Islamic Influences in French Rap 9/25/2013 Citations Selected and Translated by Benjamin Hebblethwaite UF Center for European Studies

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Islamic Influences in French Rap 9/25/2013 Citations selected and translated by Benjamin Hebblethwaite UF Center for European Studies

Chaque prise de conscience arrive en même temps qu'un drame Each realization of conscience arrives at the same time as a drama Encore un jeune parti trop tôt parce que l'ghetto c'est ingrat Again a young person departs too early because the ghetto is unforgiving T'auras toujours des ennemis des jaloux même si t'es un brave You will always have enemies, those jealous even if you are brave Ma tkhafch, même pendant l'Ramadhan j'mange des coups d'matraque Ma tkhafch, even during Ramadan I gobble up billy club blows -- Niro, Rééducation, Un mal pour un bien -- Niro, Rééducation, Un mal pour un bien

Paraît qu'ici tout nous oppose, tout comme ces 3cm2 de voile It appears that everything opposes us here, just like those 3 by 2 plongent dans la psychose chez certains porcs mariés à des truies, centimeter veils thrust some pigs married to sows to into psychosis, offusqués par autant de sans-papiers, squattant l'église, pourquoi offended by so many undocumented migrants, squatting in church, why pas des mosquées !? Parlons d'églises occupées au nom desquelles not in mosques!? Let’s speak of occupied churches in the name of those territoires, colonies et combien de têtes coupées ? Nos terres territories, colonies and how many severed heads? Our lands colonisées, nos pères terrorisés, à quoi est-on autorisé l'esprit colonized, our fathers terrorized, for what are we authorized a lobotomisé ? Vaincus, évangélisés, certains font semblant, lobotimized thinking? Defeated, evangelized, certain pretend, chient sur leurs semblables taking shits on their fellow human beings tout en rêvant d'être blancs. just as they dream of being white. --Rumeur, Regain de tension, ‘Soldat Lambda’ --Rumeur, Regain de tension, ‘Soldat Lambda’

Les medias salisse l'Islam, on encule la race à Betancourt The media soils Islam, we fuck Betancourt’s race, grosse salope dédicace à Yass alias le renard dans la basse-cour. big slut, a dedication to Yass alias the fox in the courtyard. Bazou & oim on brasse des liasses Bazou and Oim, we knead wads of dough donc à notre vu les pétasses courent. so the sluts come running at the sight of us -- Mister You, Présumé coupable, ‘Je commence tous doux’ -- Mister You, Présumé coupable, ‘Je commence tous doux’

C'est pour Ari Souleymane au frère Ayssam It’s for Ari Souleymane, to brother Ayssam qui nous font des rappels et qui nous enseigne l'Islam who remind us and who teach us Islam même si on est sous col-al even if we’re under the influence of alcohol eux y [ils] s'en tape des préjugés, y connaissent la morale they don’t care about prejudices, they know what morality is Dahwa y'a que Dieu qui a droit de nous juger . Oh Dawah1, there is only God who has the right to judge us. -- Mister You, Présumé coupable, ‘La Vie C'est Dur’ -- Mister You, Présumé coupable, ‘La Vie C'est Dur’

Ta philosophie humaniste, s'est arrêtée à la théorie, Your humanist philosophy, went only so far as theory, Quand tes armées sont parties coloniser l'Afrique ! When your armies left to colonize Africa! La liberté d'expression, comme tout à deux vitesses, Freedom of expression, like everything else at two speeds, Islamophobie à tout va, mais n'critique pas Israël ! Islamophobia at full speed, but don’t criticize Israel! C'est la politique, schizophrène de la France, That’s the schizophrenic politics of France, Fracture sociale maintenue, et parle d'égalité des chances ! Maintained social divisions, and talking about equal opportunities ! --Keny Arkana, Entre ciment et belle étoile, ‘Nettoyage Au Karcher’ --Keny Arkana, Entre ciment et belle étoile, ‘Nettoyage Au Karcher’

Ici les gens sont à genou que d'vant celui qui prend l'blé Here people are on their knees in front of the one with the money Sale histoire, comme quand ça pête chez les Cain-ri, Nasty story, like when it blows up among the Americans, on dit c'est ça l'Islam they say that’s Islam Chui parano, toi et tes gars I’m paranoid, you and your guys ouallah [par Dieu] ne vous foutez pas d'ma gueule (ouhh) I swear don’t fuck with me (oooh) Un sourire peut cacher la haine d'un enemie qui t'acceuille (ahh) A smile might hide the hatred of an enemy who welcomes you (ahh) Pose ou passe-moi le mic Put it down or give me the mic -- Sexion d’Assaut, Les chronique du 75, ‘Cramponnez Vous’ -- Sexion d’Assaut, Les chronique du 75, ‘Cramponnez Vous’

Un jour dans l'vol One day in theft Un jour sur Sky One day in Sky vodka Un jour dans les drames One day in dramas Un jour dans les larmes One day in the tears Un jour dans l'Islam One day in Islam Un jour je veux mourir One day I want to die Un jour je veux vivre One day I want to live Un jour je suis un disque One day I am disc Un jour je suis un livre One day I am a book --Abd Al Malik, Gibraltar, ‘Mourir à 30 ans’ --Abd Al Malik, Gibraltar, ‘Mourir à 30 ans’

On allait tout déconstruire, déconstruire avec trois D comme We were going to deconstruct everything, deconstruct with three Ds like

Deleuze, Derrida et Debré. Deleuze, Derrida et Debré. Ni fondamentalistes ni extrémistes de l'islam ou d'l'a laïcité, Neither fundamentalists nor extremists of Isalm or of secularism, mais là : ça devient lourd je crois. but here : it’s getting heavy I think. Trop compliqué en tout cas, et puis moi, Too complicated in any case, and as for me, je n'mélange pas la politique avec la foi. I don’t mix politics with faith. --Abd Al Malik, Gibraltar, ‘12 Septembre’ --Abd Al Malik, Gibraltar, ‘12 Septembre’

Et si je deviens violent And if I become violent L'Islam n'y est pour rien Islam has nothing to do with it Ce n'est du qu'à mes faiblesses It is only due to my weaknesses J'répète pour que tu comprennes bien I repeat so that you understand well Et si je deviens violent And if I become violent L'Islam n'y est pour rien Islam has nothing to do with it Ce n'est dû qu'a mes excès It is only due to my excesses J'échoue mais j'essaie I fail but I try L'humilité et l'orgueil Humility and pride Le tout dans un même homme All in the same man La folie et la raison Madness and reason Le tout dans un seul homme. All in one man --Kery James, Réele, ‘Le Retour du Rap Français’ --Kery James, Réele, ‘Le Retour du Rap Français’

