in so much, made me want to get better at my french so i could understand these lyrics a bit better bc i would've given this a 5 probably, he always has such a good flow and i never got bored, c'etait tres genial
never a bad time to review your french lessons this is much more interesting than many of his american contemporaries so praised by critics, crazy good flows and rhyme schemes, cant understand half of what hes saying but the delivery makes up for it agnificent instrumentals with influences from free jazz, bebop, funk, african and caribbean music in a chaotic but balanced mix that should make many producers considered paradigms of the genre nervous
Wasnt bad. early 90s French Hip-Hop. who knew?
I can tell there is a lot of talent here even though this isn't a genre I listen to, and it is in a foreign language. The music was repetitive but at least interesting. He had a really good voice.
El idioma siempre es un tema, pero la música suena muy bien. Muy al estilo de la época. Buen interprete de esa estética de aquellos años.
Groovy
Groovy goodness.
Quite listenable for hip-hop. Especially because of the unusual language. Nonetheless not my preferred genre.
Cool instrumentation but no my vibe
French rap. Different for a change and the flow went hard. When I looked at the lyrics on Spotify at times, I digged it too
I don’t like rap much and I do not understand a word of French.
Cool. 3.5
659/1001 2026.07.16
Never heard of this artist. Interested to see what they sound like. reminds me of another artist, I believe from the states, who also has a name of "MC" and whatever follows that. I don't know who it is but the music and the flow is very similar. Cool stuff from France.
Really surprising listen, the backing tracks etc feel of it’s time, but everything else feels like he was really pushing into different territory. Always cool listening to music in other languages
Didn’t understand a word, but smooth and cool as hell.
Une incroyable entrée en matière du monde rap francophone. Although it’s inevitably descended from American hip hop, this record isn’t a simple copycat or import of style. In addition to the requisite jazz samples, it effectively incorporates Caribbean influences, from the excellent Cymande sample on « Bouge de là » to the face-melting vocal performances on « Ragga Jam ». Along with the anti-colonial tract on « Matière grise » and the pride behind « Quartier nord, » the album boasts a confident musical and personal identity. All the more impressive that this is a debut album. Voici mon action sans transactions / La musique et le rap sont mes satisfactions … Hard ou classique, la musique / Adoucit les mœurs
I'll agree that the early 90's were a great era for hip-hop. Curious as to what the French hip-hop scene was like at that time. This definitely sounds of its time, which certainly isn't a bad thing. I more so mean in terms of the production and sampling. Very groovy and smooth, helped along by MC Solaar's flowing and competent delivery. No surprise to hear this guy was very successful in France.
Interesting album- I wasnt that familiar with French hip hop going in. Enjoyable- reminded me a little of Dr Dre. Overall- good album
não entendi quase nada, mas parabéns pro profissional! beats e produção excelentes
bons beats pro início da década de 90 e o flow do rapaz tava em dia. uns ótimos samples, btw. seja lá o que ele tava falando, eu acredito. bacana demais!
not for me
Nice. Like a French Guru.
Enjoyable French rapping
Ihan kelpo flow ja kyllä sieltä yks biisi löys tiensä jörnimislistalle Barry Whitejen seuraksi
Ei oo ranskaräpissä mitään ihmeellistä, perusanaali, elikkäs kakkonen.
Mitä tähän nyt sanois. Ainakin vähemmän ymmärsi riimittelystä, kun yleensä. Ei se nyt sinänsä haittaa menoo ja poljento ol ihan jees ja flou toimi. Tuskin tulee kuitenkaan kuunneltua enempää. 1991 ilmestyneeksi aika modernia saundia. Nauratti kun yhdessä biisissä hoettiin "puistolaa puistolaa".
Vähän jäi sanoma vajaaksi, kun mitään en ymmärtänyt. Ei kyllä biititkään ihan hirveästi vakuuttaneet.
Merde.
This was a perfect 1001 album! This album kicked ass! Who knew I liked French rap?! Raga Jam reminded me a lot of Shaggy, but this predated Mr. Bombastic. The speed of his phrasing was awesome. It was also intriguing to hear songs like Caroline, which incorporated Trip-Hop elements. Quartier Nord was a trip to Brooklyn via Paris. A Temps Partial was smooth and just him showing off with complex 16th-and 32nd-note runs. I liked how he also included some of his Senegalese roots. If I had a complaint it was I don’t have a clue what he was saying. Back to Duolingo I go! I read that he is considered to be the best French rapper of all time. I would put him simply as one of the Best of All Time. Period.
