Demi Portion belongs to the generation of French rappers who emerged after icons like IAM and the Fonky Family. With the release of his album “Dragon Rash” in 2015, he achieved notable public success, briefly topping the sales charts and even surpassing productions from major labels. True to his roots, he continues to rap “the old-school way”, focusing on carefully crafted, meaningful lyrics. Unlike some of his contemporaries, such as Rim’K, who embraced modern styles like Trap, Drill, or Cloud, Demi Portion remains a staunch defender of the “good old school” of French rap. His dedication is also evident through the Demi Festival, a true sanctuary for Hip-Hop culture, a spirit often neglected even by the pioneers of American rap.
Demi Portion Pays Tribute to Marseille Rap with “Ça parle de”!
The track is built on a remix of “Filles, Flics, Descentes”, an iconic piece by the Fonky Family, originally produced by La Rat Luciano, a legendary figure in Marseille rap. With a timeless boom bap production, Demi Portion showcases his poetic mastery. More than just punchlines, the track stands as a true requiem for Southern rap, reaffirming its cultural significance in the region’s history.
“We’re playing the match of our lives, only the envious try to sabotage us / I don’t care about being an artist, we’ll leave like Coluche”
“Yeah, yeah, we’re making rap that turns into poetry / It fits like the northern districts or OM’s stadium (Han) / Shoutout to the guys in the shadows who deserve the sun / We’ll find solutions where you only see problems.”
The music video for “Ça parle de” offers a visual journey through the streets of the South. It features Boss One from the legendary group 3ème Œil, contemporaries of the Fonky Family during Marseille rap’s golden era. The performers of “Hymne à la racaille” (sampled at the end of the track) remain iconic figures, much like Jul, who brought the city back into the spotlight. Musically, Demi Portion revisits the unique vibes of late-1990s Marseille rap.
In the track’s closing moments, voices from Akhénaton, Keny Arkana, and a snippet from 3ème Œil resonate, deepening the tribute to Southern rap. Directed by Léo Htag, a talented graphic designer and filmmaker known for creating the cover of “Mange tes morts” by Seth Gueko, the video captures the spirit of a bygone era while paving the way for the future.