C'est A.L.I., It’s A.L.I., A pour l'Afrique, A is for Africa, L pour ma Loi suprême représentée par le I, Islam. L is for my supreme Law represented by the I, Islam, À ceux qui nous comprennent Salam. To those who understand, Salam. J'représente l'homme et sa couleur I represent humankind and its color Comprend que notre douleur devienne colère Understand that our pain becomes anger Quand l'État nous diabolise comme à Salem. When the State demonizes us like in Salem. Donc honneur So honor Aux têtes noires, marrons et beiges to the black, brown and beige heads Cortège Funeral procession Abreuvé par la terre mère. Watered by mother earth. A.L.I. BOOBA du Nil au fleuve Niger. A.L.I. Booba from the Nile to the Niger river. Mon son récité par les voix des HLM, j'crois My sounds recited by the voices of the flat blocks, I believe Ceux qui traitent les meufs de chiennes et veulent des M3 Those who treat women like dogs and want M3s [machin gun/BMW] On a pas les mêmes droits We don’t have the same rights Donc j'lève mon 3ème doigt So I raise my 3rd finger Et j'viens reprendre mon dû And I come to get back my due Perdu dans c'monde. Lost in this world. --Lunatic, Mauvais Oeil, HLM 3 --Lunatic, Mauvais Œil, ‘HLM 3’

J'ai vu le re-fré hier au parloir I saw the brother yesterday in the visiting room il tourne au détroit avec le boug du canal He turns at the straights with the guy from the canal il te passe le salam he greets you with salam il était en cavale, s'est fait crevé à Paname he was running from the law, got himself nailed in Paris il a mangé 8 piges en mode hagra he got 8 years in a miserable way -- Ol Kainry, Iron Mic 2.0, Phone Game -- Ol Kainry, Iron Mic 2.0, Phone Game

Aucun diplôme valable, à ceux qui s'sont faits tout seul No valid diploma, to those who made themselves all alone Dans les rues de leurs villes, j'passe le salam In the roads of their towns, I greet with salam, Habitués au haram, ils ne se rappellent plus de leurs crimes Used to haram, they no longer remember their crimes Fuck les victimes, ils ne se rappellent plus de leurs cris Fuck the victimes, they no longer remember their cries Leurs valeurs ne s'achètent pas, ils ne se rappellent plus de leurs prix. Their values are not purchased, they no longer remember their prices. --Booba, Lunatic, Les Derniers Seront Les Premiers --Booba, Lunatic, Les Derniers Seront Les Premiers

J'perds mon temps, I waste my time, Comme ceux qu'attendent la paix au Moyen-Orient. Like those who wait for peace in the Middle East. Salam et Shalom, la même, mais prononcé en décalage, Salam and Shalom, the same, but pronounced differently, Ça devient Uzi opposé à Kalash. become Uzi opposed to Kalashnikov. Israël, donne respect à ton aîné Ismaël. Israel, show respect to your older Ishmael. --Lunatic, Mauvais Oeil, Le Silence n’est pas un Oubli --Lunatic, Mauvais Oeil, Le Silence n’est pas un Oubli

J’ai le fou rire quand j'mens, I have a mad laugh when I lie, pourtant j’dis Bismillah quand j'mange still I say “In the name of Allah” when I eat, Tu veux qu’j’te dise franchement Do you want me to tell frankly tell you, J'ai un ange à chaque épaule mais celui d’gauche parle trop fort I have an angel on each shoulder but the one on the left talks too loud

Ecouter le droit c'est c'que j'suis censé faire Listen to the one on the right was what I was supposed to do Mon temps avec des p’tites schneks, My time with the little bitches, Noyer l'échec dans du Sky sec, à goûter les variétés d’shit Drowning failure in straight Sky, trying types of hash, Rien qu’du mauvais Nothing but bad. --Lunatic, Mauvais Oeil, Le Silence n’est pas un Oubli --Lunatic, Mauvais Oeil, Le Silence n’est pas un Oubli

Ces fils de putes du gouvernement, nique leurs mamans. Ahhh! Those sons of bitches in the government, fuck their mothers. Ahhh! Eh ouais Palestine, ta terre, tu finira par l'avoir Allah u Akbar, Oh yeah, Palestine, your land, you will end up having it, God is great, la vérité, ils finiront par la voir. in truth, they’ll end up seeing it. ahhh WOOGATA MOUAAAAAAAAAAH ahhh WOOGATA MOUAAAAAAAAAAH --Mister You, Présumé coupable, La Vie C'est Dur --Mister You, Présumé coupable, La Vie C'est Dur

Anticapitalistes, altermondialistes, ou toi qui cherche la vérité Anti-capitalists, anti-globalists, or you who seeks the truth sur ce monde, la résistance de demain about this world, the resistance of tomorrow (...in cha allah...) à la veille d'une révolution. Mondiale et spirituelle, la (...if God is willing) on the eve of a revolution. rage du peuple, Global and spiritual, the rage of the people, la rabbia del pueblo, parce qu'on a la rage, la rabbia del pueblo (the rage of the people), because we are enraged, celle qui fera trembler tes normes. the one that will make the norms tremble. -- Keny Arkana, Entre ciment et belle étoile, La Rage -- Keny Arkana, Entre ciment et belle étoile, La Rage

Sur terre y'a qu'un star c'est Dieu. Allah o Akbar. On earth there is but one star, it’s God. God is great. De Médine à la Mecque. Armé du stylo bic From Medina to Mecca. Mon stylo nique. Armed with my ballpoint, my pen fucks hard. --MC Solaar, L’aigle ne chasse pas les mouches --MC Solaar, L’aigle ne chasse pas les mouches

Endurer trimer patienter en arriver jusqu’là Enduring, struggling, being patient to get to here, Galérer Having such a hard time, l'album aurait dû s'appeller Inchallah the album should have been called “God willing.” --La Fouine, La Fouine vs. La Laouni, Là-bas --La Fouine, La Fouine vs. La Laouni, Là-bas

Ya pas mieux que le droit chemin, regardes ceux qui se convertissent, There is nothing better than the straight path, look at those who convert, impossible que tu les pervertissent, certains d'entre eux été accros à la it’s impossible for you to pervert them, some of them were hooked on thise, tellement bourés qu'tu pouvais pas leurs faire la bise, le droit booze, so drunk that you couldn’t give them a kiss, the straight path ch'min les a sauvés, leurs visages à changés, tu peux voir en eux la saved them, their faces changed, you can see in them light radiating lumière réyonné *MASHALLAH*, impossible de les détourner, ils ont *MASHA’ALLAH2*, impossible to turn them around, they have found trouvé le mode d'emploi, ils ont trouvé la paix *MASHALLAH*, la vrai the user manual, they have found peace *MASHA’ALLAH*, the true richesse qui t'fait oublier le matériel, qui te fait revenir vers l'essentiel, wealth that made you forget the material, which brings you back to the les mains toujours tendu vers le ciel, toujours le sourir même quand essential, hands always held up to the sky, always a smile even when les épreuves font des siennes, *MASHALLAH*, struggles appear among your loved ones, *MASHA’ALLAH*, le droit ch'min est une assurance vie, une assurance après la mort, qui the straight path is a life insurance, an assurance after death, one that t'garantit le Paradis, les gens humbles savent de quoi j'parle, guarantees you Paradise, the humble people know what I’m saying, les orgueilleux me détestent, me souhaitent le mal the prideful hate me, wish me ill-will.

