A lot of French hip hop fans say that, but I just don't see it. I think Prose Combat is MILES ahead of that Iam album.
BUT
I'm saying that because I don't understand French nor have a cultural connection to France. so maybe Iam is saying some profound next level shyt. But sonically? Prose Combat sounds way better. MC Solaar has the best voice of any French rapper I've ever heard. And the beats on Prose Combat are some of the best French hip hop beats I've ever heard, or even in hip hop as a whole. The guys in Iam don't have great voices to me. And the beats on L'Ecole du Micro d'Argent didn't stand out to me. Except "demain c'est loin". Fantastic beat. So nice that Nas had to jack it for "Second Coming."
I'm curious what you think. Knowing that I like Solaar's vibe, and particularly his voice, who comes close to him or even is better than him?
Hmm, I guess it's a matter of personnal taste, but also the fact that IAM's style resonates more with me than Mc Solaar's, who came out when I was a bit younger. But I get what you're saying, Prose Combat is def up there too. Thing is IAM created a whole universe with L'Ecole (even the CD itself and the booklet are works of art) kind of a la Wu Tang (even though they came out before the Wu did) and I'm a sucker for that. I'm also always more inclined to like groups than solo artists, especially groups that have their own distinct sound (Solaar was great, but not the only one making that kind of tracks. IAM totally created their own lane). I guess it also just so happens that L'Ecole came out when I was 16 so it resonates more with me, and indeed it's somewhat felt more in touch with what we were seeing/living than Solaar imo. Not that it should really matter that much, but Solaar's subject were not really in tune with "the streets" or whatever, quite early he was a "mainstream" rapper. A great one, but kind of like the type that white french people would love listening while o shytting on HH in general and on other rappers. But there's no absolutely no denying Solaar's talents. "Caroline" is also an all-time fav, "Nouveau Western" (sample from Serge Gainsbourg), etc...I personnaly always felt like Akhenaton was a better lyricist too, but then you have to understand the lyrics, and that's personnal taste.
Like on this track he's talking about the creation of Man, Prometheus, greed, etc...I've heard it a thousand times and it still gives me chills, I read a whole lot and honestly I'm not sure how many poets/writers I would pick over Akhenaton of that era.
Then on this track he's basically talking about the story of the Mafia, going from Italy, to Marseille, to North Africa, to the US...
This one is criticizing consumerism and going in on critics and "fake" people, and generally just spitting
This one going on commercialised music, etc
And then he would turn around and make Demain c'est loin which every single kid who lived in that period in some kind of cités or banlieues could feel. So he's all types of different styles of tracks, and in all of them he excels, plus he produced quite a lot of his tracks.
So yeah for me he's one of my favorite MCs all-time, period. But again, personnal taste..
I think you really should check out Oxmo Puccino, Pit Baccardi, les Sages Poetes de la Rue (they were active at the same time as MC Solaar, featured on Prose Combat I think)
... Literally. He's had major health problems a few years ago. He tried to come back a couple years ago but it pretty much flopped.
