L'école du micro d'argent
Encyclopedia
L'École du Micro d'Argent ("The School of the Silver Mic") is an album recorded by IAM
. The band became famous worldwide with this album, a classic in French hip-hop music. It was partly recorded in the USA, with some aesthetic influences brought by RZA
, of the Wu-Tang Clan
.
On the track "L'Enfer", a sample from Lalo Schifrin's
music for Don Siegel's
movie "Dirty Harry
" can be heard ( the electric piano notes ).
The album deals with very realistic and dark topics in a sometimes violent and often dark vocal performance. Though it contains few happy "ego-trip" songs, most of these ego songs deal with war metaphors and are sung with violent tone and rhythm. More than the ego schemes, the main topic of the album stay the criticism of French society: life in poor suburbs which leads to a reference to slavery, violence of the youth connected with the violence in television and movies, censorship, racism. At least three songs deal with prostitution, but in ways from irony and fun to violent and dark realism.
The album encountered a huge success in France. It is stated to have sold 1 200 000 copies by rapper Akhenaton
in his autobiography "La Face B" and 1 400 000 copies in a 2011 interview. Other sources tell of 1 500 000 copies. The album is officially certified diamond (1 000 000 copies at the time). In the months following its release, eight of its tracks were played on the rap radio station Skyrock, despite only 4 of them had a music video. The song "Demain, c'est loin", too long to be played on radios, had a music video too. It is still actually the best selling album of French Rap History.
It is widely considered, among both professionals and the audience, as the best french rap album of all time, though not by the band itself. The album is often quoted as the exception by those who don't like IAM, massilian rap, or French rap in general. The 9 minutes long song "Demain c'est loin" which ends the album has often been quoted as the French Rap Anthem and the best french rap song ever.
Later different versions were released. The version edited now has the song "Libère mon imagination" replaced by the song "Independenza", a single released more than one year after the album and not included in it.
The album won the "Best album of the year" prize (all kinds of genres included) at the French Music Awards ceremony of 1998.
The album is considered to have widely influenced French rap artists and French music industry, opening a new era of success for French rap.
IAM (band)
IAM is a French hip hop band from Marseille, created in 1989, and composed of Akhenaton , Shurik'n , Khéops , Imhotep , and Kephren . 'IAM' has several meanings, including 'Invasion Arrivée de Mars'...
. The band became famous worldwide with this album, a classic in French hip-hop music. It was partly recorded in the USA, with some aesthetic influences brought by RZA
RZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
, of the Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
.
On the track "L'Enfer", a sample from Lalo Schifrin's
Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
music for Don Siegel's
Don Siegel
Donald Siegel was an influential American film director and producer. His name variously appeared in the credits of his films as both Don Siegel and Donald Siegel.-Early life:...
movie "Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan....
" can be heard ( the electric piano notes ).
The album deals with very realistic and dark topics in a sometimes violent and often dark vocal performance. Though it contains few happy "ego-trip" songs, most of these ego songs deal with war metaphors and are sung with violent tone and rhythm. More than the ego schemes, the main topic of the album stay the criticism of French society: life in poor suburbs which leads to a reference to slavery, violence of the youth connected with the violence in television and movies, censorship, racism. At least three songs deal with prostitution, but in ways from irony and fun to violent and dark realism.
The album encountered a huge success in France. It is stated to have sold 1 200 000 copies by rapper Akhenaton
Akhenaton (rapper)
Philippe Fragione better known by his stage name Akhenaton is a French rapper and producer of French hip hop. He has also worked under the aliases Chill, AKH, Sentenza, and Spectre...
in his autobiography "La Face B" and 1 400 000 copies in a 2011 interview. Other sources tell of 1 500 000 copies. The album is officially certified diamond (1 000 000 copies at the time). In the months following its release, eight of its tracks were played on the rap radio station Skyrock, despite only 4 of them had a music video. The song "Demain, c'est loin", too long to be played on radios, had a music video too. It is still actually the best selling album of French Rap History.
It is widely considered, among both professionals and the audience, as the best french rap album of all time, though not by the band itself. The album is often quoted as the exception by those who don't like IAM, massilian rap, or French rap in general. The 9 minutes long song "Demain c'est loin" which ends the album has often been quoted as the French Rap Anthem and the best french rap song ever.