Le droit ch'min est une ligne de conduite, qui met une croix sur The straight path is a way of conduct which crosses out les choses interdites, le droit ch'min ouvre les yeux à l'ignorant the forbidden things, the straight path opens the eyes of the ignorant *MASHALLAH*, le guide sagement vers le tout Puissant, le droit *MASHA’ALLAH*, guides one toward the All-Powerful, the straight ch'min est souvent pointé du doigt, hélasse par ceux path is often pointed out, tragically by those qui ne le connaissent même pas, le droit ch'min t'écartes des turpitudes, who don’t even know it, the straight path keeps you from vile acts, t'apprends des gens un jour, à prendres de bonnes habitudes, moi, je sais introduces you to people one day, to take up good habits, me, I know comment j'veux finir, dans l’Din, j'veux préparer mon av'nir, how I want to finish, in the Religion, I want to prepare my future, j'ai trop été déçu, dans l'haram j'ai rien gagné, I was disappointed too many times, in haram I gained nothing, que des pommes pourri dans mon panier, j’te fait pas la morale, but rotten apples in my basket, I am not preaching at you, j'suis pas là pour t'accompagner, mais l'droit ch'min, I’m not there to accompany you, but the straight path, y'a pas mieux t'peux pas l'nier, there is nothing better, you can’t deny it, j'veux pas finir à r'gretter mon passé, I don’t want to end up being sorry about my past, I must take up the faut qu'j'emprinte le droit ch'min c'est maintenant ou jamais. straight path, it’s now or never. --Kamelancien, Le Deuxième frisson de la vérité, Le Poème --Kamelancien, Le Deuxième frisson de la vérité, Le Poème Du Droit Chemin Du Droit Chemin

Ya qu'un pas entre mon hall et la mosquée There is but one step between my building and the mosque qu'un pas entre le mensonge et l'honnêté there is but one step between the lie and honesty Ya qu'un pas entre le droiture et la lâcheté There is but one step between uprightness and cowardice. qu'un pas entre la trahison et la fidélité there is but one step between betrayal and faithfulness [...] [...]

Ya qu'un pas entre le halal et halam There is but one step between halal and haram qu'un pas entre la vie paisible et le retour de flamme there is but one step between the peaceful life and the return of the flame Ya qu'un pas entre la liberté et la prison There is but one step between freedom and prison qu'un pas entre la folie et la raison but one step between madness and reason [...] [...] ce monde m'écoeur this world sickens me j'arrive pas a faire semblant I can’t pretend anymore dans cette putain de vie ya pas de semtiments there are no real feelings in this fucking life entouré que pour les intérêts surrounded by nothing but interests on pense plus a toi une fois enterré they don’t think of you once buried bienvenue dans halam c'est les flammes qui nous attendent welcome to haram, it’s the flames that await us, ici ya rien [...] here there is nothing... --Kamelancien, Le Deuxième frisson de la vérité, Y'a Que La --Kamelancien, Le Deuxième frisson de la vérité, Y'a Que La Vérité Qui Blesse” Vérité Qui Blesse”

[...] [...] Des lobotomes de la télévision The lobotomized from television Les médias sont les juges des procès d'intention The media are the judges in the trial of alleged intent Fournisseurs d'intox au kilogramme Suppliers of intoxication by the kilogram De l'amalgame terrorisme et Islam Of the amalgamation: terrorism and Islam Dans mon ghetto, on a peur de l'avion In my ghetto, we’re scared of the airplane Et les femmes impressionnent beaucoup plus que Cendrillon And the women impress a lot more than Cinderella

Ni violeur ni terroriste, ni macho, ni proxo, ni terro, Neither rapist nor terrorist, nor matcho, nor pimp, nor terrorist, ni rigolo, ni bourreau, ni gigolo nor joker, nor executioner, nor gigolo Ni violeur ni terroriste, ni violent, ni racailleux, ni vilain, Neither rapist nor terrorist, nor violent, nor rabble-rousing, nor nasty, ni orgueilleux, ni violeur, ni crapuleux nor prideful, nor rapist, nor debauched Ni violeur ni terroriste, c'est pour les ghettos qui montrent l'exemple, Neither rapist, nor terrorist, this is for the ghettos that set an example, les banlieues qui s'accrochent à la rampe the projects that cling to the handrail Ni violeur ni terroriste, c'est pour les Hommes et les djinns, les hijabs Neither rapist nor terrorist, this is for Humankind and the jinn, the et les jeans, Abou Bakr et Médine hijabs and the jeans, Abou Bakr3 and Medina4 --Médine, Ni violeur ni terroriste (11 Septembre) --Médine, Ni violeur ni terroriste (11 Septembre)

Salaam, efface les guerres et passe le Salaam Salam, erase the wars and pass the Peace A nos pères, à nos mères, Salaam, To our fathers, to our mothers, Salam, hélas, la paix n'est pas notre seule arme sadly, peace is not the only weapon Salaam, à l'heure où les casernes s'alarment, salaam Salam, at the moment when the barracks are alarmed, Salaam à ceux et celles en Salat Salaam Salaam Salam to those men and women who are in prayer, Salam, Salam, Eh Salaam, à nos pères, à nos mères, à nos frères Salaam. Eh Salam, to our fathers, to our mothers, to our brothers, Salam. --Médine, Salaam (11 Septembre) --Médine, Salaam (11 Septembre)

Vivre en paix, se contenter de ce qu'on a : Living in peace, being happy with what we have: Un Coran, une bouteille d'eau, et les falaises d'Abou Maya A Qur’an, a bottle of water, and the cliffs of Abou Maya Malheureusement, le monde a connu l'anthrax Unfortunately, the world experienced anthrax Les guerres de races et les bourreaux qu'on relaxe Race wars and the executioners who were released Les terreurs, les pendaisons sur l'estrade The terrors, the hangings on the gallows Les Twins-Towers et puis l'Islam et son Jihad The Twin Towers and Islam and its Jihad L'Islam une religion de malade : l'Islam des caves Islam, a religion of the sick: the Islam of caves L'Islam des croisades The Islam of crusades Non sans raisons et le silence des mosquées Not without reason and the silence of the mosques Des camps d'entrainement, et kalachnikovs armés the training camps, and armed with Kalashnikovs Enturbannés et plastiqués en cagoules wrapped in turbans and blown up with ski masks on De Ramallah à Manhattan en passant par Kaboul From Ramallah to Manhattan, passing by Kaboul Étonnant, comme un Bagdadi au Mac Do Surprising, like a Bagdadi at a MacDonalds Comme un coupable à Guantanamo Like a guilty person at Guantanamo Et puis, comme on est tous victimes And after, as we are all victims, On se croit tout permis, We’ll believe everything is possible for ourselves, donne de jolis noms aux crimes: give some pretty names to the crimes: Liberté immuable, dans le désert Unchanging freedom, in the desert C'est de la viande halal et du pétrole en dessert it’s halal meat and petrol for dessert La guerre, faut pas s'étonner, c'est terrible War, you mustn’t be surprised, it’s terrible Deux-trois millions de dollars et on oublie Abu Ghraib Two, three million dollars and we forget Abu Ghraib

3 Abou Bakr was the first Muslim convert outside of the Prophet’s family; he became Muhammad’s senior advisor and father-in-law. 4 Medina was the town that Muhammed and the Muslims fled to (Hijjra) when the Makkan polytheists intensified their persecutions. 4 Translation © 2013 Benjamin Hebblethwaite, [email protected]

