La Rumeur

Born in the mid-1990s in the Yvelines, between Élancourt and Les Mureaux, the collective La Rumeur belongs to the independent French rap scene, formed around several MCs, including Ekoué and Hamé, and a DJ. Early on, La Rumeur developed a dark, narrative aesthetic, carried by dense lyrics that address structural racism, colonial legacy, police violence and life in working-class neighborhoods, set to productions marked by slow tempos, a taste for melancholic loops and an atmosphere close to spoken word. After several maxis and self-produced projects in the late 1990s, the group released its first full-length album L’Ombre sur la mesure in 2002, followed by Du cœur à l’outrage in 2007 and Tout brûle déjà in 2010, consolidating La Rumeur’s place on the French rap scene outside commercial circuits. Deeply committed to editorial work, La Rumeur expanded its universe through writings, an independent label and collaborations with artists like Casey, while developing activities in cinema, notably directing the feature film Les Derniers Parisiens in 2016, which continues themes already present in the group’s music.