Since 2019, Jul has carved his name into the history books of French rap. He is now the best-selling rap artist in France, surpassing iconic figures like IAM and MC Solaar. When he burst onto the scene in 2014 with Dans ma Paranoïa, his heavy use of autotune stirred controversy. Yet, ten years later, Jul’s rise shows no signs of slowing down: chart-topping sales, massive public support, and deep respect from his peers. Through the unifying project 13 Organisé, he even managed to bring together the entire city of Marseille, across all generations and styles, under one mic.
The public catapulted Bande Organisée to the top of YouTube in record time, while purists found solace in Je suis Marseille, a track completely free of autotune. Where others might have failed to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation, Jul achieved the impossible: near-universal acclaim. As a click-hungry rap blog might put it: “Jul shut everyone up.” This time, though, the hype is real — backed by numbers and industry respect.
Tireless and ever-prolific, the Marseille native keeps his pace with two full-length projects per year and a constant stream of surprises. His next album, D&P à vie, is set for release on April 25. He’s already dropped the first explosive single: Phénoménalé. The title sets the tone for a project firmly rooted in the world of his powerhouse label “D’or et de platine” — the hit-making machine he founded and leads.
Is Jul truly phenomenal?
The production of Phénoménalé speaks for itself, crafted by two heavyweight beatmakers: Handy Kap’z and Pyerr Beatz. Handy Kap’z, a multi-platinum producer, has previously worked with Jul on Freestyle Bande Organisée 2, as well as with Djadja & Dinaz on tracks like Mauvais Comportement and Féfé Lambo. He also produced LDS for Maes on his atmospheric album Pure. Pyerr Beatz, a frequent Jul collaborator, has left his mark on some of the artist’s most recognizable tracks, including Je m’habille pas en Versace, Montblanc, Ma Douce, and Fugati. Together, they deliver a sound that stays true to Jul’s DNA — melodic, direct, and built to travel beyond borders.
As always, Jul’s lyrics hit with raw emotional clarity:
I built myself alone, you, you, you
I’ll finish alone, you, you, youDamn, mama, you were right — I’ve known betrayal
Wounds and healing, just pushes and chills
The music video, created entirely in animation, embraces a colorful “Oasis”-inspired aesthetic. It was brought to life by MTRai, a studio well-known for its animated visuals. They previously crafted the immersive clip for Kekraland by Kekra, as well as a video for Leto featuring ElGrandeToto.
