‘Similar universes’ – Global Times

View of Marseille Photograph: IC

View of Marseille Photograph: IC

Marseille has the circulate. Rap resonates on the Velodrome and references to Olympique de Mar-seille (OM) infiltrate the airwaves, however why are the hyperlinks with city music and the membership stronger right here than anyplace else in Ligue 1?

“The wedding between OM and rap was apparent,” Sat l’Artificier, a former member of Fonky Household, one of many area’s most outstanding rap teams within the 1990s and 2000s, tells AFP.

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“A working-class metropolis, with a working-class sport and working-class music like rap.”

As an instance the purpose, apart from the timeless traditional “Soar” by Van Halen, hip hop accounts for the remainder of the soundtrack pumping out on the Velodrome, the membership’s 67,000-capacity stadium within the Mediterranean port metropolis.

The night begins with Bouga’s “Belsunce Breakdown” because the gamers shuffle out for warm-ups, then simply earlier than the groups are introduced pictures of the town and its followers are projected in opposition to a backdrop of “Unhealthy boys de Marseille” by Akhenaton, a singer with IAM, Marseille’s greatest rap group.

After dwelling wins, the sound system blasts out “A la bien” by Soprano, one other Marseille native and supporter.

“Rap and soccer, we’re in two very related universes,” says Herve Philippe, the membership’s chief advertising and marketing and media officer as he displays on the electrical environment, presently on maintain through the coronavirus pandemic.

Membership ambassador

“Marseille is a rap metropolis,” provides Kheops, the “musical architect of the group IAM, the primary on the Marseille rap scene in the beginning of the 1990s.

Itemizing the likes of Soprano and Jul, Kheops says all these artists have “OM of their blood.”

“All the children within the north and south stands take heed to rap,” he provides.

Marseille is with out query “a rap stronghold,” however Sat is eager to spotlight the membership’s function in all of it, with OM lengthy upholding the hyperlink by way of numerous collaborations.

The emblematic Akhenaton designed the membership’s European shirt for the 2012-13 marketing campaign and Soprano, in 2007, filmed the clip for his “Hallah hallah” hit on the Velodrome.

The tip of the video reveals the musician returning the stadium keys to the late former president Pape Diouf.

Soprano was even named a membership ambassador.

“It is no small achievement,” says Sat.

“Think about, a bit Marseille boy with Comoros roots and from Plan d’Aou, one of many poorest neighborhoods, on the outskirts of the town, an envoy of the largest French membership. It sends a powerful message!”

Extra just lately, Alonzo, alongside Soprano previously a part of the Psy four de la rime group, one other pillar of Marseille rap, has labored with sportswear big Puma, capturing a industrial alongside Diego Maradona to advertise the membership’s dwelling package.

Social media presence

Sat himself has just lately been sharing the microphone with longtime stadium announcer Dede Fournel.

Soprano concert events have crammed up the Velodrome 3 times, and Jul was anticipated to do the identical in June.

Marseille’s latest rap sensation has featured gamers in his music movies.

The membership itself additionally organizes “OM Periods” – working with budding artists to supply a collection of freestyle movies.

“We provide our platform, which is worldwide, to native artists who will not be but very well-known, for an OM freestyle,” explains Philippe.

The clips are shot on the Velodrome or La Commanderie, the coaching middle, interspersed with shout-outs to gamers and particular catchphrases. They generate tons of of 1000’s of views on the membership’s YouTube channel, resembling “A la Boli” by Ilies.

“For greater than 10 years OM have maintained very sturdy hyperlinks with the rappers within the metropolis,” says Sat.

The connection stays sturdy with the youthful era too, with Drime’s “Bouba Kamara” track a tribute to the rise of Boubacar Kamara from the working-class space of La Soude to the Marseille first workforce.