Random thoughts: * I actually am quite familiar with MC Solaar from his appearance on one of my all-time favorite albums, Guru's Jazzmatazz Volume 1. * I'm also familiar from two people in my life who are into the whole francophile thing so they've made me aware of how awesome MC Solaar is. * I have a hard time rating this as I enjoyed it a ton but understand almost nothing which makes a rap album hard to judge. Luckily there were some translating happening for me in my house which made me appreciate the music more. * The production and sound has that classic 90s rap sound to me which that alone makes this a good entry to 1001. * But then you add the flow and sound of MC Solaar! Wow, he really makes french sound so cool. Clearly French rap is better that British rap. * Apparently, MC Solaar is sort of the GOAT of french rap. I'm not sure who his American comparative would be, maybe Jay-Z. But with a faster flow. * Anyway, great addition to 1001.
Very cool discovery!
Geil
J'aime le rap et j'aime la rhyme
Album #134, MC Solaar, Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo ⭐⭐⭐ I don’t speak French, so let’s get that out of the way from the start. While you don’t necessarily need to understand the language of the music you’re listening to, I think in hip-hop it matters a bit more, because lyrics are such a key part of the experience. It’s hard to fully get the message across when you don’t understand what’s being said. So for this whole album, I had no idea what MC Solaar was actually rapping about. I wouldn’t take marks off for that, but it did mean I didn’t fully grasp everything that was going on. What I will say is this: his flow is incredible. This guy is an amazing rapper. He just sounds fantastic. Great voice, great variety in his delivery, really impressive overall. For 1991, this is early ‘90s hip-hop, and it sounds great. It’s very sleek. It reminds me a bit of The Pharcyde and Gang Starr, but it’s smoother and more laid back. Very cool, not too heavy, just very polished. The drums have a lovely acoustic, sample-based feel to them, and there are some great samples throughout, including Marvin Gaye’s Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler). The beats are strong across the board. But as I said, I didn’t understand the language, so I wasn’t as engaged with it as I might be with other hip-hop albums. And this album also suffers from what 99% of hip-hop albums suffer from: it’s too long. Even at 52 minutes, it becomes a bit of a slog. The songs are extended, and when you can’t connect with the lyrics, it becomes harder to stay locked in. From a technical standpoint though, it’s a really solid record. I do appreciate it a lot. I was happy to discover it today. I’ve been reading about MC Solaar, and he’s clearly a big deal in France, which I think is great. This is exactly the kind of discovery I want from the generator.
1.5 Idk man just sounded like mediocre 90s rap but it was in French this time. Okay production I guess?
That was weirdly nostalgic and fun. My holidays as a kid were driving around France and occasionally we'd put local radio on so it takes me there. Obviously its dated and the second half drags but why not?
I don't care that I couldn't understand a word of what was said, it was just really really good
1) intro - beach vibes. 2) Groovy 70s funk. 3) There's that iconic disco guitar tone. Well constructed beats. Brass samples? are nice. Man my French sucks. 4) Downtempo funky disco. Nice flow. Definitely losing a big element not understanding the lyrical themes. Sex noises and cities? He bragging. 5) Bit more fire in this track. Tempo shift. My favourite track thus far. Got my body boppin. Funky bassline. 6) Cool soulfulness. 7) Oh yes. Oh hell yes. Tempo shift! Strong rhythm section. 8) Jazz bar interlude. 9) Funky bass. Bouncy. 10) Moby-like floaty synths. Scratching on the turntables. Pretty chill. 11) Some fun percussion in this one. Some more traditional singing on this - prince esqe. Guitar solo. Lets go! 12) Jet set radio vibe. Some classic call and response. 13) Continuation from 12. Feels a bit more stream of consciousness. 14) This is so 90s. That synth blast is fun. He's showing his versatility and speed of delivery. Weakest track for me though. 15) Oh hell yeah. This is a classic 90s sound. Strong album. I'm a sucker for turntables too! 16) It's an outro. Thoughts: I'm music orientated - lyrics/vocals are another instrument to me. MC Solaar knows how to use his voice to compliment the varied beats that cover jazz, soul, funk, rock and reggae. An easy 4. Especially as this is exactly why I picked up this project - to get out my metal centric groove I'd carved over the last 25 years. I'd definitely put this on whilst walking through town. It's got a good rhythm for a decent pace and uplifting mood. Apparently I am a 90s hip-hop fan going off my experiences thus far?
It’s French!
My honest to God first thoughts, but we cannot be listening to a French album while the French are doing so well at the world cup. Like this just feels disrespectful. And you know what I really like the album as well. Just like watching France you grimace as they do beautiful things that the English can only dream of. Honestly why don't the french just fuck off!!!!
Old school rap in French that is better than most. He's considered one of the best. Nice to not constantly hear "fuck" and "nigger". Good jazz funk soul samples. The laid back songs are best. Ragga Jam doesn't belong on this album.
Don't sleep on French hip-hop.
I lot to like for me here. The music is great in parts but does become repetitive after a while. The flow MC Solaar has a very impressive and the lack of English lyrics didn’t bother me at all. Quartier nord and Regga Jam were 2 stand outs for me
HOLY PEAK!!!
