“The Flames” are already nothing more than a spark. For its second edition this Thursday, April 25, the award ceremony of hip-hop, who has taken up residence at the prestigious Parisian theater of Châtelet, has not failed to reproduce everything that French rappers have hated (well, pretended to hate) for more than three decades.
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The problem arises from the arrival of the artists, all dressed to the nines to walk the red carpet set up by the event organizers, Booska-P, Yard and Spotify. Like a Fashion Week show, each entry is photo taken, broadcast on social networks, commented on by spectators (guests) around petits fours and unlimited champagne. “ Only rhinestones and sequins », sang the legendary Booba-Ali duo twenty-four years ago. The old school.
Napkin rings
Having made these formal criticisms, let us tackle the substance: the weak programming of the ceremony. Franglish, Maureen, Imen ES, Abou Debeing, Lossa, Kay The Prodigy… Interesting “blazes” for an open-mic (open stage) in an MJC, but certainly not up to the level of the “Victoires de la musique” of French rap . Some names much more respected by the fans, like Niro, Alonzo, Josman or (the ghost) of La Fouine, were fortunately there to give a little glitz to the event.
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To avoid offending anyone, the organizers, who wrote all their communication in inclusive writing, also chose to award no less than 24 prizes. The Flame of Caribbean or Caribbean-inspired track of the year » (“Doliprane” by Kalash), of the ” rap performanceof the year » (Ninho), from “ music video of the year » (Shay), from “ concert of the year » (SCH at the Vélodrome), of « social commitment » (Zamdane)… Here, no one leaves empty-handed, like at the Fan School.
Live on W9… and in “Le Monde”
Like the Césars or the Cannes Festival, some are even already entitled to their napkin ring at the “Flames”, like the one whose name is circulating to open the 2024 Olympics ceremony, Aya Nakamura, and the boss of the hexagonal “drill”, Gazo – respectively female artist and male artist of the year for the second time in a row.
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Already broadcast on Twitch and delayed on W9 last year, the event dubbed by the mainstream press was this time entitled to its prime time on the M6 group channel (a loss at 182,000 viewers). Notability prize: BFMTV and “the daily reference” even dedicated a live broadcast to him on their site. “ The world of tomorrow” that NTM sold us in 1990, is that the one?
