Lyon’s rap scene is steadily making its mark behind the leading acts from Paris and Marseille. With standard-bearers like Ashe22 and L’Allemand, along with other talents from the Lyonzon label, Lyon is starting to cement its place in the history of French rap. In 2023, L’Allemand released his project Ma vie, featuring top-notch collaborations with heavyweights like Maes, the legendary Rim’K, Neima Ezza, and Hornet La Frappe. Recently, he unveiled the single Maracana, a direct reference to the iconic Brazilian stadium where the king Pelé rose to fame. The single comes with a socially conscious narrative set around the Minguettes district.
L’Allemand heads to Maracana!
The video, directed by Studio Resca, opens with a job interview scene where a young man from the Minguettes faces discrimination. L’Allemand doesn’t just highlight this social issue; in fact, The March for Equality and Against Racism began in 1983 in Lyon, initiated by the residents of the Minguettes. True to his commitment, he portrays this injustice, pushing the main character to his limits.
The music production for this track is crafted by Tricky Beats. This producer has frequently collaborated with Jul on tracks like Ma jolie, Découpage, and J’ai fait le tri. He also worked with L’Allemand when he was part of a group with Sasso, on tracks like Elle m’a dit je t’aime and C’est le zoo. Staying true to his unique style, he offers a vibrant beat here on which L’Allemand delivers with force. Rapper TK makes several appearances in the clip, wearing his signature black Anonymous mask, and is even referenced in the lyrics: “Rolex on the wrist worth over 30k, masked in daylight like TK”.
L’Allemand is known for his hard-hitting punchlines and unapologetic egotrip: “DZ mentality, yeah, L’Allemand / They’re all punks, pissing against the wind”, and “I cling to my dreams, she clings to my d*** / When it yells ‘beep-beep’, trust, we’re quick on the scene”.
This visual, intensified by compelling storytelling, is crafted by Studio Resca, who has worked on several projects with L’Allemand, including his track KB9 featuring Maes, as well as Grand Patron.
