In 2018, Kofs—now widely recognized as both a prominent rapper and a committed actor involved in multiple projects—reflected on his very first experience in cinema. Initially invited to contribute to the soundtrack of the film Chouf, he unexpectedly ended up joining the cast:
“Karim Dridi called me for the soundtrack, and on the day we were recording in the studio, he said: ‘Why don’t you audition for the film too?’ I’m no fool—I went for it. I was hungry, I really wanted to act. Karim immediately vibed with my energy. He had me audition alongside guys—no names—but they were stars to me. One day, he selected eight people, gathered us in a theater, and announced that none of us were guaranteed to stay in the film. In the end, I was the only one who did.”
A few years later, Kofs confirmed his rise with the release of Matrixé, a project that marked the biggest launch of his career, selling 6,477 copies in its first week and earning a spot in the Top 3 of the weekly charts.
The artist, who famously joked that he “stole Garou‘s flow” but no longer has “Naza‘s body”, has just dropped the lead single from his new album, Mon école. In this track, Kofs pays tribute to the golden era of French rap—the pioneers, the originators, the guardians of what has become France’s most listened-to genre.
Set over a throwback-style production, he pays homage, bar after bar, to the artists who shaped his musical identity—his personal “school”:
“I dropped out of school to build my own
If you’re from the right school, then we’re one and the same”
Kofs honors his idols in “Mon école”
The track is built around a deliberately old-school beat: piano chords, raw drums, and zero embellishments. The producer remains uncredited—neither Spotify nor Genius lists the actual name, and Napalm Prod is mistakenly tagged. It appears to be a face B, as Kofs himself suggests in the lyrics:
“I started rapping on face B tracks
When nobody would pass me the D”
Hailing from Marseille, Kofs delivers both a lyrical and musical tribute to the legends of French rap, even referencing iconic punchlines—like Youssoupha in Chanson Française.
He begins with a nod to Rohff:
“My school is the code of honor, the pride of our own
Beyond my limits, just hits, la cuenta, the violence
Regretted? I could go on like this until dawn”
Then transitions to Sniper:
“Carved in stone, a Sniper to make your people cry
Nod your head if you’re vibing
For our families and our loved ones, it’s carved in stone”
From Sinik to Alibi Montana, Six Coups MC, LIM, Le Rat Luciano, La Fouine, and Kery James—the references are stacked. The most notable absence? Booba—intentional or not.
In what already feels like a future classic, Kofs revisits 20 years of French rap, from 2002 to today. His influences from the ’90s seem to be missing here—but could well appear elsewhere in the project.
The music video, directed by Slown Prod using artificial intelligence and produced by Napalm Prod—a respected Marseille-based production house—visually amplifies the tribute. The faces of the mentioned rap legends appear throughout, painting a vibrant, living mural of the genre’s legacy.
One thing is certain: with Mon école, Kofs delivers more than just an homage. He builds a generational bridge and sets the stage for what promises to be a landmark album, likely featuring many of the very artists he salutes in this standout track.
