He’s an artist rooted in pure storytelling, someone who refuses to be boxed in. His debut project, “Imany”, stands as a small masterpiece, laying the foundation of his insatiable urge to put the world into words. And while he painted the portrait of a broken love on “Helsinki”, Dinos — the new “melancholic poet” — sold no more than 3,131 copies in its first week.
“Hard to tell myself this story is far away
If you knew how much I hate you, you’d know how much I love you” — Dinos, Helsinki
With “Taciturne” and especially “Stamina”, the lyricist expanded his palette, aligning more with an audience tuned in to overseas sounds. The certifications piled up: gold, platinum, then double platinum. He even pokes fun at it in “93 mesures”: “Don’t talk to me like I’m still the Dinos from ‘Imany’.”
And yet, the Dinos from Imany never left. Despite the success, the plaques, and the money, he became the jeweler of rhymes, capturing like no one else the unease of a generation nobody seems to want. It’s no coincidence that Dinos samples “Une époque formidable” in “93 BPM” to take stock of his life and career:
“Remember, we were young, we had no hate
No label, even worse, no cash
I think of all the times I never called you back
All the times we didn’t link ’cause I had no time
We were broke, now we’re breaking hoods
We were soldiers, now we’re capos” — Dinos, 93 BPM
When Dinos pays tribute to The Roots!
On his album “Kintsugi”, the artist taps into “You Got Me” by The Roots, a cornerstone track featuring Erykah Badu from the classic album “Things Fall Apart”. The chorus was originally penned and recorded by Jill Scott before being re-recorded by Erykah Badu because of a label demands. “Tony Soprano” sees Dinos reimagine this anthem, his style fusing seamlessly with the melancholy of an artist who, despite success, remains steeped in spleen. As he admits on “Amaru”:
“The one who wrote my destiny didn’t wake up on the right foot.”
In “Tony Soprano”, he teams up with DJ Kore, the mastermind behind AWA. One of France’s most gifted producers, DJ Kore was the visionary behind “Raï’n’B Fever”. He has worked with the biggest names and now runs his label with Zola at the forefront. The “You Got Me” sample threads through the entire track. Even as Dinos ventures into trap, he never forgets to include a melancholic cut on every project. On “Kintsugi”, that track is “Tony Soprano”:
“Prisoner of fame, prisoner of rap, it chills me to think I’m a prisoner of being a prisoner of my own name
Prisoner of socials, prisoner of follows, prisoner of my dreams, always prisoner of the ‘Yo, what’s good bro?’”
His first verse reflects on the struggle of the block; the second, on his own. After success and money, Dinos realizes that achievement isn’t everything.
The track naturally extends the reflections found in “93 mesures”:
“I remember when I prayed for everything I have today.”
From “Imany” to “Kintsugi”, introspection has been his guiding principle. Success hasn’t erased his melancholic streak — perhaps a mark left by the neighborhood. His use of The Roots sample also showcases the depth of his repertoire and cultural reach.