C'est violent et sa émane de l'homme It’s violent and that comes from the man Du drapeau tricolore et du pays des droits de l'Homme of the three-colored flag and of the nation of the rights of Man Où ils faut être light ou laïque Where you have to be light or secular Respectueux des valeurs de la république Respectful of the values of the republic Le folklore des arabes dans les bars The folklore of Arabs in the bars à l'école on t'accueille sans ta barbe et ton foulard at school you are welcomed without your beard or scarf Assimilé l'immigré désintégré : Assimilated, the immigrant disintegrated: trop noir, trop grillé, trop loin du progrès too black, to dark, too far from progress Africain noirs et maghrébins hors limite Black Africans and North Africans beyond the limits ça reste des Africains noirs et maghrébins qu'on évite they remain Africans and North Africans who are avoided

Ce que nous sommes est tellement fort qu'on en oublie notre amour What we are is so strong that we forget about our love Dans nos ghettos on nous applaudira In our ghettos we’ll be applauded Pour avoir hurlé ce que tout le monde pense tout bas For having shouted what everybody else thinks to themselves Mais ils croiront que Ben Laden est un héros But they’ll believe that Ben Laden is a hero En foulard palestinien, sur les roues de leurs motos In a Palestinian scarf, on the wheels of their motorcycles Et malgré tout, les miens et moi on y croit And in spite of everything, my loved ones and me believe it -- Médine, 11 Septembre, 11 Septembre -- Médine, 11 Septembre, 11 Septembre

Je remercie le Tout-Puissant I thank the All-Mighty de m'avoir accordé une soeur comme Malika for having given me a sister like Malika Les hommes sont des bâtards, font la misère aux filles biens Men are bastards, they make life miserable for nice girls Et devant les chiennes sont comme des chiens And in front of the bitches are like dogs in heat Des Lybiens pendant 40 piges derrière Kadhafi Like Libyans after Gadhafi in the course of 40 years.

Que Dieu nous préserve des châtiments de la tombe May God preserve us from the punishments of the tomb Qu'il nous pardonne le jour de la fin du monde May He forgive us on that day at the end of the world Ne porte pas de jugement, XXX ne fait pas l'Imam Don’t bring judgment, XXX doesn’t make an Imam Même dans l'Islam tu rencontres des mythomanes Even in Islam you meet mythomaniacs Moi dans tout ça, j'suis toujours tout seul As for me in all that, I am always completely alone Trop déçu, l'être humain me fout le seum Too disappointed, the human being fills me with bitterness L'être humain, il lui manque un grain The human being has some screws loose Trop orgueuilleux, trop ingrat Too prideful, too ungrateful Y'a que devant la kehba que je me retrouve en paix It is only before the Ka’bah that I find myself again with peace J'me revois à Médine, le moral aux aguets I see myself again in Medina, morality at watch Comme Malcolm X, c'est là que j'ai ouvert les yeux Like Malcom X, that’s where I opened my eyes Tous les mêmes à implorer qu'un seul Dieu All the same to implore a single God. Kamelancien, Coupé du monde, “Le charme de la tristesse 2” Kamelancien, Coupé du monde, “Le charme de la tristesse 2”

Ceux qui choisissent la solution militaire Those who chose the military solution N'ont-ils pas vu qu'elle nous dessert beaucoup plus qu'elle nous sert? Haven’t they seen that it has deserted us more than it has served us? Reçoit mes références, mon listing, ma rédaction Receive my references, my listing, my edits Reçoit mon bilan historique et ses acteurs sans rédemption Receive my historical balance sheet and its actors without redemption Étudier reste la seule solution Study remains the only option Pour les blancs, les noirs, les gens issus de l'immigration For the whites, the blacks, the people who came from immigration Ma richesse est culturelle, mon combat est éternel My wealth is cultural, my combat is eternal C'est celui de l'intérieur contre mon mauvais moi-même It’s the internal one against the bad in myself Mais pour le moment les temps resteront durs But for the moment times will stay tough Et pour le dire une centaine de mesures And to say it a hundred measures Médine, Jihad, “Jihad” Médine, Jihad, “Jihad”

Chapitre second en plein cœur du monde Second chapter in the very heart of the world Depuis le premier crime et que le monde est monde Since the first crime and since the world is a world On reconstruit puis détruit à coups de bombe We reconstruct and then destroy with bomb blasts Ça relance l'économie, une réaction féconde That revives the economy, a robust reaction Et puis une bonne guerre c'est distrayant, plus qu'attrayant And plus a good war is distracting, more than attracting

Une bonne armée mitraillant un tas de bougnoules en turbans A good army machine-gunning a ton of gooks in turbans Que Dieu bénisse l'Amérique May God bless America L'Angleterre, la Russie et tous ceux qui ont le fric England, and Russia and all those who have money Moi je suis plus qu'intégré, je suis intégriste As for me, I’m more than integrated, I am a fundamentalist (Muslim) Un barbu anti-social et fondamentaliste A bearded anti-social and ultraconservative Les omoplates au centre d'une cible My shoulder blades at the center of a target Médine, Jihad, “L’encre de Médine” Médine, Jihad, “L’encre de Médine”

On est reconnaissant, vive le Tout Puissant, les darons galère à mort. We are thankful, the All Mighty lives, our parents work to death Kamelancien, Le charme en personne, “Le charme de la tristesse” Kamelancien, Le charme en personne, “Le charme de la tristesse” des fois j’suis le Sheitan, des fois j’suis la Sunna, sometimes I am the Shaytan, sometimes I am the Sunna, les absents ont toujours tort à part Zyed et Bouna the absent party is always to blame except for Zyed and Bouna Kamelancien, Vécu (La Fouine) Kamelancien, Vécu (La Fouine)

Inch’Allah j’serai dans le Din quand j’rejoindrais le père à Ziggy God willing, I’ll be in the Religion when I will meet Ziggy’s father

La mère, elle s’est jamais remise de ta mort Mother never got over your death Allah y Rahmek grand-frère. [Que Dieu t’accorde Sa miséricorde] May God’s mercy be upon you big brother. Kamelancien, Vécu (La Fouine) Kamelancien, Vécu (La Fouine)

Mon père est malade du coeur My father is sick in his heart Allah y chefiha May God heal you Kamelancien, Le frisson de la vérité, “La joie de survivre” Kamelancien, Le frisson de la vérité, “La joie de survivre”

La foi me donne ce gout de vivre Faith gives me this taste for life Kamelancien, Le frisson de la vérité, “La joie de survivre” Kamelancien, Le frisson de la vérité, “La joie de survivre”

Tu m’offre la bouteille pourtant je tise pas You offer me the bottle; however, I don’t drink (alcohol) [...] Je ne traîne pas avec les bandits pour ma sécurité, I don’t hang around with bandits for my security, une dou’a le vendredi et ce monde je peux quitter a prayer on Friday and I can leave this world Kamelancien, “Direct”

J’ferme des bouches comme Tarik Ramadan I shut mouths like Tarik Ramadan [...] J’arrive sur eux comme Hamza sur les Coraich I’m all over them like Hamza on the Quraysh Kamelancien, Lion du désert Kamelancien, Lion du désert

Je suis un prodige comme Bedi Ben I’m a prodigy like Bedi Ben Me tester c’est toujours pas la peine depuis le rap de Ben Laden. Testing me is still not worth your trouble since the rap of Ben Laden Kamelancien, “Monstre”

Des attentats un peu partout, c’est logique, Attacks all over the place, it’s logical, Exterminer les musulmans v’là c’qu’ils communique Exterminate the muslims, that’s what they communicate Kamelancien, “Le retour de la flamme” Kamelancien, “Le retour de la flamme”

Je pense toujours au Prophète Youssouf, I still think of the Prophet Youssouf, ses propres frères l’ont trait et l’ont jeté dans le gouffre his own brothers betrayed him and they threw him in the chasm Kamelancien, “Trop bon, trop con”

1425, une lumière à nos pères. 1425, a light to our fathers Médine, 11 Septembre, “L’école de la vie” Médine, 11 Septembre, “L’école de la vie”

Y'a des soirs j'dors le ventre vide, cousin la vie c'est djihad There are evenings I sleep with an empty stomach, cousin, life is jihad Absolute vodka aura ma peau avant mes trente piges Absolute vodka will kill me before I’m thirty years old J'fais des cauchemars, pas d'repos j'me lève en pleine nuit j'transpire I have nightmares, no rest I get up in the middle of the night sweating [...] [...] J'fais du haram j'viens pas faire le pieux I get into haram, I don’t come to be the pious Comme tout ceux qui s'servent de Dieu pour s'cacher quand il pleut Like all those who make use of God to hide themselves when it rains Niro, Rééducation, Jihan Niro, Rééducation, Jihan

Compte pas sur l'haram pour un avenir durable Don’t count on the haram for a long lasting future À chaque fois qu'j'prends un billet Each time I take bill of cash ou qu'j'me fais lehrsa dans les tels-hô or I get myself sucked off in hotels J'me dis : "Vive le rap !" I say: “Long live rap!” [...] [...] La fierté nous tuera Pride will kill us Reubeu, fier, déterminé Arab, proud, determined Compare pas à ces zoulous qui pé-ra Don’t compare to these thugs who rap Tu nous aimes pas, gros, va t'faire piner You don’t like us, bud, go shag yourself Inch'Allah au sommet : qui vivra, verra God willing at the summit: who lives shall see Ils peuvent pas m'blairer They can’t stomach me

Veulent m'enterrer pour des intérêts They want to bury me over some common interests J'ai du bif à récupérer I have some beef to recover Niro, Rééducation, Les mains sales Niro, Rééducation, Les mains sales

9.3 + 9.4 code 187 flow 9.3 + 9.4, code 187 flow 2004 on met ton rap a 4 pattes gros 2004 we put your rap on all fours Si t'as des couilles on les castres If you have any balls we castrate them Y'a que d'l'a haine au menu There’s nothing but hate on the menu Comme bush s'en bas les couilles d'l'ONU Like Bush doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the UN [...] [...] Excuse moi, ( tshks ) si le 9.4 foudroie Excuse me, (tsssk) if the 9.4 thunders On arrive fou d'rage, va t'faire foutre toi We arrive mad with rage, you go fuck yourself Kamel l'ancien, houssni, flow a la Ben Laden Kamelancien, Houssni, with a flow like Ben Laden 94 nous tester ? mec, c'est pas la peine 94 testing us? Bud, it isn’t worth it On zigzag, 187 sur la zik, zinc We zigzag, 187 on the track, cuz Mec j'suis zinzin, j'ecrit mes textes à Bagdad Dude I’m a nutcase, I write my texts in Bagdad Une grenade venue tout droit d'al-kaida A grenade straight outta Al-Qaida 9.4 + 9.3 arrete de jouer l'kaïd là 9.4 + 9.3 stop playing the boss here Rohff (Feat. Kamelancien), La fierté des nôtres Rohff (Feat. Kamelancien), La fierté des nôtres

Vous apportiez la Démocratie You were to bring Democracy C'est ce que croient les incultes que vos médias ont abrutis That’s what the uneducated who your medias have dumbed down believe [...] [...] Qui répand toutes ces salades ? Who spreads all this nonsense? Qui veut faire de Damas le nouveau Bagdad ? Who wants to make Damascus the new Bagdad? Qui détruit les tombes des Saints sur le sol libyen? Who destroys the tombs of the Saints on the Libyan soil? Qui prend en otage le peuple malien ? Who takes as hostage the Malian people? Qui sont ces mercenaires ? Qui les finance ? Who are these mercenaries? Who finances them? Qui profite de ces guerres ? Quelles sont leurs conséquences ? Who profits from these wars? What are their consequences? Qui distribue les rôles ? Qui décide ? Who distributes the roles? Who decides them? Pourquoi l'OTAN ne se déplace que pour certains génocides ? Why does NATO not budge except for certain genocides? Que se passe-t-il en Birmanie ? What’s happening in Myanmar? Pourquoi les médias font un déni? Why does the media deny it together? Qui veut enflammer le Monde Musulman ? Who wants to enflame the Muslim World? Qui veut répandre le sang par la provocation ? Who wants to spill blood through provocation? Qui manipule les masses, qui déstabilise ? Who manipulates the masses, who destabilizes? Qui brandit le voile islamique pour cacher la crise ? Who brandishes the Islamic veil to hide the (economic) crisis? Eh ! L'heure est grave (grave) Huh! The hour is serious (serious) Le Monde a pris un tournant, les vrais le savent (savent) The World has turned a corner, the real ones know it Pour le reste du troupeau brutal sera le réveil For the rest of the brutal herd wake up, time will come La France c’est mieux sans Nico, France is better without Nico(las Sarkozy), Mais au final ça sera pareil But in the end it will be the same Te fais pas d'illusion va falloir passer à la caisse Don’t kid yourself, you’ll have go through check out Tu vas t'endormir en France et te réveiller en Grèce You’ll fall asleep in France and wake up in Greece S'il y a eu un Printemps Arabe, il se peut que demain If there was the Arab Spring, it could be tomorrow La prochaine révolution soit un Printemps Européen The next revolution will be the European Spring. Kery James, Dernier MC, Dernier MC Kery James, Dernier MC, Dernier MC

Po-po-po passe-moi une prod', un micro que je défouraille Pa-pa-pa pass me a production, a microphone that I unsheathe Fu-fu-fu-fu-fuck ça c'est pour ceux qui respectent pas le foulard Fu-fu-fu-fu-fuck it is for those who don’t respect the headscarf Quoi quoi quoi quoi de quoi tu parles, What, what what what what are you talking about, arrête un peu de brayer stop braying for a second Tu nous les brises avec tes femmes à poils dans les clips You shove them at us with your skin-flashing women in the video clips, c'est bon ça y est alright, that’s enough, Yeah ! Tu pars à la mosquée, le coffre plein, ça c'est hlam Yeah! You’re off to the mosque, the suitcase full, that is haram Tu te poudres le zen avant la salate ça c'est hlam You sniff cocaine prior to the salat, that’s haram Y'a ceux qui mettent tout dans le message There are those who put everything in the message et d'autres tout dans la bicrave and others everything in selling drugs Rien dans les poches, tout dans le cash, Nothing in the pocket, everything in cash, tous les braquent pour qu'ils lèvent les bras Everyone pulls guns so they’ll hold up their hands Tu parles mal à tes rent-pa c'est hlam yeah You speak badly to your parents, it’s haram, yeah Tu frappes ton père pour la yassca c'est hlam yeah You strike your father for money, it’s haram, yeah C'est pour les blocs et les tier-quar ça c'est pas du rap pour les tocards This is for the blocks and hood, this isn’t rap for the tacky Il fait trop noir il serait peut-être temps que la vérité It’s too dark, it is perhaps time that the truth mette ses pleins phares turned on the high beams Je sais qui je suis j'ai rien volé tout ce que j'ai je l'ai mérité I know who I am, I stole nothing, everything I have, I earned

