What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

“That damn accent, I want the same in my words
But when I rap ‘rican, everyone says”

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

“My language has history, roots and meaning
Theirs has ‘stars’, ‘fashion’ and ‘slang’”


“star”, “fashion” and “slang” are English words that have crossed over to colloquial French, which is why 20syl chooses those examples.

In French, a “star” is a term used to refer to a celebrity, “fashion” is used as an adjective with the same meaning as “fashionable” and “slang” is used to designate typical Rap American slang specifically rather than all slang.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

“Those lyrics that bang on the bass, hold you to the ground
Kick fat, crack up and destroy the mixing table”

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

“That as you listen, you’d say, ‘you know what it’s all about’ or ‘no doubt!’”

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

“I wish my words sounded like”

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

This is a bilingual song from French hip hop groupe Hocus Pocus’s third LP, Place 54, featuring American rappers T-Love and The Procussions. French MC 20syl discusses his admiration for how English sounds in rap music, even though sometimes the words sound better than what they mean, while the American rappers pose that the language doesn’t matter as long as the music is good.

French annotations on the original page for the song.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Orelsan trouve son bonheur d'une part dans des plaisirs simples (barres chocolatées glacées), d'autre part dans le retour à ce qui le rendait heureux dans sa jeunesse (jouets).

Il profite simplement de son temps et reste en adéquation avec ce dont il rêvait étant enfant.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Comme tout le reste du morceau, il s'agit de célébrer le fait d'être sorti de la galère et de pouvoir profiter simplement de sa vie.

La montre Rolex est un symbole classique de réussite, notamment souligné par une déclaration du publicitaire Jacques Séguéla sur le plateau de Télé Matin :

Si à 50 ans on n'a pas une Rolex, on a […] raté sa vie

Orelsan prend ce symbole à contrepied, prônant la réussite personnelle plutôt que financière. La richesse ne se trouve pas dans le fait d'avoir de l'argent mais plutôt d'avoir du temps.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Référence à “La Formule Secrète”, morceau classique du groupe Assassin.

Ce retour au champ lexical de la chimie rappelle la métaphore du scientifique entamée plus haut.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Dans la “rivalité” opposant le “rap de gangster” au “rap de ient-cli”, Orelsan se positionne lui-même au-dessus de cette dualité.

Certains rappeurs se créent des personnages vivant de la délinquance, de la vente de drogue ou d'autres crimes plus ou moins organisés pour se différencier de rappeurs qualifiés de “ient-clis”, c'est-à-dire dépourvus de street crédibilité.

Orelsan se dit au-dessus de cette allégorie car, plutôt que de vivre du deal, il est plutôt celui qui développe et produit la drogue, c'est-à-dire celui qui ne risque pas sa vie mais gagne le plus d'argent de ce commerce.

Il entame par ailleurs une métaphore filée de la chimie qui reviendra quelques vers plus loin.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.