Later different versions were released. The version edited now has the song "Libère mon imagination" replaced by the song "Independenza", a single released more than one year after the album and not included in it.
The album won the "Best album of the year" prize (all kinds of genres included) at the French Music Awards ceremony of 1998.
The album is considered to have widely influenced French rap artists and French music industry, opening a new era of success for French rap.
Track listing
- All tracks written by IAM (AkhenatonAkhenaton (rapper)Philippe Fragione better known by his stage name Akhenaton is a French rapper and producer of French hip hop. He has also worked under the aliases Chill, AKH, Sentenza, and Spectre...
, Shurik'nShurik'nShurik'n Chang-Ti is a French hip hop artist from Marseille, born in 1966. He is one of the members of the highly successful group IAM, as well as a major solo artist. With his brother Faf Larage , he also is a member of the group La Garde.Mussard was born in Marseille on 11 March 1966, with...
and one verse by FreemanFreeman (rapper)Malek Brahimi better known by his stage name Freeman is a French hip hop artist and breakdancer. He is a member of the successful hip hop group IAM together with Akhenaton, Shurik'n, Khéops, Imhotep, and Kephren. He has also worked as a solo artist and an actor...
, former dancer of the group).
- "L'École du Micro d'Argent" - 3:52
- "Dangereux" (featuring Bruizza & RahzelRahzelRahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
) - 3:46 - "Nés sous la même étoile" - 3:50
- "La Saga" (featuring Timbo King, Dreddy Krueger & Prodigal SunnProdigal SunnProdigal Sunn is an American rapper, actor and entrepreneur.- Biography :Prodigal Sunn was the only child of indigenous parents and grew up in Brooklyn. During his youth, Prodigal was known as the ‘Sun of Man’ and was later re-christened "Prodigal Sunn" by childhood friend Killah Priest in...
) - 4:02 - "Petit frère" - 4:44
- "Elle donne son corps avant son nom" - 4:12
- "L'Empire du Côté Obscur" - 4:22
- "Regarde" - 3:56
- "L'Enfer" (featuring East & FabeFabe (French rapper)Fabrice "Fabe" is a French rapper from Barbès, a neighborhood of Paris. He is one of the founders of "Scred Connexion", an underground French rap group. He started rapping around 1991 releasing his first work as early as 1995. He is mostly known for his thought-provoking and clever use of lyrics...
) - 4:51 - "Quand tu allais, on revenait" - 4:48
- "Chez le mac" - 4:42
- "Un bon son brut pour les truands" - 3:49
- "Bouger la tête" - 4:43
- "Un cri court dans la nuit" (featuring Daddy Nuttea) - 3:53
- "Libère mon imagination" - 5:22
- "Demain, c'est loin" - 8:59
Samples used
- Nés sous la même étoile: Murder in the first (Christopher YoungChristopher YoungChristopher Young is an American music composer for both film and television.Many of his music compositions are for horror films, including Hellraiser, Tales from the Hood, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, Urban Legend, and Drag Me to Hell...
) - Elle donne son corps avant son nom: I hate I walked away (Syl JohnsonSyl JohnsonSyl Johnson is an American blues and soul singer and record producer.-Biography:Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed...
) - Chez le mac: 'Bills (The CountsThe CountsThe Counts is a R&B doo-wop band that started in 1953 and is still performing today. Band members include lead singer Chester Brown, James Lee, Robert Penick, Robert Wesley, and Robert Young. The Counts are also known as The Original Counts for the fact they have not replaced any members in their...
) - Independenza: I will live my love for you (Millie JacksonMillie JacksonMildred "Millie" Jackson is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter and comedienne. Three of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA for over 500,000 copies....
) - Un bon son brut pour les truands: Passacaglia (Yusef LateefYusef LateefDr. Yusef Lateef is an American Grammy Award-winning jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator and a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community after his conversion to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam in 1950.Although Lateef's main instruments are the tenor saxophone and flute, he is known for...
) - Petit Frère: C.R.E.A.M. (Wu-Tang ClanWu-Tang ClanThe Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
) - La Saga: Memphis in june (Ramsey LewisRamsey LewisRamsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
) - L'enfer: Dirty HarryDirty HarryDirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan....
- End Titles (Lalo SchifrinLalo SchifrinLalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
)