Iam
Idioma disponível: inglêsThe first French rap group to release an album, IAM have mixed rage and intelligence throughout a discography that spans three decades, all the while constantly discovering new dimensions to assure hip-hop heads in their home country that there is no need to envy the U.S. The group has roots in hip-hop's birthplace that date back to the early '80s, when founding member Philippe Fragione (aka Chill, later Akhenaton) started making trips to New York City, during which he networked with several rap artists. The visits culminated in Fragione's featured spot on Choice MC's 1988 track "This Is the B Side," released on the Idlers label. By that point, Fragione had also been active in Marseille with Eric Mazel (DJ Khéops) and Geoffroy Mussard (Jo, later Shurik'n), and when he returned there, the trio were eventually joined by producer Pascal Perez (Imhotep) and MCs François Mendy (Kephren) and Malek Brahimi (Freeman). The crew became IAM ("I am"), an acronym for Imperial Asiatic Men and Invasion Arrivée de Mars, among other phrases. In 1990, IAM circulated a cassette of demo recordings that contained the Egyptian touch that became their trademark, also reflected in the lyrics, which displayed an openness and wider point of view than the usual street perspectives. They garnered considerable attention as they opened for Madonna on dates of her Blond Ambition World Tour and subsequently released their first album, ...De la Planète Mars, through Virgin in 1991. It was the first rap album ever released by a French group, and notably approached different subjects and moods with ease and honesty. Ombre Est Lumière, a double album, followed in 1993. (A single-disc version appeared a year later.) The set included "Je Danse le Mia," a track that put the group on radios and dancefloors across France, and IAM used their increased exposure via press interviews and television appearances to express and affirm their political views. After the group received a Victoire de la Musique award, Fragione went solo and collaborated with the new guard of Marseille, the Fonky Family. Shurik'n, Imhotep, and Malek also drifted toward solo projects. Ombre Est Lumière was eventually certified platinum by SNEP. IAM eventually reconvened for the preparation of their third and most successful album. Partially recorded in the U.S. and released in 1997, L'École du Micro d'Argent is regarded as a powerful milestone in French rap, an accomplished piece of art that extended beyond the borders of the French language. It topped charts in France and Belgium, and was eventually certified diamond in the former. After the shock wave receded, the members refocused on personal projects. Akhenaton co-wrote, co-directed, and appeared in the film Comme un Aimant, and assembled music from many of the singers he had loved in his childhood, including Isaac Hayes, Minnie Riperton, and Marlena Shaw, for the soundtrack. It took a few more years for IAM to return with a new album. Revoir un Printemps arrived in 2003 and reminded listeners of the freshness of the group's sound, contradicting assertions that rap had lost its original spirit. Despite a newfound maturity, IAM continued to include their share of fun, with Method Man and Redman featured on "Noble Art," and even Beyoncé and Syleena Johnson taking part in the adventure. The group continued to record every few years, releasing Saison 5 in 2007, Arts Martiens and IAM in 2013, and Rêvolution in 2017. Although the group's single releases weren't scaling the same heights as they had in earlier decades, each parent release peaked within the Top Ten of the French albums chart.
© Vincent Latz /TiVo Ler mais
The first French rap group to release an album, IAM have mixed rage and intelligence throughout a discography that spans three decades, all the while constantly discovering new dimensions to assure hip-hop heads in their home country that there is no need to envy the U.S. The group has roots in hip-hop's birthplace that date back to the early '80s, when founding member Philippe Fragione (aka Chill, later Akhenaton) started making trips to New York City, during which he networked with several rap artists. The visits culminated in Fragione's featured spot on Choice MC's 1988 track "This Is the B Side," released on the Idlers label. By that point, Fragione had also been active in Marseille with Eric Mazel (DJ Khéops) and Geoffroy Mussard (Jo, later Shurik'n), and when he returned there, the trio were eventually joined by producer Pascal Perez (Imhotep) and MCs François Mendy (Kephren) and Malek Brahimi (Freeman). The crew became IAM ("I am"), an acronym for Imperial Asiatic Men and Invasion Arrivée de Mars, among other phrases.
In 1990, IAM circulated a cassette of demo recordings that contained the Egyptian touch that became their trademark, also reflected in the lyrics, which displayed an openness and wider point of view than the usual street perspectives. They garnered considerable attention as they opened for Madonna on dates of her Blond Ambition World Tour and subsequently released their first album, ...De la Planète Mars, through Virgin in 1991. It was the first rap album ever released by a French group, and notably approached different subjects and moods with ease and honesty. Ombre Est Lumière, a double album, followed in 1993. (A single-disc version appeared a year later.) The set included "Je Danse le Mia," a track that put the group on radios and dancefloors across France, and IAM used their increased exposure via press interviews and television appearances to express and affirm their political views. After the group received a Victoire de la Musique award, Fragione went solo and collaborated with the new guard of Marseille, the Fonky Family. Shurik'n, Imhotep, and Malek also drifted toward solo projects. Ombre Est Lumière was eventually certified platinum by SNEP.
IAM eventually reconvened for the preparation of their third and most successful album. Partially recorded in the U.S. and released in 1997, L'École du Micro d'Argent is regarded as a powerful milestone in French rap, an accomplished piece of art that extended beyond the borders of the French language. It topped charts in France and Belgium, and was eventually certified diamond in the former. After the shock wave receded, the members refocused on personal projects. Akhenaton co-wrote, co-directed, and appeared in the film Comme un Aimant, and assembled music from many of the singers he had loved in his childhood, including Isaac Hayes, Minnie Riperton, and Marlena Shaw, for the soundtrack.
It took a few more years for IAM to return with a new album. Revoir un Printemps arrived in 2003 and reminded listeners of the freshness of the group's sound, contradicting assertions that rap had lost its original spirit. Despite a newfound maturity, IAM continued to include their share of fun, with Method Man and Redman featured on "Noble Art," and even Beyoncé and Syleena Johnson taking part in the adventure. The group continued to record every few years, releasing Saison 5 in 2007, Arts Martiens and IAM in 2013, and Rêvolution in 2017. Although the group's single releases weren't scaling the same heights as they had in earlier decades, each parent release peaked within the Top Ten of the French albums chart.
© Vincent Latz /TiVo
Artistas semelhantes
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L'Ecole du micro d'argent
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 01/01/1997
A discografia ideal da QobuzQualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rimes essentielles
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Universal Music Division Virgin Records Distribution Deal em 02/12/2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
L'école Du Micro D'argent (Edition Collector)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 01/01/1997
A discografia ideal da QobuzQualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ombre Est Lumière
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 01/01/1993
A discografia ideal da QobuzQualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Je Danse Le Mia
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 01/01/1994
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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IAM 20. Live "Retour aux Pyramides", 14/03/2008
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Universal Music Division Virgin Records em 01/01/2007
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Ombre est lumière (Volume Unique)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 01/01/1993
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Revoir Un Printemps
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 16/09/2003
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
De La Planete Mars
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 28/03/1991
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La fin de leur monde
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por 361 Records em 14/03/2006
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Independenza
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 01/01/1998
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Mwa
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Universal Music Division Virgin Records em 23/06/2017
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hard 2 Kill
Metal - Lançado por 1126 Records em 02/11/2018
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ombre est lumière (Edition Deluxe) (Réédition 2014)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Warner (France) em 01/01/1993
A discografia ideal da QobuzQualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - StereoFolheto disponível -
Galaxie
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Parlophone (France) em 03/07/2009
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Saison 5
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Universal Music Division Virgin Records em 01/01/2007
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rêvolution (Deluxe)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Lançado por Universal Music Division Virgin Records em 03/03/2017
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo