For the first time in 1983, following the events of the Minguettes Ball and the march for equality and against racism, France is introduced to the face of the descendants of immigrants. Twelve years later, Mathieu Kassovitz makes a powerful impact with La Haine, a film that has become a milestone. It’s a total tribute: after several attempts, like Le thé au harem d’Archimède, the French director is the first to give a face to the rebellion brewing in the French suburbs, following a police blunder. The film presents itself as an inevitable tragedy, culminating in a cruel ending, where a mistake leads to a devastating injustice. Kassovitz wins the Best Director award at Cannes, while Emir Kusturica‘s Palme d’Or-winning drama tells the story of a man who locks a community in the sewers during World War II, convincing them the war is still ongoing to force them to make weapons. In contrast, La Haine by Kassovitz portrays the growing tension between law enforcement and French neighborhoods, a tension ignored by many, sometimes resolved in destructive violence, with victims on both sides.
Kassovitz has his “children” in cinema. Among them is Ladj Ly, who created a remake of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, set in the same place, Montfermeil, two centuries later, where nothing has changed. We also think of Romain Gavras, a member of the Kourtrajmé collective, who directed a modern “Greek tragedy” on the same theme.
Recently, Kassovitz launched a musical entitled La Haine, with an exceptional soundtrack bringing together major artists such as Benjamine Eps, Médine, Youssoupha, Akhenaton, and Oxmo Puccino. These artists, spanning both the old and new generations, are brilliant lyricists, embodying a hip-hop culture propelled to the top by the new generation, yet also tainted by the demands of the market, like any mass-produced commodity. And like in many other areas, cultural exception, which once nourished the poetic and intelligent lyrics of French rap, heir to “Chanson Française”, is gradually fading under the growing influence of American hip-hop, with its trap, drill, and cloud music.
The visual for L’4mour, by Médine, created by Mathieu Kassovitz himself, has just been unveiled. The choice of Médine is not incidental. The man, “with a controversy per month, but always jovial” (“Kyll” – Booba feat Médine), is often misunderstood, caricatured by the far-right as the “Islamic rapper” due to the ignorance surrounding his work.
Médine: “A controversy per month, but I stay jovial!”
Médine has been at the heart of debates about French national identity on several occasions. His first controversy, perhaps the most absurd, occurred when he wrote La saga des enfants du destin, a series of episodes where he adopts the persona of characters who were victims of major historical movements. From Kunta Kinté to the revolt of the “Kannaks”, through the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Vietnam War, he became the voice of rebellions and tragedies. However, some journalists misunderstood his lyrics and wrongly interpreted his words, jumping to hasty conclusions.
With his album Don’t Laïk, a manifesto against brutal secularism, Médine gradually became a prime target for far-right commentators, even from the right-wing. Even the Fête de l’Humanité struggled to host him without causing an uproar. When the rapper attempted to perform at the Bataclan, a scandal erupted. Médine is a divisive figure, but it’s important to remember that, just as commentators are quick to raise controversial identity issues, he has every right to respond to these attacks, as long as he respects the limits of free speech. In essence, there would be no Médine without Éric Zemmour, and this sometimes rough debate is at the heart of democracy.
Amidst the flames, Médine sings L’4mour!
The composition of this track, both classic and modern, was entrusted to Proof and Deymon Beats. From his studio in Le Havre, Proof is a living legend, the founder of the Din Records label, one of France’s most politically engaged since the 90s. He has also produced classics such as Grand Paris by Médine and hits for Diam’s and Kery James. As for Deymon Beats, he has worked with artists like Sofiane and Keny Arkana, creating legendary tracks.
In Médine‘s spirit, L’4mour is an anthem for peaceful rebellion. While some rappers in the past fought racism vigorously, their messages were misunderstood and judged as too violent. Here, Médine chooses a different tone, one of calmness without abandoning revolt. Much like Malcolm X, who united without ever bowing to oppression, Médine moves forward, with determination but without fueling the flames.
His lyrical talent as a storyteller shines through in verses where rebellion is written in gold:
“We make the country magical with the Demba centers
When we make the cover of L’Équipe, we are national heroes
But in routine checks, we’re just ball boys.”
“As long as we get knots in our stomach when we see the origin of the culprit
As long as we spread the criminal record of a still-warm corpse
As long as talk shows keep turning into a spectacle
As long as there are mothers who close the coffin lid.”
“We would almost sing La Marseillaise with Jul, with IAM
The sound of the supporters’ kops, it drowns out all the Kalash’
We love the Republican Guard when they sing with Aya
We hate the peacekeepers when they shoot the Kanaks
When they crush the chests of Cédric and Adama.”
Mathieu Kassovitz directs the sequel to La Haine!
The visual, directed by Mathieu Kassovitz himself, begins with a faithful recreation of the end of La Haine, where Vinz, played by Vincent Cassel, dies from a stray bullet. Then, Médine emerges from the shadows to deliver his speech in a packed theater, alongside figures like the Prince of Lyricism Youssoupha, who you will surely recognize.
In a room where solemnity and shades of black and white mix, just like in Kassovitz‘s film, Médine delivers a powerful speech on social, media, and police violence, as France struggles to find a Prime Minister capable of leading a country where unity seems increasingly unlikely.
