LEXXCOOP ( AMBITIEUX ) : HARD-HITTING GRIME FROM RENNES, FRANCE

Lexxcoop ( on the right ) wearing a Nooka watch

I was recently made aware of the existence of Ambitieux, a french crew composed of Lexxcoop, Neeto and Gambay ( if the composition of the group has changed over the years, someone might want to correct me in the comments section below ). This french crew has released quite a few mixtapes and cd’s, and its members are known for their innumerable live appearances.

This article will focus on the mighty Lexxcoop, who is making waves right now and is undoubtedly the one to look out for in the french Grime world.

Please have a look at his fantastic myspace page HERE.

On his page you will find clips of his music and information as to where to buy his latest album, Dernier Carat ( which comes highly recommended and features a collaboration with Ghislain Poirier ).

I have been listening, on repeat, to three pieces taken from the above mentionned release : Bang your head ( production by Spectro ), Gladiatorz ( production by Spectro ) and Pertes et fins ( production by Le Jad ). Please note that Neeto can also be heard on these tracks and I shall publish an article on him as well as soon as I gather enough information to write a good meaty article.

I will say without hesitation that they are the best french Grime pieces I’ve had the pleasure of hearing so far. Previous incarnations of french Grime were not quite convincing, I must admit. But this is ” it “. The french Grime sound has reached maturity and is ready to take over the world. What we are dealing with here is not a mere imitation of the british phenomenon, but an original, homegrown french Grime sound. This will come as a relief to all those who feared that foreigners might just ” copy Grime ” and, adding to the ridicule, drop bars with a british accent, instead of innovating in order to add something to the Grime continuum.

The production values of these pieces are quite high and rival those of their british counterparts. Lexxcoop’s delivery is superb ( as is Neeto’s ). Lexxcoop shows that he is a creative lyricist with an excellent sense of rhythm. His complex flow compliments the hard-hitting, grimey instrumentals pefectly. He is certainly up there with the Skepta’s, JME’s, Frisco’s and Wiley’s of this world. At this point in time, Lexxcoop can not be ignored as one of the top Grime mc’s and it would not surprise me if some of his material was licensed for canadian compilations in the near future.

All my readers know that I am a fierce defender of honest and balanced criticism. I believe it is extremely important to allow the positive and the negative to find their way in music reviews. In this case, my review will sound overwhelmingly positive, and for good reason : I have nothing negative to say regarding this release and Lexxcoop‘s sound in general. His latest release is simply phenomenal, a ” coup de maître ” that effectively sets production and delivery standards.