Nomadic Massive: hip hop as its sole identity

2023-05-03 08:00:03

For nearly 20 years, the Canadian collective Nomadic Massive has been shaking dance floors around the world by combining rap in all modes: reggae-dub, soul, jazz, funk and Afro-Latin rhythms. Emblematic of the cultural melting pot of Montreal, this cosmopolitan combo with variable geometry delivers its messages in English, French, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Jamaican patois or Spanish with hip hop as its sole identity. Portrait.

“Nomad” because, before meeting in “crew”, in the multicultural neighborhood of Côte-des-Neiges in Montreal, Canada almost 20 years ago, the members of Nomadic Massive were born, lived or inherited all over the world: from France to Argentina, from Kenya to Costa Rica, from Algeria to Haiti. Result: this cosmopolitan combo with variable geometry delivers its messages in English, French, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Jamaican patois or Spanish with hip hop as its sole identity.

“Massive” because at 6, 9 or 12, this emblematic group from the cultural melting pot of Montreal, plays live and combines rap in all modes: reggae-dub, soul, jazz, funk and Afro-Latin rhythms. And the sauce takes (and even!) on stage, but also on disc (they have delivered four albums), thanks to inspired orchestrations, with gleaming brass.

I met Lou Piensa and Butta Beats, two of the founding members of the collective,the morning after their incandescent concert au Babel Music Xp (Marseilles). Without moving from our sofa, we travel around the globe and, as we explore, I believe I have seen the quintessence of the hip hop movement emerge…

SessionLab by Hortense Volle : a conversation in complete privacy and in 3D audio (spatialized sound).

A podcast to listen to, preferably, with headphones.

Achievement : Benjamin Sarralié

3D mixing : Jeremy Besset

Production : RFI Labo

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Titles broadcast:

Single : Pocket Full Of Lingo (2023) Version live

Taken from the album Times (2019) : Peppa Pig ; Times ; Bon thing ; People on ; What I am ; Prospect

Taken from the album Big Bang Theory (2016) : Pan Am ; Combat ; Any Sound

Taken from the album Nomadic Massive (2009) : New La ; Where I’m From ;

Excerpts from their 1st mixtape Canada-Cuba Get Down (2004) : Peasant ; Malecon Freestyle ; Hip Hop ; here we are ; Canada-Cuba live in Habana

And also :

Extract of What it was by Alaclair Ensemble

Extract of Weeping Soul feat. Barnev de Dubmatique

Extract of Montréal of jericho

Extract of hang on by Loco Locass

Excerpt fromA badly licked bear by Manu Militari

Extract of Little brother of AMI