Not a rap fan
The man has flow. I just don’t understand French.
favs: intro l’histoire de l’art rating 0.7/5
Surprisingly decent?? 3.4.
französischer Rap wird definitiv nicht mein "Go to" Genre
war mir bisschen viel durcheinander. zu Beginn entspannt und ganz ok, dann aber zu hektisch gegen Ende.
Versteh keine Wort, angenehm zu hören
I've certainly heard Hip-Hop albums that I liked less than this. Honestly think I prefer rap in French vs English. I don't know what they are saying, but the language gives it a nice flow. Favorite Track - La musique adoucit les hours Least Favorite Track - Victime de la mode ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Way way way better than hs French led me to believe
This one was fun. Probably hit a sweet spot in my listening history - it's dated, but to an era I really appreciate. Loads of energy, plenty of variation; right up my street.
I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I could speak French at a fluent level. The beats were catchy, the flow was solid. I think I just lack the understanding to truly enjoy any word play that might have been happening. It's definitely a 90s rap album.
Literally sounds like a 90s rap album, but in French. But the French influence in the instrumentation is definitely heard. It’s just kinda funny that 90s rap is a style that transcends cultures.
Hip hop francés...Rien ne peut mal tourner.
Favorite song: victime de la mode
I wish I spoke /understood French. The sound was good though
French syllable rap. I like this more than most of the other hip hop on this list.
Seems like decent hip hop? Don't know what he is saying but his flow I think is good and the music is decent. Nothing earth-shattering but not garbage either.
This bumped, wish my French was good enough to get it. Might need to go back with lyrics. This review is mostly on the beats and general vibe.
I liked this one! Probably won’t listen again but good groove.
I actually really enjoyed this. Sure, I don't understand a damn thing being said, but the beats are dope and the vibe is very cool. A fun listen!
I think I prefer not to be able to understand hip-hop lyrics (although some of the US hip hop acts are a push to understand anyway). That way i can just listen to the rhythm of the vocal and to the voice itself. I like the language, the tone and the rhythm of this. The tracks were all ok (except Ragga Jam which was shit). A perfectly reasonable album. I won't be listening again, though, unless I open a boutique on the Kings Road or a coffee shop in Hampstead. (Listens : 1)
I actually really enjoyed this lol. French rap works especially the fast tough and the beats were fire
Skipped mostly soz
It's better than I expected but it's also French
Great fun listen, early on in this adventure and really enjoying something new and different.
I had honestly never heard of this guy or this apparently seminal debut before it was recommended to me. I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised. Hip hop was hard enough to get into for me way back in the day, and French hip hop has long been one of my blind spots. To hear this Senegalese rapper absolutely glide over these very modern (for the time) beats and come out the other end as arguably the greatest Francophone rapper of his generation is quite impressive. There's a surprising variety on the musical end of this album; it's not all just Tribe Called Quest-style jazz rap beats. Though much of the instrumental is dated to today's ears, and not all of the lyrics hit like they should have, about 90% of this album still holds up. There's a lot of very standard, but never inessential, social messaging about racism, social class and human division more specific to France in the early 90s. There's also a couple of songs here and there about presence in the family and the willingness of people to fall prey to broader influences. This is a lot more eclectic and diverse than the genre and release year would originally suggest, and I actually quite enjoyed this album even if I did find a couple of songs a little overlong. You don't need to know a word of Frecnh to know this guy's got it in spades; definitely recommend this one as an entry point into the French hip hop scene. Key Tracks: Qui seme le vent recolte le tempo, Victime de la mode, Bouge de la Partie 1 (Ragga Jam as an added bonus for how insane it is)
This opened like a sexy James Bond intro and I was locked in immediately. I am soooo happy to see some international albums on this list FINALLY, and I hope there are more to come. This is a banger for sure.
It's interesting hearing Rap in French, but I still don't like Rap. 2 stars or D+.
Don't care for french, don't care for rap, don't care for french rap
Pretty good flow for the era, feels ahead of it's time, and it's a frog doing it. Wordplay sounds cool, even though I can't really parse much Francais
Intro - 3 Qui seme le vent recolte le tempo - 3 Matiere grasse contre matiere grise - 3 Victime de la mode - 3 L'histoire de l'art - 4 Armand est mort - 3 Quartier nord - 3 Interlude - na A temps partiel - 3 Caroline - 2 Le musique adoucit les moeurs - 3 Bouge de la (part. 1) - 2 Bouge de la (part. 2) - 2 Ragga Jam - 2 La devise - 3 Funky dreamer - 2
DESESPERANTE EN ALGUNAS CANCIONES
French hip hop! Yes!
French rap sounds better than I expected, the beats and production were kind of dated but I've certainly heard worse
I haven’t learned French for nearly 30 years and even then I wouldn’t have been at the level to follow along at the tempo of this album, but I enjoyed the music a lot.
5/10
Not bad for an album I couldn’t understand. I liked it!
