the Flames, the spark that rap and urban cultures lacked?

“Bravo and finally.” Singer and songwriter Enchantée Julia relishes. She, like other artists representing what the Victoires de la Musique awkwardly categorized as “urban music”, salutes the appearance of the Flames. Under this fiery name hides a ceremony that celebrates “the cultures from working-class neighborhoods and the creativity of those who make them grow”as the official website of the event. Supported by the Spotify platform, the first edition takes place on Thursday May 11, at the Théâtre du Châtelet, in Paris.

At the heart of these cultures, music, especially rap, will obtain the showcase that players in the field have been waiting for. Rap, but not only, “because it mixes with many other genres”explains Hamad, founder of the specialized site Booska-P and instigator of the Flames with Tom Brunet, creator of the communication agency Yard. “A stone was missing from this edifice to anchor this culture in a more institutional and statutory domain.justifies Tom Brunet. Rap has often been considered a subculture, so that there is Spotify, that it happens at the Théâtre du Châtelet, that makes us happy.” To reach its audience, the ceremony will also be broadcast live from 8:30 p.m. on Booska-P’s YouTube channel, simultaneously on the 6play channel and delayed from 11 p.m. on W9.

A simmering frustration

The Victoires de la Musique have always struggled to highlight music that exploded in France in the 1990s. This observation is shared by all the players. And it is not the successes of Orelsan, Angèle or Stromae, to expand to a more urban pop, that will change the situation. The creators of the Flames, however, refuse to talk about revenge and see themselves “as a supplement”. “But we cannot say that it does not come in reaction to a bad representation of these cultures within this ceremony”adds Tom Brunet.

The two men wanted an event that celebrated musical styles that were not represented enough at the Victoires. “There is Orelsan, but why, among the nominees, can’t we find Gazo?”, asks the founder of Yard. Gazo, this name may mean nothing to you, but this rapper born in Châteauroux (Indre), who is a hit in particular with his title die, is part of the new wave of French rap that dominates the listening rankings of streaming platforms. Just take a look at Spotify’s Top 50 playlist: rap and its derivatives monopolize almost all the space.

“This culture has never been as dominant as it is now. This ceremony responds to a frustration that has existed for a long time.”

Hamad, founder of Booska-P

at franceinfo

This frustration, the artists shortlisted for the Flames also contained it. “We have long been treated like ugly ducklings. From now on, the industry can no longer pretend that rap does not exist or does not fill rooms”, rejoices the rapper Prince Waly, originally from Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis), named in particular for the prestigious Flame of the male artist of the year. Alongside the young owners (SCH, Hamza, Ninho or even Dinos), he does not expect much, but is pleased that this ceremony “promotes new emerging talents”.

For the forgotten and “those who paved the way”

When the regulars monopolize the awards in more institutional ceremonies, the Flames want to focus on the forgotten. Enchanted Julia, originally from Oppède-le-Vieux (Vaucluse), independent neo-soul artist, far from the big record companies, knew that she would not have her place at the Music Awards. “JI could never have been named. However, the people who watch think that it is the musical reality of the country. For the general publicwe don’t exist, it’s quite sad”laments the one who sings Longo Mai.

“My grandmother only knows current music what she can see on television, the NRJ Music Awards or the Victoires.”

Scar, producer of Soolking’s hit “Suavemente”

at franceinfo

Enchantée Julia and Scar are part of this category of artists that the Flames want to promote. Because urban music today is multiple. “It’s so varied that we can no longer be satisfied with certain names that speak to the housewife, but which do not represent all urban music, Hamad continues. OI worked a lot on the titles of the categories to be as broad as possible.”

Thus, 21 categories will be highlighted at the Théâtre du Châtelet, ranging from the classic “album” or “artist of the year” (male and female), to the more advanced “Caribbean or Caribbean-inspired piece of the year” or “cover (album cover) of the year”. Fifou, famous photographer in the running this year for the covers of the albums of Gazo and Prince Waly, considers that it is normal, considering the place taken by the image in this universe, that “people who are more in the shadows are put forward, as are the decorators or stylists at the Césars”.

A multitude of categories supposed to best represent a musical universe now sprawling and which allows many actors to live from it. This is also one of the main differences compared to the previous decade, which saw the music channel Trace TV launch its ceremony, the Trace Awards. Two small editions (2013 and 2014) and then go away. “There have been ceremonies where only a few artists managed to make a living from this music. Today, thanks to streaming, many manage to do so. It creates something quite healthy”, acknowledges Hamad. Fifou, who knew the generation of “kings without a crown”, these artists who produced records but were unable to live from their art and had to stop, sees “a tribute to those who paved the way“.

Flames not about to go out

Working for three years on this project, slowed down by the Covid-19, Hamad and Tom Brunet know they are expected, but also supported by an industry that has taken the turn of urban culture. “We have received a lot of messages, from people in the industry, from the independents, because the Flames will make it possible to reward their artists, to start or continue to develop, or to relaunch a career. But also from artists, who assured us of its necessity”, says the founder of Yard. Supported by Spotify, “who had the best financial offer, in terms of communication, visibility”, when he was courted by all the platforms, the duo has guarded against accusations of opacity or cronyism.

“We wanted to be as transparent as possible. The list of media that pre-selected the artists has been revealed. Anything that could be blamed on the other ceremonies, we wanted to avoid it.”

Hamad, founder of Booska-P

at franceinfo

The organizers did not set aside the public, whose vote was counted at 50% with that of the jury in 13 of the 21 categories. Because if the artists pranced to have this ceremony, the public also demanded it for a long time. “We were hoping to see our favorite artists perform during the Victoiressummarizes Scar. ATWith the Flames, we hope that young rap fans will have this chance.”

When they embarked on the adventure, Hamad and Tom had no guarantee of the presence of the middle gondola heads. But they did not doubt. “The artists have no obligation to come, but you can’t complain about not being visible or not being invited to more institutional ceremonies and not coming when an event supposed to represent”argues Hamad.

“As a rapper, I would be disappointed if the other rappers did not come. You have to be present and support.”

Prince Waly, rapper

at franceinfo

No need to fear, the big names will be there since Gasoline, dinosaurs or Tiakola will take to the Châtelet stage. Could this new ceremony create new competition in an environment that does not lack it? “It’s a music where the competition exists, but it will remain healthy”, assures Hamad. And if, in the long term, the French-speaking rappers inflate the muscles in their songs by highlighting their number of Flames, as American rappers gargle their Grammys, “we will have won”smiles the organizer.

We are not there yet. The actors await this first ceremony which symbolizes, according to them, a simple fair return of things. “Rap has often been put aside, but if we take the economic dimension and the density of artists today, it is logical that rap has its own ceremony, observes Fifou, as in the United States with the BET Awards. This ceremony is the icing on the cake, but the cake is already plentiful.” Hamad and Tom are already looking ahead and thinking about season 2. “If tomorrow, the Victoires begin to better understand and better integrate these cultures into their ceremony, so much the better, concludes Hamad, but we will have to deal with the Flames.”