An Unchanged DNA: Money, Guns, Police, France, and the Suburbs
First observation: the central themes have remained unchanged from NTM to Fianso. The same lexical fields appear consistently:
- Money: 35 mentions for NTM, 77 for Sefyu, 122 for Kaaris, 67 for Sofiane
- Weapons: 9 for NTM, 48 for Sefyu, 175 for Kaaris, 136 for Sofiane
- Police: 13 for NTM, 12 for Sefyu, 17 for Kaaris, 14 for Sofiane
- France: 33 for NTM, 97 for Sefyu, 15 for Kaaris, 37 for Sofiane
- Suburbs: 12 for NTM, 17 for Sefyu, 2 for Kaaris, 8 for Sofiane
These recurring patterns reflect the DNA of rap, inherited from the Bronx, where hip-hop emerged in disadvantaged neighborhoods as a form of protest against the state and the police.
A Territorial Rap Shaped by Egotrip
Rap from the 93 remains deeply territorial.
- NTM frequently name-drops Paris (87 occurrences).
- Sefyu highlights Aulnay-sous-Bois (42 mentions).
- Kaaris anchors his discourse in Sevran (27 occurrences).
- Sofiane alternates between Paris (30) and Algiers (22).
At the same time, rappers repeatedly mention their own names — a typical feature of egotrip. We find “NTM” (50), “Kool Shen” (23), “Joey Starr” (15), “Sefyu” (22), “Kaaris” (90), and “Fianso” (86). These two markers — territory and egotrip — illustrate a rap style that has never denied its core identity.
The Turning Point: From Political Rap to Raw Violence
While the themes remain constant, the discourse itself has shifted.
We built two indices:
- Violence Index: frequency of insults, threats, and warlike terms.
- Rebellion Index: criticisms directed at France, the state, or the police.
Their evolution speaks volumes:
- NTM (1990s): strong rebellion (125), contained violence (134). Many tracks criticize France (33 mentions) and the police (13).
- Sefyu (2000s): even stronger rebellion (152), increased violence (486). Heavy use of warlike lexicon (“molotov,” “crouille”), 97 mentions of “France.”
- Kaaris (2010s): explosion of violence (1219), moderate rebellion (68). Saturated with terms related to weapons (175) and money (122), while social critique fades (15 mentions of “France”).
- Sofiane (2015–2020): very high violence (925), moderate rebellion (70). Vocabulary rooted in street intensity (“bang,” “paw,” “bandit”), with a few references to France (37).
The Role of Stylistic Evolution
This shift is tied to the evolution of musical styles. In the 1990s, rap was driven by wordsmiths, with structured and politicized lyrics (NTM, Sefyu). With the arrival of trap and drill, dominant since the 2010s, the focus shifted to immediate impact and raw energy. Violent words multiplied, while social critique became secondary.
A New Layer of Identity: Origins
Since the 2010s, a new dimension has emerged: the emphasis on countries of origin.
- Sofiane frequently references Algeria and “Algiers” (22 occurrences), asserting his Franco-Algerian identity.
- Kaaris evokes Ivory Coast, highlighting his African roots.
Whereas NTM and Sefyu focused their discourse on criticizing France, Kaaris and Sofiane now position rap from the 93 within a diasporic perspective, connecting the Paris suburbs to Africa and the Maghreb.
Conclusion
Over twenty years, rap from the 93 has kept its foundational DNA: protest, money, weapons, police, suburbs, territory, egotrip. But its discourse has shifted: from a collective, politicized voice (NTM, Sefyu), it has become more raw, violent, and identity-driven, with criticism of the state taking a back seat (Kaaris, Sofiane). Rap from the 93 has thus moved from political rebellion to spectacular violence, while integrating a new diasporic dimension.