Je pense qué c'est "decent"
This was pleasant!
Incredibly French. Maybe the Frenchest thing ever. And also the most 90s thing ever. Very saucy - my limited French skills tell me that a lot of this is him naming places in the world and saying he wants to cuddle all the ladies in all those places. Good for him. This is a fun background listen
déjà écouté, sah c'est un classique mais le flow dépassé et les bars édulcorée comme ça c'est moins mon truc je préfère quand ça rentre dans le sujet plus directement. Les instrus un peu jazzy et le flow ça fait très a tribe called quest et tout, franchement bg d'avoir ramené ça en france
Felt like I was in the suburbs of Paris
Caught me at a French time in my life
Sounded pretty cool but didn't knock my socks off. Review: 5.5/10
As hip hop albums go, this has that old school sound that I’m not massively into. Coupled with not being able to appreciate the lyrics due to the album being in French, this ended up being a bit of a rough time for me.
Pretty cool! I love French hip hop
Not my kind of music and also felt really rubbish anyway
Idk what he’s saying but he sounds good and the beats are solid.
1. intro - 2 2. tempo - 2 3. grize - 1 4. mode - 2 5. art - 2 6. mort - 1 7. nord - 1 8. inter - 0 9. tempz - 1 10. caroline - 2 11. muzique - 0 12. bougee 1 - 1 13. bougee - 1 14. jam - 0 15. devize - 2 16. funky - 0
Suuuuper interesantee!
Can't decide if I like or dislike French rap more than normal rap....
I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this when I saw it was French rap - I was wrong. This was such a pleasant surprise, the opening few tracks especially are super cool with really nice flows. Despite not understanding a word, I was vibing to a lot of the songs here. Albums like this one make me happy I started this challenge.
Sure, it does sound a little more smooth in French. And musically it wasn't bad. But I just didn't vibe with this at all.
Sultry rap with notes of jazz all with flowing rap - just in French as good as anything from the east or west coast has in 91
Wow, this is great! My French is rudimentary at best, so I only understand a handful of words. But the beats are infectious and jazzy, and it’s impossible not to bop along. I did some quick research to understand what he’s rapping about, and his lyrics are poetic and focus on storytelling and social
More interested in the beats than the lyrics.
O only knew MC Solaar from his work with Guru on Jazzamatazz. This album was very much in the same style. Even though I only understand a couple of words, French is a great language for rapping. Solaar also has a flow that is easy on the ear. The beats are nice as well. Reminescent of ATCQ Loved it
A French rap album seems like an interesting inclusion. It's also interesting how I keep getting rap albums for major milestones(100,150,250, and with this 300 were all rap albums).I'll have to assess this one on vibes, as I don't speak a word of French. The beats and samples are good, and the rapping itself is also pretty good. I don't know what any of the lyrics are, but I don't think they're bad compared to American gangster rap from the same period. This is a good rap album that holds its own with the best of American rap from the same period, but I need to know the lyrics to have the full picture. I know that this one's on me for being American and not knowing French, but this cannot be a 5 until I know what he's actually saying. This album is ranked 14 out of 23 albums released in 1991 by global rating. Other 1991 albums previously rated by me: Ten(2/23)-4 The Low End Theory(4/23)-5 Blue Lines(6/23)-5 Achtung Baby(7/23)-1 Spiderland(17/23)-4 Rising Above Bedlam(23/23)-2
This was a good, groovy, French bop. four stars.
Now, that's a bit different. Rap in a foreign language. Not what I would buy, or probably ever listen to again. But im glad to have had the opportunity to listen this time.
Better than the usual rap music on here. Good variety across the album, although I didn’t care too much for the Crazy Frog style rapper on one of the tracks. The real bonus was not being able to understand what he was on about. I don’t understand much about the usual US/UK rubbish, but the bits I do understand are pretty offensive. This dude seemed less angry with life, and the bits in English backed up this assumption.
French Rap is much better than UK or US Rap for one reason. I didn't understand what he was going on about. I found no discernible use of the 'N' word or 'bitches', I think I made out the word 'pussy', but he could have been referring to his cat. Musically it was all over the place, euro pop, vaudeville and big bass tunes. They were perfect for whatever he was rapping or chatting about, if he was indeed referring to his favourite pet.
Foreign language hip hop is so hard to properly rank because so much of hip hop is dependent on the lyrics. I know like. Basic French, so I understood maybe 30% of this. It’s definitely fun but so much is lost on me
Well I knwo about 7 words in French so keep thay in mind, I have zero clue what any of this is about. But soniclly its pretty sweet. Great beats, sick flows, lots of variety, huge strings. Its got alot going for it. Caroline in the track here just because its the biggest and most in your face im the best type aditude. I dont have much more to say than I liked it alot and got some saves off it, when to be honest I didnt think id get any. Nice to hear something id generally never hear otherwise.
