“It’s almost a work of heaven when the three of us come together,” Dramatik poetically illustrates over the phone.
We were supposed to meet him with his sister and brother at the latter’s studio, but everyone’s busy schedules decided otherwise. This partly explains why Muzion gatherings are spaced out. But not only. We will come back to this.
We had wanted to speak to its members for a while, because we suspected that the 25e birthday of Dreary sad mentality would be emphasized in some way. A show at the Francos seemed obvious. “It almost happened, but not this time,” summarily explains Imposs, who will participate solo on June 15.
Muzion is, however, on the menu for the hip-hop evening planned for this Saturday in Sainte-Thérèse. Ziak, Loud Lary Ajust, Caballero and JeanJass will also be there. “It’s going to be a big party that will allow us to get back to basics, to the atmosphere of the block party shows that led to the creation of the album. The idea of inviting people to come and celebrate with Muzion in its purest state really excites me, enthuses Jenny Salgado, aka J. Kyll.
The beginnings
Since this era of cyphers in parks and freestyles between friends is at the origin of the group, we asked the three rappers to take us back to the 1990s.
“At that age, you don’t know if it’s a game or if it’s visceral. You have a feeling inside you, an emotion, and you try to respond to it, says J. Kyll. Our artistic expression was done as a gang, with those with whom we found belonging. We are in Saint-Michel, in the hood, in a reality that is ours, but which does not cross the walls of the neighborhood. If you look beyond it, it looks like another country. »
Her brother, Stanley Salgado, aka Imposs, points out that she was the first in the music-loving family to express the desire to become an artist. While he was having fun throwing around some rhymes in English with his friends, she was singing in an alternative group and writing poetry.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Jenny Salgado, aka J. Kyll
We were taught to be wise, not to disturb the established order too much. When I got on the microphone, I started shouting, doing things my way. Yes, it’s a trip, but every time you do it, you see the impact on those who listen to you. One thing led to another and the game became a movement.
Jenny Salgado, aka J. Kyll
“She brought the dream home,” Imposs adds.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn Bruno, aka Dramatik, is experiencing the same excitement in Montreal North. He was still rapping in English when he met J. Kyll during a meeting with LD-One, Spook and the other artists of the new Akadémia collective. Her existence is brief, but the “natural connection” between Jenny and Dramatik becomes a friendship that quickly expresses itself in rhymes and rhythms.
“Muzion was born in that meeting, without us even knowing it,” she says. There were parties every Friday at Drama. My apartment was the gathering place. We said to ourselves: why not materialize everything; record it, distribute it, make it heard. »
Extract of The concept (Volume 3), by Muzion
Muzion recorded his first pieces with the means at hand. Community radio stations play them and live performances pile up.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jocelyn Bruno, aka Dramatik
Thanks to these solid shows, we built a name for ourselves which allowed us to go to the Francofolies in La Rochelle [en France] and participating in the FrancoFolies de Montréal in 1997.
Jocelyn Bruno, aka Dramatik
Industry representatives are among the crowds gathering to see Muzion. The important label BMG offers the group a contract without intervening in the creation of the album which has already begun.
“Dubmatique had been hugely successful and all the record companies wanted a piece of the pie. But they had no idea how to do hip-hop, even the popular form of the style. They gave us carte blanche to do what we wanted,” says J. Kyll.
“Then, when they came knocking on our door, they fell into the street,” Imposs adds with a laugh. Montreal street talk, the influence of Creole on the French language, certain Anglicisms. We represented the first bridge between the neighborhoods and the general public. »
The album
In the spring of 1999, music videos Nothing to lose And Lounge with Us tour regularly at MusiquePlus, but it’s the song The ti nèg life which allows Muzion to reach a large audience.
“It was like a new day,” says Imposs. Many artists before us have done great things, but Montreal Street connecting with all of Quebec in this way was a first. »
“One of the reasons why Muzion has had lasting success is that we tell the reality of children of immigration from a country where there was a certain poverty, but where there was also a certain wealth, believes J. Kyll. We have created a work that is both unifying and festive, but also honest and realistic. The dark side of the album is illuminated by a few songs. We are proud to invite you to our home, because our home is also your home. What comes out of the neighborhoods is purely Quebecois. »
The records of Rainmen, Sans Pression and Yvon Krevé released at the same time gave birth to what would become queb rap. “ Dreary sad mentality was an explosion of possibilities that sowed a seed in the heads of many other artists,” argues Dramatik.
The rest until today
The effect was the same in the heads of the three members. In addition to I’m Revolutionizing, published in 2002, they have all released solo albums and expressed their creativity in different ways: photography, documentaries, literature. They are also active in their community.
The book Muzion: Quebec rap explained to children was also recently launched. The author Olivier Boisvert-Magnen, the illustrator Niti Marcelle Mueth as well as the three members will be at the Racines bookstore, rue Saint-Hubert, on May 18.
The experience will not be that of Saturday’s show, but remains a rare opportunity to meet the entire group.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Stanley Salgado, aka Imposs
When we get together, I see it as an event. I encourage people to see it like that too.
Stanley Salgado, aka Imposs
“We are not going to scatter Muzion in a kind of temporality where we are going to be seen continually. We are not going to burn the symbol while trying to squeeze the lemon,” concludes J. Kyll.
Muzion at the Santa Teresa festival, May 11, at 6:15 p.m. Launch of Muzion: Quebec rap explained to childrenby Olivier Boisvert-Magnen (author) and Niti Marcelle Mueth (illustrator), May 18, at 1 p.m., at the Racines bookstore.
Imposs at the Francos de Montréal, June 15, at 7 p.m.
Check out the show page at the Santa Teresa festival
Visit the Imposs show page on the Francos website
Check out the book launch Facebook page
Muzion: Quebec rap
explained to children
Editions de la Bagnole