On March 7, BEN plg unveils Seems Like Miracles Don’t Exist.
After releasing We Fall, We Try Again, an introspective track where he reflects on his inevitable tendency to fail and his incredible resilience, he reveals the visual for the eponymous title of his project, set in an intimate atmosphere during a family breakfast.
With Seems Like Miracles Don’t Exist, the artist returns to his essence: the “social track”. Originally from Calais, in the North, a region deeply affected by deindustrialization and which lost its breath in The Taste of Salt, BEN plg is one of the few French rappers who sincerely engage with social issues. His visual, filmed in a Calais that is both breathtakingly scenic and haunted by its “broken faces”, echoes the poignant photography of Don McCullin on The Dispossessed of the Thatcher era in the United Kingdom.
BEN plg states: Seems Like Miracles Don’t Exist!
A Refined Production and Strong Influences
The production of the track is carried out by the trio Murer, Lucci’, and Le Caméléon. Murer, a loyal collaborator of BEN plg, has notably composed Sentimental Stuff, The Taste of Salt, and We Fall, We Try Again. Occasionally, he collaborates with other artists with sharp lyrics, such as Bekar. Lucci’ has also worked with Bekar as well as Georgio, who featured with BEN plg on Coloring the Projects.
Signed with Panenka Records, he does not claim to be a “social rapper”, but his lyrics often resonate with a youth searching for direction. Le Caméléon also collaborates with artists who share this vision. The instrumental of the track is entirely sampled from Natural Blues by Moby, with the chorus subtly incorporated. A nod to rap enthusiasts, as A$AP Rocky previously sampled Porcelain, another track by Moby from the album Play, for his song A$AP Forever.
A Poetic and Emotional Narrative
In this track, BEN plg, a master of words, delivers verses that are both poetic and sincere. Far from classic egotrip rap, he sometimes leans into self-deprecation, reminiscent of Orelsan:
“Grandpa saw me on TV, he said: ‘Is this a bug, or is the TV acting up?’
It’s disheartening, not long ago, he left without telling anyone
With a cigarette burning like a candle
I speak a bit too loud, and I never want silence again”
Yet, his writing also carries a dramatic depth, reflecting both his personal history and the collective history of his region. However, this somber aspect is counterbalanced by a spark of hope:
“Nothing’s changed, kids are still in cells
I come from where you’d never guess, but you’ve got an uncle in heroin
Stories of broken promises under the shelter, dust swept under the rug
I’m well-mannered, but I’ll be swearing all my life”
A Powerful Tribute to Calais and Its People
The video was directed by Bien Vu with the participation of real inhabitants of Calais. The artist pays homage to Secours Catholique and Caritas. Breaking away from mainstream rap clichés—skyscrapers, vixens, and lavish parties—BEN plg instead chooses to depict the raw reality of a France and a region that has been waiting for change for over fifty years.
Bien Vu, already responsible for directing the video We Fall, We Try Again, seems to be an essential partner in shaping the artistic direction of the project, which is set to be released on March 7.
