In this hip-hop world full of death threats and drug talk, a rap group full of nice guys that just want to party, spread good vibes, and please the girls is hard to come by. Fortunately, upon hearing French rap collective TTC, one needs to look no further.
The group performed songs from the new album at Sala Rosa last Monday and the response was nothing less than ecstatic. When rapper Cuizinier invited girls to the stage for a couple of songs, a dozen vigorous females rushed up and crowded around them. A little while later, when the group performed their hit “Dans Le Club”, the dance floor turned into a moshpit.
Hailing from Paris and composed of three producers- Tacteel, Para One, and DJ Orgasmic- as well as three rappers – Teki Latex, Tido Berman, and Cuizinier- this six-man collective just released their third opus 3615 TTC and came to pay us a little visit for a ritual celebration.
“We always look forward to coming to Montreal. We get very inspired, especially when we eat poutine,” Teki Latex said.
TTC’s relationship with Montreal has quickly turned into a love story. Ever since their first performance here at the SAT in 2003, the group has been coming back to here several times a year to a loyal and adoring fan base. Bringing a bag of new sonic explosions and quirky antics each time, TTC always delivers a fun time to enthusiastic boys and girls. Their reputation here was officially solidified when they released the local anthem “Pour Te Rechauffer” with Montreal rap group Omnicron and producer Ghislain Poirier.
In essence, the goal of TTC is to developing a blend of futuristic sounds that can be accessible to a wide spectrum of people. Equally influenced by the G-Funk era than by the late 90s New-York underground hip-hop scene, TTC are fans of music before anything. ” We’re very inspired by local, homegrown music scenes like snap music in Atlanta or Ghettotech in Detroit” explained Teki, “so we pay homage to it in our own music.”
TTC’s wide musical connoisseurship is what allows them to walk a fine line between different musical genres. “When we can find a meeting point between American music’s efficient, first degree sounds and Europe’s more elaborate intellectual style, that’s when it starts getting interesting” explained Teki.
He also points out that the relationship between America and Europe has fueled music for a long time. From German group Kraftwerk’s invention of electronic music, which inspired Bambaatta’s “Planet Rock” giving birth to techno, which in turn inspired Euro dance music that years later influenced Lil Jon’s development of Crunk right back to TTC’s music today, it has always been a dialogue between the two continents.
The group’s endless quest for innovation also extends to rhyme skills. Taking a cue from Wu-Tang, Teki, Cuizinier, and Tido’s very distinct flows bring a somewhat theatrical aspect to the TTC experience. “From the start, it was very important to us that each member have his own style, his own flow, his own voice, his own themes.” They had their chance to prove that last Monday when all three busted out tongue-twisting accapella freestyles to an impressed crowd.
If you missed the concert last week or the party at Club Lambi last Saturday, where DJ Orgasmic delivered a delicious set, do not fret. The boys will be back in town by July to perform for the Francofolies De Montreal. Until then, go buy a copy of 3615 TTC and tell all your friends you found a new way to learn French.
