“We rappers are like reporters”

It’s finally here, the first album from a rapper who very early imposed his voice among the new faces to follow. Benjamin Epps recognizes this bluntly: “This album marks a bit the beginning of something, as if before that we were finally in the running“. On his CV, there is now The Great Disillusiona powerful album with texts that are still just as sharp, on productions reminiscent of the origins of hip-hop.

Impressive Benjamin Epps, who at 26 has already won an international trophy, the BET Award for best flow last year. Today, the Gabonese living in France has seen his daily life change, but still sings about his adolescence in Bellevue, his neighborhood in Libreville, marked by violence and misery. “We rappers, we are a bit like reporters, we arrive somewhere, we take out the camera and we start to tell everything that surrounds us, he theorizes. I talk about my friends, the country, the neighborhood situation, the fact that everything is out of control“.

“Around us it’s not rosy, we don’t glorify violence but it’s just that there is violence around us. Living and growing up there was a very important element in my decision to do what I’m doing today.”

Benjamin Epps

at franceinfo

The young man wants to tell his story, he does it in particular with the guests of this album: Josman, MC Solaar, Angélique Kidjo or the New Yorker Styles-P. There is no better presentation than this. Benjamin Epps sums it up: “The guests summarize quite well who I am, with Angélique Kidjo, icon of African music, and MC Solaar, who represents French rap“.”I live all this as a passing of the baton” he concludes. A successful passage for a rapper with enormous potential, and who does not intend to stop there.

Benjamin Epps, The Great Disillusion (Mocabe Nation). Album available. In concert at the Printemps de Bourges on April 20, or at the Lollapalooza in Paris this summer.