LUIDJI

Luidji’s story is that of a man sinking, but then rising again. His first album, Tristesse Business Saison 1, is actually just the finish line of a tortuous and battered artistic journey. A dense project of 17 tracks, in close quarters with the vaporous spirit of the offspring from the southwest of Paris, who also spent his youth in Aubervilliers and La Courneuve. But before reaching this album, Luidji experimented. It was in the mid-2010s that his name began to create a buzz, in the wake of his collective La Capsule (which includes artists like Dinos & Beeby). The founder of the Foufoune Palace collective (which also includes rapper Tuerie, winner of the Joséphine award of the year) champions a “soulful” rap, with his project Saison 00 being the archetype. A true commercial and critical success, the album was endorsed by journalists Mehdi Maïzi, Neefa, and Narjes Bahhar. And it’s very tempting to call it an album of maturity as Luidji has moved away from tales of escapades to tackle more sensitive and universal subjects, always with his legendary nonchalance.

“He’s not on the official ‘rappers to watch’ list because he’s undoubtedly already far ahead!” – France Inter