Jewel Usain and Prince Waly: the Rebirth of French Rap

In 2021, Jewel Usain unveiled “Mode Difficile” with the added bonus of a feature by Usky. In 2023, he released the single “Je reste là” (“I Stay Here”). He has recently made a comeback with the visuals for “Eleanor”: a technically intricate track, boasting precise flow and caustic lyrics. He collaborated with Prince Waly, evoking a golden era of French rap that all rappers have been pursuing since the 90s.

The instrumental production of this track was crafted by Bééseau. Not surprisingly, this explosive production bears the signature of a beatmaking master, accustomed to working with artists like Jewel Usain. Some prominent names among his collaborations include Disiz, Ichon, and Kobo: it’s top-tier rap.

The video, directed by KIDHAO, is as stylized as the entire video. Like a feature film by Roy Andersson, the artists have created a multiplication of scenes from everyday life in the visuals. Alongside artists like Disiz and Benjamin Epps, Jewel Usain embodies a form of sophisticated rap in France. It’s a long-awaited rap where nothing is left to chance, and the emphasis is on quality rather than statistics and quantity.