Ratatatata je n'ai jamais chômé j'ai fait que charbonner Ratatatata, I have never been unemployed, I’ve done nothing but work Arrachage de sac à main sur une bécane c'est hlam Ripping off hand bags on a bike, it’s haram On croyait tous que le KFC c'était halal c'est hlam yeah We all though KFC was halal, it’s haram, yeah Mon flow est une fusée bellek il se pointe capuché My flow is a gun, watch out, it aims with a hood on Qu'est-ce que tu fais petit frère, What are you doing little brother, retire ce joint de tes lèvres il peut te coucher pull that joint from your lips, it might put you to sleep T'as les deux pieds dans le mensonge tu jures c'est hlam You have two feet in lies, you swear, it’s haram Pendant qu'il sombre à l'ombre tu pointes sa femme c'est hlam While he falls in the shadow you point out his wife, it’s haram C'est un-un pour la banlieue deux-deux pour la banlieue It’s one-one for the ghetto, it’s two-two for the ghetto Trois-trois je veux te voir ta-ta-taper des mains Three-three I want to see you cl-cl-clapping your hands si tu trouves le morceau dangereux if you think this track is dangerous To-to-toc préviens les blocs qu'on est de retour Kno-kno-knock warn the block that we’re back Wa salam Walikoum As-salam alaykum Bakar, Come bak Bakar, Come bak

Il y a qu’assis au fond d’une mosquée qu’j’peux trouver le calme It is only at the back of a mosque that I can find calm --Rohff, P.D.G.R, Maudit

C’est le mekteub, rien peux y faire Ma première image, le visage de ma mère, dans ses yeux je brille Ma première Sheheda au fond de mes oreilles, j’entend mon papa prie, c’est la vie, la vérité, le plus grand combat de ma vie --Daouf, Bienvenue dans mon Game Boy, “La vie”

Commentary (1) It appears that everything opposes us here, just like those 3 by 2 centimeter veils thrust some pigs married to sows to into psychosis,  Most immigrants in France come from Muslim countries and yet offended by so many undocumented migrants, squatting in church, why churches and not mosques are used as places where immigrants are not in mosques!? Let’s speak of occupied churches in the name of those shielded from deportation. These lines shed light on the power of territories, colonies and how many severed heads? Our lands Christianity and marginalization of Islam colonized, our fathers terrorized, for what are we authorized a  Subsequent lines reference the irony of using Christianity as a shelter lobotimized thinking? Defeated, evangelized, certain pretend, when it was a sponsor of colonialism taking shits on their fellow human beings just as they dream of being white. --Rumeur, Regain de tension, ‘Soldat Lambda’

(2) The media soils Islam, we fuck Betancourt’s race,  Islam is frequently juxtaposed with non-Islamic values, such as the big slut, a dedication to Yass alias the fox in the courtyard. depreciation of women (halal versus haram) Bazou and Oim, we knead wads of dough so the sluts come running at the sight of us -- Mister You, Présumé coupable, ‘Je commence tous doux’ 8 Translation © 2013 Benjamin Hebblethwaite, [email protected]

(3) It’s for Ari Souleymane, to brother Ayssam who remind us and who teach us Islam  Muslim rappers assert the importance of Islam and reveal un-Islamic even if we’re under the influence of alcohol aspect of their lifestyle, i.e. the consumption of alcohol they don’t care about prejudices, they know what morality is  Here Islam’s notion of God’s function as the judge of our lives helps Oh Dawah5, there is only God who has the right to judge us. create distance between the rapper’s un-Islamic lifestyle choices and -- Mister You, Présumé coupable, ‘La Vie C'est Dur’ critics within Islam

(4) Your humanist philosophy, went only so far as theory, When your armies left to colonize Africa!  French rap frequently denounces French and Western imperialism, Freedom of expression, like everything else at two speeds, colonialism and military aggression Islamophobia at full speed, but don’t criticize Israel!  The ideals of the French Republic are not respected in the context of That’s the schizophrenic politics of France, Islam. Maintained social divisions, and talking about equal opportunities!  The problem of hypocrisy --Keny Arkana, Entre ciment et belle étoile, ‘Nettoyage Au Karcher’

(5) Here people are on their knees in front of the one with the money Nasty story, like when it blows up among the Americans,  The scapegoating of Islam they say that’s Islam I’m paranoid, you and your guys I swear don’t fuck with me (oooh) A smile might hide the hatred of an enemy who welcomes you (ahh) Put it down or give me the mic -- Sexion d’Assaut, Les chronique du 75, ‘Cramponnez Vous’

(6) One day in theft One day in Sky vodka  Halal versus haram One day in dramas One day in the tears

One day in Islam

One day I want to die

One day I want to live One day I am disc

One day I am a book

--Abd Al Malik, Gibraltar, ‘Mourir à 30 ans’

(7) We were going to deconstruct everything, deconstruct with three Ds like Deleuze, Derrida et Debré.  Taking the middle path between faith and secularism Neither fundamentalists nor extremists of Isalm or of secularism, but here : it’s getting heavy I think.

Too complicated in any case, and as for me,

I don’t mix politics with faith.

--Abd Al Malik, Gibraltar, ‘12 Septembre’

(8) And if I become violent

Islam has nothing to do with it

It is only due to my weaknesses  Violence as un-Islamic I repeat so that you understand well

And if I become violent

Islam has nothing to do with it It is only due to my excesses

I fail but I try

Humility and pride

All in the same man

Madness and reason

All in one man

--Kery James, Réele, ‘Le Retour du Rap Français’

(9) It’s A.L.I., A is for Africa,

L is for my supreme Law represented by the I, Islam,

To those who understand, Salam. I represent humankind and its color  Scapegoating Islam Understand that our pain becomes anger

When the State demonizes us like in Salem. So honor to the black, brown and beige heads Funeral procession Watered by mother earth. A.L.I. Booba from the Nile to the Niger river. My sounds recited by the voices of the flat blocks, I believe  Muslim rappers frequently refer to the subsidized housing and enclave Those who treat women like dogs and want M3s [machin gun/BMW] culture of their urban lives We don’t have the same rights So I raise my 3rd finger  Hypocrisy of inequality in the French state And I come to get back my due Lost in this world. --Lunatic, Mauvais Œil, ‘HLM 3’

(10) I saw the brother yesterday in the visiting room He turns at the straights with the guy from the canal  Salam and the expression passe le salam (pass the peace) have been he greets you with salam borrowed throughout French hip hop he was running from the law, got himself nailed in Paris he got 8 years in a miserable way -- Ol Kainry, Iron Mic 2.0, Phone Game

(11) No valid diploma, to those who made themselves all alone In the roads of their towns, I greet with salam,  Haram or sinfulness is a constant topic of discussion Used to haram, they no longer remember their crimes  Haram represents a confessional dimension of French rap Fuck the victimes, they no longer remember their cries  By encoding discourse in the haram versus halal framework, Muslim Their values are not purchased, they no longer remember their prices. rappers implicitly link their discourse to Muslim values --Booba, Lunatic, Les Derniers Seront Les Premiers

(11) I waste my time,  The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the centerpiece of French rap’s Like those who wait for peace in the Middle East. international geopolitical argumentation Salam and Shalom, the same, but pronounced differently,  Ishmael was the son of Abraham’s concubine, Hagar; when become Uzi opposed to Kalashnikov. Abraham’s wife Sarah become pregnant, Abraham sent Hagar and Israel, show respect to your older Ishmael. Ishmael to the Arabian peninsula. When Abraham visited them, he --Lunatic, Mauvais Oeil, Le Silence n’est pas un Oubli established the Ka’bah, Islam’s most sacred mosque in Mecca.

