Posted at 7:00 a.m.
On one side, there is Youri Marven Jean, alias Zilla, waiter and DJ at the L’Espace Public microbrewery. On the other, we find Victor Tremblay-Desrosiers, or Yabock, MC — mic controller — and punk-looking professional drummer.
Nonchalant and not very talkative, Zilla and Yabock are best friends. They met in high school when they were studying jazz at Collège Jean-Eudes. Music is therefore nothing new in their lives.
Zilla played the violin until he was 12, then he learned the trumpet. Today, he makes the customers of L’Espace Public dance to pop, dance, house and disco sounds. Yabock has several musical projects. This rapper with colored hair is also the drummer for Valery Vaughn, his rock duo, Gab Bouchard and even his mother, Mara Tremblay. He’s been playing with her since he was an adult. Victor, his first name, started drums at the age of 3.
PHOTO SARKA VANCUROVA, THE PRESS
Yabock and Zilla
“It’s because of her that I listen to so many different types of music,” Victor tells us of his mother. “When I was young, he continues, she made me listen to Gros Mené, Gillian Welch, Beck and Beastie Boys. She made me listen to Gatineau’s first album a lot. It’s funny because Seba [de Gatineau] is the first person who gave us a chance. He got us on stage at the Francos in 2016.”
A baggage that is felt in the music of the duo. “dope.gng, explains Zilla, has always been in all possible directions. As long as we trip and as long as people trip, we go there. »
Drugs and rap as common points
Bound by friendship thanks to Kid Cudi (master of alternative hip-hop) and cannabis, the two rappers are keen to make music from party fun to listen to.
The name dope.gng was also well chosen: drugs are deeply rooted in the duo’s universe. The lyrics talk about consumption and the titles also refer to it.
The first album is called Fiend (a term for someone addicted to substances), the second is homemade drug and the very last, Top Nethas three songs called Drug cabin (II, III and IV).
dope.gng is two super sensitive guys who took a lot of drugs and talked about it a lot.
Yabock
Zilla interrupts him to say that he is still using it.
“Yes, yes, Yabock answers him, but there is a shift at the moment; we’re going to talk a little less about drugs. An explanation that makes Zilla laugh. “A little less,” he scoffs.
“We don’t consume very much of it, dose Yabock. It’s just that we say it and put it forward. »
Zilla, on the other hand, claims that people “do dope” without necessarily saying so. Thus, the goal is to de-stigmatize consumers. They can be “ben smatts,” maintains Zilla. The members of dope.gng are living proof of this.
Be political without being politicians
Last February, the duo launched what they consider to be a UFO in their discography: Burning condos.
Produced by comedian Anglesh Major (King Dave, District 31) and Dj Manifest (right arm of Koriass in show), the piece embodies the fed up of some young people from Hochelaga.
The two rappers scream the lyrics in the song: “All I want is to burn condos, shock boomers, […] I want to burn the Quebec of Legault! »
It worked straight away: Burning condos is now one of dope.gng’s most streamed songs.
But if she remains a UFO, it’s because Yabock and Zilla don’t want to play politicians. “It’s tough to do something committed without it being corny [kitsch] they believe.
This does not prevent them from carrying a cause. “Being is politics, and sometimes our presence on stage [aussi]. »
On this subject, they are eager to perform at Fierté Montréal because they adhere to the causes defended by the festival.
Yabock says it clearly: “The universe queer, it’s our entourage, and it’s us. Playing Pride and showing our support at the same time is also a way of saying: ‘Listen, that’s us, our values, and if you don’t like it, well…’”
dope.gng will be performing at the ImmiX event on Friday, August 5 at 8 p.m. at the Esplanade of the Olympic Park as part of the Montreal Pride festival.