Oldie but goodie: A quarter of a century after the first album of the Saïan Supa Crew – driven by the mega hit Angela –, four of its former members come together in the “Saïan Supa Celebration” version to share their “musicality” around hip-hop with a new release and a tour.
“Time passes and we don’t know what tomorrow holds,” explains Vicelow, the most talkative of the group met by AFP. so we said to ourselves that it was the time to bring together those who were still in contact and still motivated by this idea of celebrating the Saïan.”
Four out of six members
Present are Sly Johnson, Sir Samuel, Specta and Vicelow, four of the six original members, determined to “carry the DNA” of the collective under this new name, “Saïan Supa Celebration”. But Leeroy and Féfé are not part of the adventure.
“If there had been six of us, it wouldn’t have been as smooth,” eludes Vicelow. For what ? Because we have to burst abscesses.” As we matured, “we told ourselves that we needed to think differently and start on more solid foundations. That’s the real direction we have,” says Specta, the first to leave the starting team.
Birthday gift
The tour, which will begin on October 31, 2024, coincides with the 25th anniversary of KLRthe first album from the collective of artists from the Parisian suburbs (which itself was the result of the merger of three pairs).
This record released in 1999 contains a hit: with its warm rhythm, its heady melody and its ribald lyrics partly in Creole which escape general understanding, Angela was a resounding success! So much so that the song has inspired current artists on the French scene (Hatik, Angela) and international (J. Balvin, Yellow).
“Having fun” with “seriousness”
After three studio albums and following artistic differences, the “Crew” officially separated in 2007 and each continued their solo projects, without denying the past. “When we left Saïan, we were still able to stand on our own two feet and continue to satisfy our passion,” remarks Sir Samuel.
But the question of a reformation had never ceased to hover over the heads of their fans, seduced by the richness of their music which sees soul, rap, beatbox, reggae, dancehall and other Afro-Caribbean influences intertwined. around hip-hop, as a central pivot.
“We have things to say”
In its “Celebration” version, the group brings together “four individuals” who share their artistic universes. “The goal is to have fun, but also to do something very serious, very heavy,” emphasizes Vicelow, beard and silver dreadlocks. Even now, “we have things to say”.
“Seriousness has always been present from the start, in the desire to do things differently, the desire to sound different.” And this, “even if we were on lighter themes or if we wanted to make people dance,” attests Sly Johnson.
With an average age of 48 but still claiming to have the souls of “kids”, the four acolytes with a relaxed appearance but strong characters do not hesitate to play happily.
“Old in music”
Their new title, 1 time 2 tootakes “a look” at youth and the dangers that await them, from drunk driving to knife brawls, the purveyors of drama.
“We are a kind of mood columnists,” says Sir Samuel. At the time, we managed to put our finger on racism (The proof by three) and, there, we put our finger on what touches us. […] We deal with the subjects that surround us.”
On stage, they will sing their great “classics”, reworked pieces and new ones, hoping not to only reach “an audience with an average age of 40 or 50”.
Our “Hip-Hop” file
“We don’t make old people’s music, we’re just old in music, it’s two different things,” assures Specta. “We still have something under the hood, we have a musicality to share, a vision of hip-hop,” confirms Vicelow, for whom it seemed inconceivable to come back “with just something reheated.”