I was dreading this one because I do not understand a word of French. Despite that, this was pretty catchy and feels cool as all hell, even if I didn't understand it. I don't know if I can properly score it because of that, but I can say the beats were sick and MC Solaar has flow. I probably liked Ragga Jam the best on this album.
Se me movió el cacharro
I like your funny words Mr. French Rapper man. One of those records on this list that I never would have found on my own, and I want to find out more about this one. Dove into the translations of the lyrics and their meaning and historical context. Really loved this one.
I really wish I spoke French because I’m reading that MC Solaar loves a pun. And his song is full of wordplay which is a dream. It’s an easy listen and fun and I’m sure I’d love it even more if I had it in me to translate.
Had some nice flow beats but wouldnt listen to again
I really enjoyed Ragga Jam but apart from that this one didn’t do anything for me. It became background noise by the halfway point.
This slaps. Pretty impressive to rap in French, but still communicate your verbal dexterity to a non-French speaker.
Enjoyed that. The exact type of thing that should be on this list.
Could understand liking this if you speak French.
Convenable
Not as bad as one might expect
A great early 90s hip-hop album, just the way I like them. Great beats, great rapper, all around delight.
1991. Album considered like a pioneer in french rap music.
Ok, I guess. Not a huge rap fan and it being in French made it hard to get into.
Really wish I knew French so I knew what MC Solaar was saying. His flow is just insane, one of the fastest I've heard. The beats were great, despite not knowing what the lyrics are I still felt what the song seemed to portray because of the instrumental
Funky Frenchy hip-hop. I guess I would listen to it if I liked hip hop. But I don't. 6/10
I really enjoyed the instrumentation. Ragga Jam was exhausting.
310/1089 some french 1990s hip hop?? okay i’m intrigued sounds funky and i’m enjoying it but i do feel like this genre hinges quite heavily on the listener being able to understand the lyrics and i don’t know French the album was fun and enjoyable tbf, nothing groundbreaking to me but still nice faves: Caroline, Funky Dreamer 60/100
Music is a language we all understand
Didn't really do much for me
This wasn’t too bad. Great vibe, despite not understanding any of it.
French jazz rap is actually pretty good. No distracting lyrics as I have no idea what he is saying, but the flow is nice
This is maybe the first recommendation I got from this book, when I flicked through my dad's physical copy many years ago (long before this generator). I had never heard of it before, and it was really interesting to hear hip hop in a different language, and removed from the US and UK genres. I still listen to it occasionally, but obviously miss out a lot on the lyrics, having only basic French. He's very talented rapper - hopefully the lyrics aren't too gross. It's very 90s production wise, but more in the daisy age style, so I don't mind that. Only downside is it's a bit too long - I find it hard to get through in one sitting.
A very solid album with great beats. I do find it harder to listen to hip hop that's in a different language as compared to any other genre since the lyrics tend to be the primary focus. Still a very fun album though. Mid 4.
I'm totally down for music that's not in English, but it's a bit of a head-scratcher to try and absorb hip hop, a genre centered around the use of language specifically, in French. I don't speak French.
Французский рэп, прикольно даже 8/10
Can’t speak to anything about the lyrics, but even without that I really enjoyed this and will definitely listen again!
Eh.. Really well made album, but didn't really interest me. I know it's an ignorant excuse but if I understood the lyrics maybe it would have got an extra star.
Groovy, funky, and a well-flowing album that drags a little bit in some parts. Rhythms are catchy, and this album creates very fun and relaxed vibes. 6/10, Favorite Song: Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
I don't understand a word of the lyrics but the beats are funky.
French hip hop that's kind of jazzy? This is simply an unwarranted personal attack.
Cool, just wish I knew what he was saying
Fuck I wish I knew more french, cause this is really good. I'm not going to fault it on the lyrics and will judge it for its quality, so a 5 seems more than fair
2.8/5 A lot better than the rappers now
Apart from the novelty (to me) of French language rapping, I don't really see any attraction to yet another rap album on this list.
Super fun album. Had no idea what the heck was being said, but that didn’t stop me from dancing and shaking my little butt while I listened. Rap sounds way cooler in French 😃 It got a little tedious after a while, mostly because I had no idea what was being said, but overall was vas very good.
Good beats. Voice is decent. But can’t do the French rap.
Gonna need to relisten to that one to be sure
I’m kind of shocked by how decent that was. Warm old-school beats and a pretty good flow. The French language is redeeming itself.
I didn't even know there were rhyming words in French but this guy knows a BUNCH. Very smooth and fun to listen to. Makes me long for the French Platter at the Broadway Diner.
This is fun to listen to - would be really good background music at a party - and MC Solaar clearly has a great flow, but it's just hard to really get into an album when you don't understand the lyrics.