(12) I have a mad laugh when I lie, still I say “In the name of Allah” when I eat,

Do you want me to tell frankly tell you,  Halal versus haram I have an angel on each shoulder but the one on the left talks too loud

Listen to the one on the right was what I was supposed to do

My time with the little bitches,

Drowning failure in straight Sky, trying types of hash, Nothing but bad.

--Lunatic, Mauvais Oeil, Le Silence n’est pas un Oubli

(13) Those sons of bitches in the government, fuck their mothers. Ahhh! Oh yeah, Palestine, your land, you will end up having it, God is great, in truth, they’ll end up seeing it.  The Israeli-Palestinian conflict ahhh WOOGATA MOUAAAAAAAAAAH --Mister You, Présumé coupable, La Vie C'est Dur

(14) Anti-capitalists, anti-globalists, or you who seeks the truth about this world, the resistance of tomorrow (...if God is willing) on the eve of a revolution. Global and spiritual, the rage of the people,  Inchallah, like passe le salam, has been widely adopted in French rap la rabbia del pueblo (the rage of the people), because we are enraged, the one that will make the norms tremble. -- Keny Arkana, Entre ciment et belle étoile, La Rage

(15) On earth there is but one star, it’s God. God is great. From Medina to Mecca.  Reference to fundamental theological principles of Islam: the Unity of Armed with my ballpoint, my pen fucks hard. God --MC Solaar, L’aigle ne chasse pas les mouches

(16) Enduring, struggling, being patient to get to here, Having such a hard time,

(17) There is nothing better than the straight path, look at those who convert, it’s impossible for you to pervert them, some of them were hooked on booze, so drunk that you couldn’t give them a kiss, the  Marshallah straight path saved them, their faces changed, you can see in them light radiating *MASHA’ALLAH6*, impossible to turn them around, they have found the user manual, they have found peace *MASHA’ALLAH*, the true wealth that made you forget the material, which brings you back to the essential, hands always held up to the sky, always a smile even when struggles appear among your loved ones, *MASHA’ALLAH*, the straight path is a life insurance, an assurance after death, one that guarantees you Paradise, the humble people know what I’m saying, the prideful hate me, wish me ill-will.

The straight path is a way of conduct which crosses out the forbidden things, the straight path opens the eyes of the ignorant *MASHA’ALLAH*, guides one toward the All-Powerful, the straight path is often pointed out, tragically by those who don’t even know it, the straight path keeps you from vile acts, introduces you to people one day, to take up good habits, me, I know how I want to finish, in the Religion, I want to prepare my future,  Din versus haram I was disappointed too many times, in haram I gained nothing, but rotten apples in my basket, I am not preaching at you, I’m not there to accompany you, but the straight path, there is nothing better, you can’t deny it, I don’t want to end up being sorry about my past, I must take up the straight path, it’s now or never. --Kamelancien, Le Deuxième frisson de la vérité, Le Poème Du Droit Chemin

(18) There is but one step between my building and the mosque there is but one step between the lie and honesty  The mosque in French rap often reflects the halal versus haram There is but one step between uprightness and cowardice. conflict there is but one step between betrayal and faithfulness [...] There is but one step between halal and haram there is but one step between the peaceful life and the return of the flame There is but one step between freedom and prison but one step between madness and reason [...] this world sickens me I can’t pretend anymore there are no real feelings in this fucking life surrounded by nothing but interests they don’t think of you once buried welcome to haram, it’s the flames that await us, here there is nothing... --Kamelancien, Le Deuxième frisson de la vérité, Y'a Que La Vérité Qui Blesse”

[...] (19) The lobotomized from television The media are the judges in the trial of alleged intent Suppliers of intoxication by the kilogram Of the amalgamation: terrorism and Islam  Scapegoating Islam In my ghetto, we’re scared of the airplane And the women impress a lot more than Cinderella

Neither rapist nor terrorist, nor matcho, nor pimp, nor terrorist, nor joker, nor executioner, nor gigolo Neither rapist nor terrorist, nor violent, nor rabble-rousing, nor nasty, nor prideful, nor rapist, nor debauched

Neither rapist, nor terrorist, this is for the ghettos that set an example, the projects that cling to the handrail  Abou Bakr was the first Muslim convert outside of the Prophet’s Neither rapist nor terrorist, this is for Humankind and the jinn, the family; he became Muhammad’s senior advisor and father-in-law. hijabs and the jeans, Abou Bakr7 and Medina8 Medina was the town that Muhammed and the Muslims fled to (Hijjra) --Médine, 11 Septembre, Ni violeur ni terroriste when the Makkan polytheists intensified their persecutions.

(20) Salam, erase the wars and pass the Peace To our fathers, to our mothers, Salam,  The practices of peace and prayer sadly, peace is not the only weapon Salam, at the moment when the barracks are alarmed, Salam to those men and women who are in prayer, Salam, Salam, Eh Salam, to our fathers, to our mothers, to our brothers, Salam. --Médine, Salaam (11 Septembre)

(21) Living in peace, being happy with what we have:  Sacred literature A Qur’an, a bottle of water, and the cliffs of Abou Maya Unfortunately, the world experienced anthrax Race wars and the executioners who were released The terrors, the hangings on the gallows The Twin Towers and Islam and its Jihad Islam, a religion of the sick: the Islam of caves The Islam of crusades Not without reason and the silence of the mosques  Criticism of Islam the training camps, and armed with Kalashnikovs wrapped in turbans and blown up with ski masks on From Ramallah to Manhattan, passing by Kaboul  Reflections of the geography of French rap woven with the tensions of Surprising, like a Bagdadi at a MacDonalds recent US wars Like a guilty person at Guantanamo And after, as we are all victims, We’ll believe everything is possible for ourselves, give some pretty names to the crimes: Unchanging freedom, in the desert  US Imperialism it’s halal meat and petrol for dessert War, you mustn’t be surprised, it’s terrible Two, three million dollars and we forget Abu Ghraib

(22) It’s violent and that comes from the man of the three-colored flag and of the nation of the rights of Man Where you have to be light or secular  Problems Muslims experience within French secularism Respectful of the values of the republic

The folklore of Arabs in the bars at school you are welcomed without your beard or scarf

Assimilated, the immigrant disintegrated: too black, to dark, too far from progress

Black Africans and North Africans beyond the limits they remain Africans and North Africans who are avoided

What we are is so strong that we forget about our love In our ghettos we’ll be applauded

For having shouted what everybody else thinks to themselves  Bin Laden But they’ll believe that Bin Laden is a hero

In a Palestinian scarf, on the wheels of their motorcycles

And in spite of everything, my loved ones and me believe it

-- Médine, 11 Septembre, 11 Septembre

(23) I thank the All-Mighty for having given me a sister like Malika

Men are bastards, they make life miserable for nice girls

And in front of the bitches are like dogs in heat

Like Libyans after Gadhafi in the course of 40 years.

