Many Marseille artists make up this third generation that followed IAM, the Fonky Family and Psy4 de la Rime. Among them, Jul undeniably stands out as the figure who has had the strongest impact on contemporary European rap. His style — often referred to by journalists as “the Jul sound” — has spread far beyond France, reaching from Spain’s Morad all the way to the Netherlands. As he mentioned during his interview with Mouloud Achour on “Clique”, his influence is felt even in Sweden.
Moubarak has been signed to Jul since the very beginning of his career. Initially rooted in the festive, energetic spirit of his mentor, he soon shifted toward a more introspective and melancholic direction. And while Jul is known for releasing mostly upbeat, dance-driven tracks, the Marseille rapper has never shied away from his emotions — something Moubarak pushes even further.
Moubarak has turned this melancholy into a true artistic signature. His project Cicatrices marked a major turning point — presented as a third-person short film exploring the downfall of a man searching for himself. Track after track, he experiments, sharpens his artistic world and shapes a distinctive identity, which is no small feat within the team of the continent’s most influential rapper. His latest release, “Les codes”, continues in that spirit: a slowed-down flow, raw sensitivity and a depth that never leaves him.
Moubarak lays down Les Codes!
The instrumental is produced by Basscracker x Nacho. Basscracker — known for his work alongside Ninho and Niska on “Broly” — offers a stripped-down production built around a delicate classical piano sample. A perfect backdrop for Moubarak to let his introspective, understated rap breathe.
“Today they want us to unite, all those stories knocked me down, I didn’t see your messages, I had to weather the storms.”
The rapper opens up with honesty, blending pain, clarity and emotional distance. The music video — showing him holding an umbrella while leaning out of a car window — is directed by Drb. A longtime collaborator, he has crafted nearly all of Moubarak’s visuals since Cicatrices, once again delivering a polished and coherent interpretation of the rapper’s universe.