很难听到这种我不能很放松的爱上的的jazzy hiphop，感觉他有点太真实了，把我按在现实世界
I really like everything I’ve ever heard from this artist. Melodic, rhythmic, soulful, jazzy, excellent rapping in super fast French. Sounds ages ahead of 1991.
I love French rap because the language sounds good when expressed this way, and MC Solaar is one of the more consistently strong French rappers. But I have no idea what he's rapping about, so eventually I find it tiresome. The production here is pretty good and almost escapes whatever it was in the early 1990s hip hop productions that sounds so dated. Almost. It's in the drums and particularly the cymbals, I think. Not sure. Great example of the value of this list. If I didn't have French in-laws, I probably never woulda heard of MC Solaar, or any French rap, for that matter. Anyway, good stuff and thanks for the musical tourism!
Even though I always feel like I only get a partial experience with non-English-language albums, I enjoyed this laid-back album quite a bit. It's always fun to hear a rap/hip-hop album that comes from a different place/source/tradition than US-based East/West Coast styles, and this is definitely positioned far from either coast. I particularly enjoyed the title track (with a great dance-inspiring video), "Victim de la mode" (although I couldn't entirely figure out the video's storyline), the semi-Prince-like "La musique adoucit les moeurs" and the rightfully popular single "Bouge de La" (part I), but all of the tracks were pretty fun even if the album overall felt a bit long.
enjoyed it and am sure I failed to appreciate the lyrics
Some cool below sounds... did not understand a word, but the vibe was fine,,,,,
French class
I have to say I enjoy rap in French so much more than in English. The tired old tropes of violence, self-aggrandizement and misogyny aren't on display when you can't understand what's being said. I don't know, maybe ignorance is bliss. I listened through several times and really enjoyed the beats and flow, especially the ragga jam.
pourquoi??
Really good surprise! Didn't expect to like this, just didn't think I'd like French hip-hop but it was a great listen.
Great early 90s hip hop album. I do not speak French but MC Solaar has a nice flow and these songs are well produced and do a great job of representing this era. There is even a fake Jamaican accent song .
I can’t understand a word these rappers say. It might as well have all been in French… This was well done. I will always prefer American rap by miles, one of my true American-centric biases, but the production and beats were solid.
Really enjoyable beats. Harmonic & melodic components were well-considered. Playing an album and being greeted by sounds of waves was a new one for me, which got my attention!
Iconic.
I listened to this album near the end of a particularly productive shift, waiting out the final few minutes until I could clock out. The prevalence of French on this list continues! This album has such an interesting blend of beautiful French jazz with DJ scratches and hip-hop percussion, creating a distinctly French variation of the kind of jazz rap which I am familiar with. There's also a light tropical reggae vibe on some of the tracks, lending even more variety to the project. Even within the genre of hip-hop, MC Solaar is able to cover a variety of different sounds and execute multiple different ear-catching flows. Add a few funky horn flourishes on top of everything, and this album manages to stay engaging even through the language barrier. Though I have no idea what's being communicated (outside of translating a few song titles), the emotions in Solaar's performance still feel easy to pick up on, though without this lyrical understanding, the more reserved songs had less going on musically for me to latch onto; the sudden introduction of English lyrics on one song led to one of the funkiest and most soulful songs on the album. Listening to Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo feels like I'm sitting in a dimly lit jazz club, and that is a wonderful aesthetic to find myself in. Highlights: Intro, Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo, Matière grasse contre matière grise, Victime de la mode, L'histoire de l'art, Quartier nord, La musique adoucit les mœurs
This is up my street, and was popular around the time I grew up. It's good but I don't know there's much I'd want to return to, it feels like it lacks depth.
Start me out with waves and a sultry melody, why don't you?! Rapping just sounds better in French. "He who sows the wind reaps the tempo." Exactly. I agree wholeheartedly. Such a great vibe from start to finish. Very whole and complete. I really enjoyed!!!
Hey, French hip hop fans, have I got a record for you! Mon Française n’est pas très bien mais j’aime cette album
Ranskalaista räppiä old school meiningillä. Mitään en ymmärrä mutta toimivaa
french hip hop goes hard
L’histoire de l’art is a banger. This is an album all over the spectrum of rap of its time period, but not always in a good way (did I just hear his version of LL Cool J? Ew, don't do that). His Jazz influenced rap beats are nice though, and he has the ability to bring steez when he tries to approach his lyrics in a smooth tone instead of impersonating more famous rappers of the time period from the states.
