ASSASSIN

ASSASSIN
L'HOMICIDE VOLONTAIRE (1995)
320 KBPS

The easy comparison for Parisian hip hop act Assassin would be Public Enemy: both bands are firmly rooted into politics and used samples that aren't immediatly recognizables unlike most other hip hop artists. In that sense, comparing them is valid but it has to be said that Assassin, if they are as angry as Chuck D's posse, add some more relaxed moments to their 3rd release, L'Homicide Volontaire. Cooked up by DJ extraordinaire Doctor L (who will later pursue a career in melodic electronic music), Assassin's musics are a tad more varied than those of their american model were which makes this album a delight even for non-French speakers. Leading rapper here, Rokin' Squat, is the son of French actor Jean-Pierre Cassel and brother of other French actor Vincent Cassel which means he clearly did not come from the poor suburbs rap originally originates from. This has certainly influenced his writing as when he explicitly says it's better to read a book than burn a car or riot, or when he criticizes the objectification of women in our societies and in rap music in particular. Other themes are freedom of speech (Ecrire contre l'oubli), death (La flamme s'éteint) or relations between rich nations and the 3rd world (Guerre Nord-Sud) all of which are thoughtfully written. A great rap album.

1. L'homicide volontaire - Intro
2. Shoota Babylone
3. L'Odyssée suit son cours
4. L'entrechoque des antidotes
5. Légal ou illégal ?
6. " Ce sont des agitateurs ! "
7. Quand j'étais petit (la psychose infantile)
8. Pays extraordinaire
9. L'état assassine
10. A titre posthume
11. L'égocentrisme de l'Assassin
12. ??Radio?? (Undaconnexion)
13. Entre dans la classe
14. Problème ?
15. Guerre Nord-Sud
16. Undastand ?
17. La flamme s'éteint
18. L'objet
19. Atakamalak
20. Ecrire contre l'oubli