From his early days, fresh out of Bondy, Lartiste has stood as a true bridge between French and Moroccan cultures. His ties to his homeland have been constant — as evidenced by his performance at the Mawazine – Rythmes du Monde festival in Rabat on 23 June 2019. Since Quartier Latin Vol. 1, he has multiplied the nods to his roots. With Soledad – Saison 1 (released in 2025), he fully embraces a position halfway between these two horizons. A socially engaged rapper, he writes in Mediapart about racism and, in “7ARRAGA”, urges young Moroccans to explore their future at home before making the big move to France. Most recently, his path crossed with Canadian artist Benny Adam.
Based in Canada but of Moroccan origin, Benny Adam first made his name as a composer — notably earning a gold record with Niro. Now firmly rooted in French rap and pop, he multiplies collaborations and joins Lartiste on the mic.
Benny Adam × Lartiste: the majestic “Quand elle danse”
The production, crafted by Benny Adam, extends an already rich collaboration with Niro — among others, he penned “Printemps Blanc” and “Assez”. Printemps Blanc, which deals with cocaine addiction, even appears on the curriculum in some high schools. Here, the instrumental pays tribute to Moroccan culture: a clear fusion of European urban pop and chaâbi — an aesthetic Lartiste explores with growing ease. At a time when, in France, Arab identity is too often reduced to clichés or framed solely through the lens of extremism, this artistic choice highlights the breadth and richness of the Arab-Moroccan heritage. Already on tracks like “Cleopatra”, Lartiste laid the groundwork for this blend. Splitting his life between France and Morocco, he remains one of its most eloquent ambassadors.
The artist switches between Arabic (Darija, not Berber) and French, addressing his dancer with echoes of Esmeralda from Notre-Dame:
“Cruel words hurt her
But they won’t ruin her mascara.
In people’s eyes, she’s just a bohemian,
But when the moon rises,
She’s the queen at Kechmara.”
“As for me, when I gave her my heart,
She never gave me the time of day.”
The visuals — expansive and choreographed as an homage to Moroccan dance — are signed by Jawad Kassar. Longtime collaborators, the director and Lartiste have a taste for allegorical storytelling — notably on flagship productions from the Bondy rapper such as “Cleopatra” and “Bouhali”.
