Christmas is approaching and every year the same question arises. What gift to give your cousin who is a fan of Jul or your uncle who is passionate about Kendrick Lamar? If you have this problem and you’re out of inspiration, here are a selection of six gift ideas that should delight any rap listener.
• A book about the origin of bling-bling in hip-hop
at your job Ice Cold: A History of Hip-Hop JewelryPublished at the beginning of October, the American journalist Vikki Tobak covers through more than 300 pages the history of jewelry in hip hop, with the support of unpublished photographs and files.
From Rick Ross’s yellow diamond chain to its resemblance to Slick Rick’s plate-sized gold pendant and the $24 million pink diamond embedded in Lil Uzi Vert’s forehead, Vikki Tobak explores the passion of this rapper for all that glitters.
Thanks to her experience in the music industry, the young woman who rubbed shoulders with the greatest (Mos Def, Jay-Z…) crosses the testimonies of rappers, artists, jewelers to explain the symbology of these pieces, often extravagant, in American hip-hop culture.
Ice Cold: a history of hip-hop jewelry, Taschen, €80
• Limited edition CD or vinyl
Several exclusive CDs and vinyl have been released in recent months to delight record lovers. On the American rap side, artist Kendrick Lamar has unveiled a special vinyl edition of his album. Good boy, MAAD cityon the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the release of this album.
In France, the Marseille group IAM has also released a unique vinyl box set for the 25th anniversary of the school of micro money. Orelsan has also released a new edition on CD “Último” of his latest album Civilization.
• A book about the covers of the most famous records
bubaNLP, Aya Nakamura, Jul, SCH… everything happened in front of his lens. At 39, Fifou is the photographer to whom we owe the most famous album covers of French rap.
in his book File, ArchiveReleased last November, this enthusiast, dubbed “the man of 1000 covers” looks back on his 20-year career, which began in a Parisian studio and spanned over 500 pages.
Archives, Clique Editions, 59 euros
• Memoirs of Fred Musa
Few entertainers can claim to have seen so many hip hop artists parade through their studio. Fred Musa, host of Rap Planet, 30 at Skyrock for 25 years, signed to journalist and writer Vincent Brunner My rap planet, 30 years of radio.
Through his autobiography, Fred Musa narrates the French rap scene and evokes its main actors, from Booba to NTM, from Jul to MC Solaar passing through Sofiane or Ninho.
Ma Planète Rap – 30 years of radio, 24.90 euros
• A piece of clothing from your favorite artist
What better way to proudly show your support for an artist than by wearing clothing in their honor? Many rappers now have their own streetwear brand: Orelsan with avnierBigflo and Oli with Visionary or on the US side, Tyler The Creator with golf-le-fleur.
Another option is the official stores of the artists, the ideal place to find exclusive merchandising, such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, socks or other merchandise.
• Tickets for concerts
Festivals, stadiums, zenith… 2023 will be a year full of rap concerts. While many are already sold out, there are still plenty of opportunities to see your favorite rappers live. In Paris, the artist Disiz will perform at the Salle Pleyel on January 25, 26 and 27, 2023, while Dinos and Lomepal will perform respectively on March 10 and 28, 29 and 30, 2023 at the Accor Arena.
For Marseillaise rap lovers, the artist SCH will also take the stage at the Accor Arena in Paris on May 24 before playing at home on July 22 at the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille, his last concert before taking a break.
In terms of festivals, Aya Nakamura and Orelsan will be headlining the 2023 Main Square in Arras this summer, and Lomepal has been announced as the headliner for the Francofolies.
Source: BFM TV