muuuy chill
Regardless of language, jazz and hip hop always seem to complement each other. Likes: Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo; Victime de la mode; Caroline; Bouge de là (Part 1 & 2)
This is quite bad. The vocal delivery is about as monotonous as you can get, and the instrumentals only sometimes make up for it. Matière grasse contre matière grise is the first vaguely listenable track, but it's by no means good. The brass fills stink of having been looped, which really takes all the soul out of them. A couple of bars of bass guitar near the end signal a slight improvement, but then they also sound a bit loop-esque. Other bad tracks include Ragga Jam (just kind of overwhelmingly focused on the shouty vocals which don't achieve any emotions other than drunk and haughty. And that fast vocal might be the most irritated I've ever been listening to anything ever), Quartier nord, À temps partiel, La devise, and the intro track. But when the good tracks hit, they hit hard. Victime de la mode... even if the melody consists of (essentially) two notes, man, having any sort of melody at all marks such a huge improvement. I might even say I like this song. The "DJ SFX" – something used heavily in Tetra (C2C), a fantastic album in comparison – are something I appreciate very much, particularly in a non-hip-hop context. L'histoire de l'art and Armand est mort continue the streak of relatively good songs, largely due to having pronounced and well-played instrumentals that aren't too overproduced. It's kind of staggering just how much better Caroline is than any of the previous songs. Those light strings, singing soundbites, and low-pitched lead vocal that doesn't intrude on the other instruments... It's no wonder that, judging by Spotify streaming numbers, fans prefer this song to all others on the album. Bouge de là - Part. 1 is much the same, along with the oddly soulful, jazzy La musique adoucit les mœurs. Unfortunately, though, the sheer amount of unlistenable runtime makes this album slightly irredeemable. I'll give it a charitable 2, but a 1-star rating isn't out of the question. The sheer number of 5-star ratings here is a bit mind-boggling, though. 2/5 Key tracks: Caroline, La musique adoucit les mœurs, Bouge de là - Part. 1
I found it surprisingly good. It grew on me by the end of the album
A great introduction to MC Solaar and a thoroughly enjoyable album. Despite the French mostly passing me by, I was still able to grasp a gist of the lyrics. Would be the perfect soundtrack to a sunny walk through Paris. The beats and melodies just worked for me with some standout tracks in particular. Favourites: Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo Victime de la mode L'histoire de l'art Caroline
French is such a beautiful language and MC Solaar's impeccable flow makes it all the more satisfying to listen to. The beats on this were 10/10. The perfect mix of jazzy and funky. I obviously cannot touch on the lyricism since I don't speak french but from what I can tell the words were perfectly chosen to create a great flow. Favorite Track: La musique adoucit les mœurs - Loved the jazziness on this one.
It’s pretty good. It’s nice to hear some French for a change. I love the jazzy vibe
French rap
Maso
French rap, quite a genre. Was a workout for my very limited vocab, don't know why this guy is talking about strawberries and blueberries but I worry I might not want to. Bouge de la was actually really good, bit de la souly. The rest of it was listenable but not understanding the language of rap did limit it a fair bit. 2.5
Quite inoffensive, jazzy french rap background music. Didn't blow me away, an easy quiet listen. Won't be back.
Not sure about this. Obviously the language barrier doesn't help, although I did recognise some words! It felt dated and the flow fairly simple. Not terrible though. Won't be back but didn't mind it 2.5
it's fine. good for what is is. just not my jam
Hmm. Fine
3/5
Muy interesante, me gustó aunque había un par de canciones que no eran mi estilo 7/10
133. nice
This is French rap music, and I do not speak French. This bears mentioning because of how dependent Hip-Hop is on lyricism. So, while the vibe here, and the songs *do* transcend the language barrier, just be aware of the fact that there is a large facet of this album that I am almost completely unable to honestly engage with. That being said, the vibe here is *really* something. This is funky, breezy and bouncy, it is music that genuinely makes me want to dance. Also, considering that this album came out in 1991, the production here is *really* good. There is some very clear reggae influence. And the sound here is really organic. This has aged *fantastically*, this sounds like it could have *feasibly* been released well over a decade after it actually was. The same goes for MC Solaar's flows. He is dynamic, bouncy, and precise. He effortlessly cycles through tempos and cadences. And his double-time flows sound like they have *incredible* enunciation. I looked up some info about MC Solaar, and I have seen claims that he is the greatest French Hip-Hop artist, and from this album, I think it's feasible. He also has the Gang Starr and De La Soul co-sign, which is good enough for me. This really took me by surprise, and hearing such a distinct regional variety of Hip-Hop was a really enjoyable experience. Especially an album as well-executed as this is.
C'est très cool! He has a style that most modern performers failed to achieve. You can feel the melancholy in "Caroline", and the beats throughout are head bobbing. It makes me want to push my French education further so I can understand more of what he's saying.
Eh
Chill, cool, whip smart, even if I can't understand a damn word of it. I knew of MC Solaar but hadn't ever sat down with this one, but it's a really great addition to the early 90's hip hop scene. I'd give it way more stars if I had any clue about the rhymes though.
Fun instrumental, but I am unable to understand what is being said. Low 3/5
At first I thought cool, this is a French Jazzmatazz, unfortunately it didn't end up being as cool as that. Still pretty cool though.
Jazzy rap hip hopmade better by rapping in French
Didn't understand a word of it but I liked it.
