In 1998, Pit Baccardi made a striking entrance onto the French rap scene alongside the group ATK, releasing the hard-hitting album Heptagone. More than two decades later, Heptagone remains a cornerstone of the genre—an enduring classic. In tracks like 20 ans, the group paints a vivid picture of street life and its disillusionments:
“20 years, one more day than yesterday but a giant step, crossing a barrier.
On a cake with 20 candles I think Carpe Diem,
afraid, maybe, of not blowing out the twenty-first.”
Soon after, the artist joined the legendary collective Time Bomb, rubbing shoulders with names like Booba, and became one of the defining faces of what many now call the golden age of French rap. In an interview with Fun Radio, he shared:
“I started with a group called ATK. Then I met the collective Time Bomb, with Oxmo Puccino, Lunatic, Booba and Ali, X-Men… And from there, it all came together, step by step.”
Since 2019, rap—or more broadly, urban music—has become the most-streamed genre in France. Back in the ’90s, French rap was far less bankable but far more lyrically demanding. Rappers of that era were true wordsmiths, wielding their pens like weapons. This focus on lyricism clearly distinguished French artists from their American counterparts, who were often more focused on flow. Today, stylistic boundaries have blurred. The French, European, and American scenes increasingly overlap, shaped by shared trends like drill and the influence of Jul, whose sound has spread throughout Europe.
Pit Baccardi, on his self-titled album Pit Baccardi, especially stood out with the emotional track Si loin de toi, a heartfelt tribute to his mother. In both French and American rap culture, the maternal figure holds mythical status. It’s hard not to think of Dear Mama by Tupac. Speaking about the track, he told Fun Radio:
“People who have lost a mother, a father, a parent, even a brother or sister…
And those who live in fear of that moment coming.
I was a bit more sincere, and I think that’s the honesty that, even years later, still resonates with people.”
With a major concert at L’Olympia on the horizon, the artist has just released a new single with his brother Dosseh. Together, they drop Feu—a blazing track accompanied by a powerful new video.
Pit Baccardi is on Fire!
The track was produced by Dennis Stani Lukowski & Wylo. Better known as DLS, Dennis Stani Lukowski is a German producer who’s worked with rapper Luciano, notably on a collab with Niska titled Blue Porsche. He also produced Another Vibe with Omah Lay and Night Watch. Wylo, a Swiss beatmaker, has produced for heavyweights like Pop Smoke and Quavo.
Feu is far from an old school joint—it’s fully in tune with today’s sound. Built like a freestyle, Pit Baccardi drops a razor-sharp verse without any chorus. True to his reputation as a lyrical technician, he makes waves with lines like:
Self-taught, not an heir
Bullet hole intact, you can check
I did Time Bomb, I did PC
Taking selfies with the VTC
Life’s a ride, one single try
I broke down the door, didn’t grease it
The video was shot in a castle and directed by Hypnoz, the same filmmaker behind the previous clip with Dosseh, his brother. Hypnoz is also known for his frequent work with Maes.
