The first album from the iconic rap group of the 2000s and unavailable for years could finally be available for streaming and reissued. The craze for the “DJ Mehdi: Made in France” series is no stranger to this.
The group 113, Rim’k, AP and Mokobé in 1999. Unnegotiated copyright issues have blocked legal streaming of their album since 2009. Photo WILE E/DALLE APRF
By Inès Zarrouk
Published on October 8, 2024 at 6:31 p.m.
Updated October 8, 2024 at 8:00 p.m.
« Hey Uncle, the shopping bags are too heavy! » Twenty-five years ago, we discovered Rim’k, and his group 113, leather jacket and shaved head, at the wheel of a packed 504 Peugeot. The famous checkered shopping bags in the trunk, symbol of a generation returning “to the country” during the summer holidays. But this single Tonton you bledstill cannot be found today on streaming platforms. Just like the album it came from, THE Princes of the city, released October 27, 1999.
The problem ? Stories of unnegotiated copyrights that have blocked all legal streaming since 2009. In a recent interview for The Parisianrapper Rim’k confided working on the file: “ I have twenty-five years of career, I am a producer myself, so I bought the original recording tapes of the album. Now my lawyers are sorting out the rights issues […] We’re almost there. I hope the album can be released by the end of the year. »
Two Music Victories
113 is a group of three young people from Vitry-sur-Seine, who rap about their daily life in the city. A multicultural heritage, between Algeria, Mali and Guadeloupe. At the time, Rim’k, Mokobé and AP crossed paths with a turntable ace, DJ Mehdi, to whom Arte is currently devoting a remarkable documentary. DJ Mehdi will be behind the soundtrack of the album Lhe Princes of the city which earned 113 two memorable Victoires de la Musique on March 11, 2000 at the Zénith in Paris.
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The series “DJ Mehdi: Made in France” is a hit on Arte.tv: the five reasons for success
Since Rim’k’s appearance at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and the enthusiasm generated by the documentary series DJ Mehdi : Made in France by Thibaut de Longeville, fans are demanding the group’s return to the stage. Like NTM a few years ago or the Raï’n’B Fever collective which will soon be released on Volume 5 of his project, it seems that the trend is towards reunions for French rap.
Enough to give ideas to 113 and Rim’k, who do not rule out setting up a tour. “We have requests, great proposals for concerts, for a film, too, to tell the story of 113. That is really linked to the success of the documentary on DJ Mehdi. But for this, it is really necessary that The Princes of the City can come out. For us, it’s the starting point for everything else. »
In the meantime, Rim’k has already planned a solo concert at the Adidas Arena, in Paris, on December 12, 2025.
In your ears:
DJ Mehdi in five hypnotic tracks, from “Tonton du bled” to “I Am Somebody”