7 Abou Bakr was the first Muslim convert outside of the Prophet’s family; he became Muhammad’s senior advisor and father-in-law. 8 Medina was the town that Muhammed and the Muslims fled to (Hijjra) when the Makkan polytheists intensified their persecutions. 12 Translation © 2013 Benjamin Hebblethwaite, [email protected]

May God preserve us from the punishments of the tomb May He forgive us on that day at the end of the world Don’t bring judgment, XXX doesn’t make an Imam Even in Islam you meet mythomaniacs As for me in all that, I am always completely alone Too disappointed, the human being fills me with bitterness The human being has some screws loose Too prideful, too ungrateful It is only before the Ka’bah that I find myself again with peace  Finding peace at the Ka’bah; the unity of humankind in Islam I see myself again in Medina, morality at watch Like Malcom X, that’s where I opened my eyes All the same to implore a single God. Kamelancien, Coupé du monde, “Le charme de la tristesse 2”

(24) Those who chose the military solution Haven’t they seen that it has deserted us more than it has served us? Receive my references, my listing, my edits Receive my historical balance sheet and its actors without redemption Study remains the only option For the whites, the blacks, the people who came from immigration My wealth is cultural, my combat is eternal  What is Jihad? It’s the internal one against the bad in myself But for the moment times will stay tough And to say it a hundred measures Médine, Jihad, “Jihad”

(25) Second chapter in the very heart of the world Since the first crime and since the world is a world We reconstruct and then destroy with bomb blasts  That revives the economy, a robust reaction And plus a good war is distracting, more than attracting

A good army machine-gunning a ton of gooks in turbans May God bless America England, and Russia and all those who have money As for me, I’m more than integrated, I am a fundamentalist (Muslim) A bearded anti-social and ultraconservative My shoulder blades at the center of a target Médine, Jihad, “L’encre de Médine”

(26) We are thankful, the All Mighty lives, our parents work to death Kamelancien, Le charme en personne, “Le charme de la tristesse”

(27) sometimes I am the Shaytan, sometimes I am the Sunna, the absent party is always to blame except for Zyed and Bouna Kamelancien, Vécu (La Fouine)

(28) God willing, I’ll be in the Religion when I will meet Ziggy’s father

Mother never got over your death May God’s mercy be upon you big brother. Kamelancien, Vécu (La Fouine)

(29) My father is sick in his heart May God heal you Kamelancien, Le frisson de la vérité, “La joie de survivre”

(30) Faith gives me this taste for life Kamelancien, Le frisson de la vérité, “La joie de survivre”

(31) You offer me the bottle; however, I don’t drink (alcohol)

I don’t hang around with bandits for my security, a prayer on Friday and I can leave this world

I shut mouths like Tarik Ramadan

I’m all over them like Hamza on the Quraysh Kamelancien, Lion du désert

(32) I’m a prodigy like Bedi Ben Testing me is still not worth your trouble since the rap of Bin Laden

Attacks all over the place, it’s logical, Exterminate the muslims, that’s what they communicate Kamelancien, “Le retour de la flamme”

(34) I still think of the Prophet Youssouf, his own brothers betrayed him and they threw him in the chasm

1425, a light to our fathers Médine, 11 Septembre, “L’école de la vie”

There are evenings I sleep with an empty stomach, cousin, life is jihad Absolute vodka will kill me before I’m thirty years old I have nightmares, no rest I get up in the middle of the night sweating [...] I get into haram, I don’t come to be the pious Like all those who make use of God to hide themselves when it rains Niro, Rééducation, Jihan

Don’t count on the haram for a long lasting future Each time I take bill of cash or I get myself sucked off in hotels I say: “Long live rap!” [...] Pride will kill us Arab, proud, determined Don’t compare to these thugs who rap You don’t like us, bud, go shag yourself God willing at the summit: who lives shall see They can’t stomach me They want to bury me over some common interests I have some beef to recover Niro, Rééducation, Les mains sales

9.3 + 9.4, code 187 flow 2004 we put your rap on all fours If you have any balls we castrate them There’s nothing but hate on the menu Like Bush doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the UN [...] Excuse me, (tsssk) if the 9.4 thunders We arrive mad with rage, you go fuck yourself Kamelancien, Houssni, with a flow like Ben Laden 94 testing us? Bud, it isn’t worth it We zigzag, 187 on the track, cuz Dude I’m a nutcase, I write my texts in Bagdad A grenade straight outta Al-Qaida 9.4 + 9.3 stop playing the boss here Rohff (Feat. Kamelancien), La fierté des nôtres

You were to bring Democracy That’s what the uneducated who your medias have dumbed down believe [...] Who spreads all this nonsense? Who wants to make Damascus the new Bagdad? Who destroys the tombs of the Saints on the Libyan soil? Who takes as hostage the Malian people? Who are these mercenaries? Who finances them?

Who profits from these wars? What are their consequences? Who distributes the roles? Who decides them? Why does NATO not budge except for certain genocides? What’s happening in Myanmar? Why does the media deny it together? Who wants to enflame the Muslim World? Who wants to spill blood through provocation? Who manipulates the masses, who destabilizes? Who brandishes the Islamic veil to hide the (economic) crisis? Huh! The hour is serious (serious) The World has turned a corner, the real ones know it For the rest of the brutal herd wake up, time will come France is better without Nico(las Sarkozy), But in the end it will be the same Don’t kid yourself, you’ll have go through check out You’ll fall asleep in France and wake up in Greece If there was the Arab Spring, it could be tomorrow The next revolution will be the European Spring. Kery James, Dernier MC, Dernier MC

Pa-pa-pa pass me a production, a microphone that I unsheathe Fu-fu-fu-fu-fuck it is for those who don’t respect the headscarf What, what what what what are you talking about, stop braying for a second You shove them at us with your skin-flashing women in the video clips, alright, that’s enough, Yeah! You’re off to the mosque, the suitcase full, that is haram You sniff cocaine prior to the salat, that’s haram There are those who put everything in the message and others everything in selling drugs Nothing in the pocket, everything in cash, Everyone pulls guns so they’ll hold up their hands You speak badly to your parents, it’s haram, yeah You strike your father for money, it’s haram, yeah This is for the blocks and hood, this isn’t rap for the tacky It’s too dark, it is perhaps time that the truth turned on the high beams I know who I am, I stole nothing, everything I have, I earned Ratatatata, I have never been unemployed, I’ve done nothing but work Ripping off hand bags on a bike, it’s haram We all though KFC was halal, it’s haram, yeah My flow is a gun, watch out, it aims with a hood on What are you doing little brother, pull that joint from your lips, it might put you to sleep You have two feet in lies, you swear, it’s haram While he falls in the shadow you point out his wife, it’s haram It’s one-one for the ghetto, it’s two-two for the ghetto Three-three I want to see you cl-cl-clapping your hands if you think this track is dangerous Kno-kno-knock warn the block that we’re back As-salam alaykum Bakar, Come bak