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Jolagreen23, first name Jorghen, returns this November 8 with his new project +99XP. With several appearances, notably on Booska-P earlier this year in the Freestyle #11ASuivre2024, or on Grünt and projects such as BDLM Vol.1 by Tiakola or B.B. Jacques, the artist, is on all fronts. But first, let’s go back to the beginning.
After a few verses here and there, the rapper professionalized himself during Covid’s lockdown. Thanks to a friend’s father, he had access to an unfurnished house in which he could set up with his mates which they transformed into a home studio, “Le Bendo”. The result, in May 2021, was his first official sound, MIKASA, a feat with his buddy Diska. However, it was with his two singles RONDO9 and GOBI, released a year later, that the artist began to feel the hype and things got “really serious”.
But despite this hype, which could have quickly overwhelmed him and bury his career before it even begins (as it did for many before him), Jo23 remains focused on his goals and projects. This mentality and determination was a guiding principle for him, and continues to accompany him to this day. As he says during his interview with Clique: “If you think too much about people talking about you, you can lose focus, stop taking things seriously and become detached from your music.” It enabled him to stay in his own musical bubble and to come back in an innovative way, stronger.
The artist from Bois-Colombes (92) kicks off 2023 with the project “23”, released on March 23, his birthday and a lucky number, due to its affiliation with the “main character in basketball, the one who holds the team together”, aka Michael Jordan. This EP, in collaboration with renowned producer Kosei (who notably collaborated with La Fève on Kolaf), was followed in August by a second, also by Mr. Kosei: 888823. These two very similar yet unique projects offer a wonderful gateway into the rapper’s discography. Already adept of extravagant beats, with surprisingly high BPMs and halting (almost glitchy) flows that nevertheless glide over the beats.
This particular, almost indefinable style/flow materializes on December 15, 2023, with “RECHERCHE & DESTRUCTION”, his longest project to date. With its 12 tracks, this album not only confirms his talent, but also allows him to offer his musical world to a wider audience.
He’s joined by Wallace Cleaver on “JOUR J”, which makes sense when you know that he was the first certified rapper to send him a message at the start of his career. But surprisingly, the second featuring on this album is Benny the Butcher. Yes, yes, Benny the Butcher,member of Griselda, along with Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine, appears on “OKC” and offers a more than respectable verse (especially for an US rapper on a French rap album). He was able to secure this collab thanks to his label Blue Sky (that also represent Kerchak, Théodore and Lesram), with whom he signed in January 2023.
Accompanied by this label, the rapper announces the release of his new 15-track project on November 8th 2024. The announcement was made via a video on his socials, in which he appears as an avatar in a video game reminiscent of the RPGs of the 1990s and 2000s. A similar post followed a few days later, announcing the mixtape’s featurings with Green Montana, Adèle Castillon and Lesram. Some fine names, for a project that promises to be legendary.
His promotion also extends to his music. To be precise, he had all his old project covers replaced by old PlayStation screens, and in place of a potential game, displayed: +99XP available 08.11.2024. The retro style of this cover contrasts with the sleeker, more polished cover of his latest single “HELLCAT OU CAMARO”, which features him as a futuristic video game hero.
After almost a year without a project, Jolagreen is eagerly awaited. Having already accustomed us to flows and beats as eccentric as they are qualitative, this project could be one of the artist’s most accomplished, both in terms of writing and musical production.
