Photos provided by: Redeye
En français
More than any language I've known there is nothing like French. It is by far the sexiest language outthere...you can say whatever in FRench and it comes out like silk.
Anyway, it has nothing to do with the fact that I am part French (thank you daddy). Recently I've been in love with artists such as La Phaze and La Caution and so when I became aware of Toulouse based rapper, Red Eye, I fell in love. When you hear him you just want to move and at times his rhyming style is fast and hard hitting but it works with the samplings.
Red Eye is part of a new generation of international hip hop. While American hip hop grows tired, other countries are contributing their part and doing it well. Thanks to producers like Timbaland we will be more exposed to such artists and I look forward to hearing more from the likes Red Eye.
Who is RedEye and how did you become a rapper?
Redeye is a 22 year old rapper, Born in the north of France and now lives in Toulouse in the south. i Started rap music in 2001 with my brother Keff (dj) and began rapping with vinyl, trying to sing all my about my past and my point of view.
Do you listen to American rappers and if so who do you like?
Of course I listen to a lot of rappers from the U.s....wutang, mobb deep, Nas, until Jedi Mind tricks…
Here in America rap is more about the hip hop lifestyle, what is it that French rappers have to say?
It’s the same in France hip hop is way of life, France is the second country who listens to rap music, and well, it’s really important to keep political views in text.
Do you tour and if so where do you perform? Any plans on coming to America?
Yes if I could, I would like to go to New York, to see the lifestyle there. The people who go there tell me that’s a crazy city…
who have you collaborated with and who would most want to work with?
In rap music I’ve not collaborated with a lot of people, but the projects are coming soon. I really wanna rap with a rapper from New York because that’s the instrumental and the vocal style I like.
For the instrumental I’ve collaborate with Jay Booma, Altarba (french beatmaker) and Makarov (Spanish), I’ve also rapped on Toxine prod and plan to do that with Tortury and white Shadow of Beat en Sursis.
Do you feel you have a particular rap style?
I can’t answer that. if you listen to the song you will think what you want. I think I’ve got my style, but it’s the people who listen to my song who could interpret it better.
Do you find it difficult being French doing an american artfrom?
No, I think French rap is not a simple copy of U.s. rap, a lot of French rappers prove that we can be original. Rap is really present in French society today.
What do you feel is most difficult about the music industry?The most difficult is to be yourself, the rest is not important for me. My music stays the same, the industry does not influence me.
What influences you most?
My principal influences come from the american groups, with respect to the "atmosphere" of the new york music scene. But also a lot fo French groups such as NTM, Lunatic, Assasin, IAM and a lot more. I also like a lot of soul, funk, jazz and reggae music; All this melting influences my writing and the choices of my songs. I claim an eclectic rap, not a formatted one.
If you were tending a bar and you could have any five people, dead or alive sit at it, who would b there?
Oh! 5 is not enough...if you Really want to know Nas, Akhenaton, Odb, Bob marley, and Oxmo Pucino
For more info on Redeye visit his Myspace and give him a shout out.
Back to sounds