Poetic Lovers: Pioneers of French R’n’B?
In the early 1990s, an ambitious quartet—Carry Kani (Rudy Desbonnes), Jay Kani (Johan Legiel), Dré (André), and Little T (Rodrigue)—set out to bring the R’n’B wave to France. Long before urban pop acts like Sexion d’Assaut reshaped the boundaries of French rap, offering tender and melodic tracks was a bold move.
While R’n’B had already cemented its place in the US, in France it often faced scorn and mockery. Rohff captured this resistance in his track On fait les choses:
“La vague R’n’B, je la ferais mieux chanter dans sa chambre.”
Matt Houston echoed the sentiment in R&B 2 Rue:
“Dans l’ghetto ghetto, tout le monde dit qu’le R&B n’est pas du Hip-Hop, oh oh
Qu’on kiffe parler de sexe pour faire mouiller les meufs, idiots
Dans l’ghetto ghetto tous les MC’s testent les New Jacks illico oh !”
Discovered in 1997 through the TV show Graines de Star, the Poetic Lovers quickly rose to fame. Their debut album, Amants Poétiques, topped the charts with standout tracks like Prenons notre temps, Qu’il en soit ainsi, and Fier d’avoir ton love. They earned a platinum record—an exceptional feat at a time when such honors were rare.
Today, founding members Rudy and Jay are back under the palindrome name Poetic. The duo launches a new chapter with the first installment of their trilogy Aeternam.
Poetic Returns with a Grounded, Purposeful Message
The track’s production is led by Rudy Desbonnes, the group’s longtime sonic architect, who previously composed the fan-favorite Éternellement. This new single taps back into the original R’n’B essence of the Poetic Lovers, now enriched with a distinctly New York-style influence. Rudy and Jay open up with heartfelt lyrics about life’s emotional wounds.
At a time when, according to the Fondation Abbé Pierre, over 9.1 million people were living below the poverty line in 2022 and social unrest is rising sharply, Poetic offers a message of hope. Their new song turns away from glitz and glam, from unreachable dreams and luxury fantasies.
The music video, co-directed by Brice Lava and Rudy Joseph, blends scenes of the two artists with raw footage reflecting everyday hardship. Brice Lava, a rising figure in independent cinema, previously gained attention with the short film Une journée ordinaire. He remains actively involved in numerous short film festivals, where he blends artistry with social activism.
