A few months ago, Dinos unveiled Kintsugi, an ambitious project featuring a host of collaborations: Zed, Jolagreen23, La Mano 1.9 (the most featured artist in France), Josman, Tiakola, Hamza, Rimon, Oso, Hélène Ségara, Sofiane Pamart, as well as Lino and Zamdane. A true melting pot of influences, this album blends the new drill wave with legendary figures of French rap, including 13 Block veteran and the iconic Lino.
Dinos also surprises by collaborating with Hélène Ségara, an iconic singer from the early 2000s. The album title, Kintsugi, as explained by the 93-born artist on Instagram, is inspired by an ancient Japanese art that consists of repairing broken ceramics with gold, platinum, and silver. But is Dinos broken? Absolutely not.
“Never compare me to the Dinos from Imany again”, he warns. After earning critical acclaim with Imany, he exploded onto the scene with Stamina, his most defining album. During an interview on Clique TV, when asked “How do you feel after achieving success?”, he confidently replied: “I was ready.” After this triumph, he followed up with Hiver à Paris and several high-quality three-track mini-EPs, refining his craft before unveiling Kintsugi, a project that seems to embody a philosophy he has embraced for a long time.
Today, Dinos releases the first track from the reissue of Kintsugi, featuring a major collaboration with Werenoi.
Dinos and Werenoi: A Powerful Collaboration
Werenoi, on his side, continues his rise to the top. After Carré, he returned with Pyramide, quickly establishing himself as one of the new faces of French rap. He made waves on mainstream media, solidifying his position. On the instrumental of Performante, one name stands out: Noxious. This Bordeaux-based beatmaker, alongside Kore, Belleck, Dany Synthé, Flem, and a few producers from the QLF collective, is among the rare sound architects widely recognized in France, where studio work often remains in the shadows.
The instrumental is stripped-down yet captivating, built on a haunting melody. The two artists explore auto-tune, an uncommon approach for Dinos, who is usually praised for his sharp lyricism and technical prowess. Together, they create a unique atmosphere where themes of success and social ascension take center stage.
The lyrics showcase pure egotrip, with both artists fully embracing their hard-earned status at the top. This track is made to shine.
Excerpt from the lyrics:
Dinos:
“I paved my way, I left the block (I left the hood),
I talked about love with a Toka’ (With an M16)
Who can I trust? Baby, you know my heart is sinking (Sinking)
I’m afraid the valet will put a tracker in the 911 (911)”
Werenoi:
“You reap what you sow, so there’s more cash flow than the Seine
The more you do, the more you lose,
I do more than his father, so I could please his mother.”
The video, shot across major Parisian neighborhoods, a more modest apartment, and the streets, perfectly illustrates the duality of both artists’ journeys. A visual storytelling approach reminiscent of DA Uzi in his freestyle WeLaRue, where he played on the contrast between two worlds.
