Delabel :: 1999 :: acheter ce disque
Named after a brand of beer, Gerald Baste, Nikus Pokus and Mr Xavier released in 1999 their very personal blend of herb and cereals, using the improved recipe of multi-cultural mixing. Don’t be surprised if you see a spilt bottle of wine on their cover, don’t be afraid when you see the CD has already been used as a coaster; indeed, you will find more hints of these throughout the artwork and the lyrics of the songs, as the title Tapis Rouge (Red Carpet) already foreshadowed it…
Along with this love for cheap wine, floats a whole lifestyle : although some would call them punks, they translated it to better reflect how they live it : they are "Krevards", and the word is defined right in the middle of the album, with a self-titled song. However, in vino veritas… don’t expect to find just egotripping hangovers in there, with tracks like "Front contre Front" or "Mappemonde", fascism and unfair political rulings get puked on, when the rest have their butts kicked big time, western-style. Nikus does some of the production besides his ethylic tales , alongside the Svinks’ old playmate, Frederic Lansac, with instrumentals ranging from "Every kind of People" (literally sampled in "Bois Mes Paroles") to electric guitars in the Full Metal Mix of "Le Punk" or "H", on which Baste gladly spits his most greasy rhymes, as Xavier wipes the scum out with the slight raw touch of his. What can I say ? These guys gave French Hip-Hop a genuine masterpiece, and now they are looking for a record deal… Sometimes you just don’t understand how this brewery works. Or is it an industry ?