Pretty fun. I like it. Don’t know what the bloke’s saying though
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this but I did.
Having some amount of background learning French on and off, the flows sounded great from what I already knew, and the beats were well-produced, creative, and this was just an overall fantastic record. 4.2/5 only because it drags on a little at just under an hour, but still pretty good
Прослушал с удовольствием и ещё не раз вернусь к нему.
7/10
As if hip hop (c)rap is not bad enough here it’s dished out in French. Sacre blue! save me please. 1/5 10/4/26
Pretty enjoyable album that I knew nothing about. The title track is pretty great. The one thing that's keeping this from being a 4 is unfortunately the language barrier. It's not like the music i like *must* be sung in English, but with a genre like hip hop, I think you do lose a great deal of what the music is trying to say. The beats are fine, and the lyrics are an unknown. 3/5 it is.
Nisam ljubitelj ni ovakvog repanja ni francuskog jezika pogotovo ali mi je ovo fino ponajviše zbog muzičke baze.
Can't believe how few records in this list.are in a language other than English, so a definite treat to have something I barely understand, lyrically. Despite being very aware of MC Solaar I've never listened to an album. What a fool, I've been really missing out. Probably missing out on French hip hop in general. Solaar has an amazing flow, and switches things up really brilliant. A lot of great jazzy beats results in the first half really reminding me of Gangstarr. A very interesting slow transition to more dub/reggae influenced tunes really places some of this alongside the whole Bristol sound also developing in the early 90s, and the full blown ragga tune is a banger. A couple of so-so tunes in the middle, but will definitely be coming back to this. Being "forced" to check these kind of albums that I should have tried before is exactly what I wanted from this project.
beau messages, aucune vulgarite et 100% du coeur.
*no stars - no music - just rap
90's vibes hip hop, but so many more albums of this genre and time period i would rank higher
Is it possible to rap in French over acid jazz and not just sound effortlessly cool?
fav songs: qui sème le vent récolte le tempo victime de la mode armand est mort jazzy, stylish, smooth 70/100
French MC? Where have you been all my life?
Super!
I don't speak the language, so I can't judge the lyrics. But the flow is cool. And the beats are great. Lots of jazzy elements.
7.5/10
I always enjoy hearing rap done in different languages, and here in French it's really interesting and unique. Pleasant vibes all around with a Jazz Rap and Boom Bap style, it would definitely grow more on repeat listens.
Love French rap
Fun, French techno
Nice change of pace
Bouge de La - Part 1
Musically sometimes quite interesting, but it's still hiphop
Didn't understand a word, but the speed at which they were delivered was quite impressive at times. Good beats and flow.
I was previously unaware of French Jazzy Hip Hop. If this is emblematic of the genre, I might just wanna jump into that rabbit hole.
This was really fun. I like the genre fusions of jazz and reggae with low-fi hip hop. No idea what he was saying through any of it, but it was really vibey and fun to hang out with. Production was cool, very 90s but really good.
A very pleasant surprise. Enjoyed this and will listen again.
I was excited to listen to this album, mostly due to having been in Paris a month ago and loving the music and the culture. While I speak very little French, I was hoping to really vibe with this today. And I totally did! It was such a fun record. It didn't matter at all that there were very few lyrics I understood (the ones in English). Each song had very cool grooves and different styles, and his flow was very smooth and easy to enjoy. I think the fact that I didn't have to try to focus so hard on the lyrics made it even easier to like, as I didn't have to "get" each song. I'm a music first person anyway, so this was perfect for me. Standout tracks were the title song, Victime de la mode, La musique adoucit les moeurs, and Bouge de là-Part 1. It's a 4.5 and I'll decide tomorrow morning which way it goes.
01/04/2026 Regardless of the fact it's French and I can't understand it, it's just not for me. Spotify listeners: 1.6 million
hard one, good beats and rhythm but i don't speak french
weird so fun, but not good
No. 153 I enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Amazing rapping with super fun beats.
Like it 3/5
Great album, much better than I expected for some reason. Great flow with tasty old school hip hop beats
A good album, but very inoffensive. We're far from "Fuck the police" stuff and closer to "Comply with the police" stuff.
It's refreshing to hear some french vocals with a nicely done delivery on old-school beats. I can't say this album will be a keeper, but I had a good time for sure!
French fresh prince.
Have never heard of this artist.. I generally don't "get" lots of rap music. Given that this is in French I get it even less. The songs have a good beat that I can bop my head to - but I don't know what else to take from this. Maybe it has some amazing lyrics that would make me think or feel something - but I can't tell. The saxophone on the 2nd song was a different touch. I don't think I need to hear most of this again - but I did end up liking 4 songs on Spotify since they have a good vibe - "Que seme le vent recolte le tempo", "Victim de la mode", "Caroline", "Bouge de la - Part 1". Liked songs on Spotify: 4/16 Rating: 2/5