In 2021, French drill welcomed a new face with the release of “Akimbo”, featuring a single collaboration with Maes. Ziak, the artist behind the project, appeared fully masked, evoking the dark atmosphere of “Friday the 13th”, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Dressed in black from head to toe, he brought drill back to its raw roots. Since the groundbreaking work of Chief Keef and Lil Durk in Chicago, and the London Spartiate, drill has established itself as a defining gang culture. However, with artists like Pop Smoke, who laid the foundation for a massive drill movement in New York after his death, some drillers have softened their tone, influenced by commercial and popular success.
Ziak stays true to a dark and impactful drill style, but his music videos, as shadowy as his persona, are highly polished and visually striking. Far from being a simple “horror aesthetic”, they display a unique finesse and elegance. The artist also incorporates oriental sounds by sampling Arabic instruments, adding depth to his creativity. This approach echoes the work of ACID Arab, an electro collective renowned for its use of oriental samples. In French rap, this trend traces back to Rim’k with “Tonton du bled” and La Caution with “Thé à la menthe” (featured in “Bienvenue chez les Bylkas” by Sinik).
During the promotion of “Akimbo”, Ziak confidently declared in his track “Dans les règles”:
“Second album, number one, we’ll see if it’s just luck.”
With “Chrome”, he earned a gold record.
“Essonne History X”: A Bold Double Project
Ziak returns with a powerful two-track project titled “ESSONNE HISTORY X”. At the same time, Kerchak released a similar project. Regular collaborators, these two artists stand as pillars of French drill. The title “ESSONNE HISTORY X” draws inspiration from the cult film “American History X”, a story about a reformed skinhead grappling with his dark past.
Ziak Pushes Boundaries with “Grabba” and “Chassé Croisé”!
The instrumental productions for this double single are crafted by Lowonstage and Sam Tiba. Hailing from Lille, Lowonstage is a frequent collaborator of Ziak, having worked on tracks like “Pistol & Zamal”, “Chrome”, “Seinen”, “Tombraider”, and “Vautour” featuring Koba La D, as well as “T’aimerais” featuring Kerchak. Sam Tiba, originally from Roubaix, has produced tracks such as “Flocko”, “Espace”, and “Ronaldo”, and has collaborated with Zola. As expected, their productions are explosive and diverse: “Chassé Croisé” is upbeat and rhythmic, while “Grabba” experiments with more irregular patterns.
In his lyrics, Ziak delivers a raw and poetic depiction of street life:
“It’s your problem if I take a gram every minute, I’m downstairs, hurry up
We believe in ourselves, we’re patient, we know the wheel turns under a V8.”
His sharp and biting punchlines stand out once again:
“Neither pressurable, nor impressible, we have ice-cold blood
You f-, you f-, you stared at the ground the whole time, stop telling the demon we crossed paths.”
A Visual That Transcends Time
The video, blending medieval and modern themes, places Ziak in a setting that is both raw and artistic. This unique combination amplifies the impact of the double single, cementing Ziak’s reputation as a master of French drill, excelling in both music and visuals.
