Dinos unveiled Kintsugi last Friday, an album distinguished by its artistic depth and prestigious collaborations. It features renowned artists such as Zed, Jolagreen23, La Mano 1.9, Josman, Tiakola, Hamza, Rimon, OSO, Hélène Ségara, Sofiane Pamart, Lino, and Zamdane. This eclectic lineup highlights a bold and diverse selection: from Zamdane, who shares Dinos’s love for words, to the rap legend Lino, iconic figures of variety music like Hélène Ségara and Sofiane Pamart—France’s rising piano star—not to mention Hamza, Josman, and a promising new generation of talent.
Kintsugi takes its name from an ancient Japanese technique of repairing broken objects with gold dust, symbolizing the acceptance of imperfections. As noted in an article on Mouv’, the image represents resilience and the beauty of flaws. Since his debut with Imany, the 93-based rapper has seamlessly alternated between melancholic tracks and more intense, incisive ones. In Zequin Theory, Youssoupha aptly observes: “Hate is the street version of sadness.” After the melodic Hiver à Paris, which followed three underrated EPs, Dinos returns with fresh energy in Kintsugi. Tracks like Stacks and Brother Mouton Freestyle demonstrate his ability to combine power and poetry, solidifying his status as an essential artist. To mark the release, he also unveiled D Block Afrique, an explosive collaboration with La Mano 1.9 and Jolagreen23.
Dinos, Jolagreen23, and La Mano 1.9 ignite the stage with “D Block Afrique”!
The instrumental composition of D Block Afrique, crafted by the talented Lyele, embraces a dark, minimalist style influenced by UK rap. A seasoned beatmaker, Lyele has already made a mark with projects like WeLaRue by DA Uzi, Lyele Outro and Zaza for La Fève, and Sexyy Red for Lala & Ice. Here, his production perfectly complements the sharp flows of the three artists, delivering a powerful track accompanied by a visually striking clip filmed in their neighborhood.
Fully egotistical, the track is packed with hard-hitting punchlines like: “Plenty of haters but nothing surprising; they won’t act, only lie on the Quran”, “If I go to the city, it’s to hustle drugs and marijuana; you know I roll in jeans”, and “In my head, it’s South Park; facing the detective, I stay silent like Kenny.”
The clip, directed by the brilliant Digital Nak, makes a bold impression with its explosive and dynamic visuals, perfectly capturing the track’s spirit. Digital Nak has already proven his talent with memorable clips like Problème by Liim’s, Pour nos ennemis by HMZ featuring Lacrim, and the striking Monaco by Guy2bezbar.
