This new soundtrack traces the rise of artists of North African origin in French rap between 1996 and 2026, a period marked by major transformations: successive social crises, changes in the music industry, the rise of social media, and a gradual shift in the media’s perspective on diasporas.
Rap emerged in France 40 years ago and quickly established itself as a vital means of expression for young people in working-class neighborhoods—a group often stigmatized and largely ignored by traditional media and public institutions. For communities from North African diasporas, it has also become a preferred means of speaking out, helping to shed light on realities that have long been overlooked.
Starting in the late 1990s, this trend became particularly evident through the use of samples drawn from raï, chaâbi, and gnawa music, as well as through collaborations with artists from North Africa, primarily Algeria and Morocco. By reinterpreting these musical heritages, artists seek to create a space for dialogue between cultural traditions and contemporary creation, where new forms of expression and identities emerge.
With Ouafae Mameche, a journalist specializing in rap since 2009 and editor-in-chief of the hip-hop magazine 33 Carats. She currently contributes to various media outlets (Red Bulletin, Antidote, Le Courrier de l’Atlas, Gaze) and has expanded her work to include podcasts, books, and documentary series on music. As a host of cultural conferences, she is also a member of Arabengers, a women’s collective dedicated to promoting the cultures of the MENA region.
