Interview With Kemmler

Photography © Fifou

Photography © Fifou

"I never did it for the money, 
always for the love of music."

Kemmler, the rapper from Marseille in the South of France, is a breath of fresh air for the French-speaking Rap landscape, and we have every reason to fall under his spell.

A chill side, a cool side, and a voice that takes the time to find the right words to express things as best it can. A devouring passion for music that takes precedence over the rest of his life, and a genuine desire to make human warmth prevail in the music industry, one that is often too business-oriented. This is what defines Kemmler, this great lover of his audience.

This artist with an innate talent for words talks to A Rap & A Cup of Tea about his primordial need to go to the end and live from his passion. The one who describes himself as“eternally dissatisfied” is, above all, sincere and authentic. Kemmler’s been with the same squad for 15 years, which pays off for him. Through his sacrifices and hard work, he indulges gently in his strength today: never having lost his soul on the road to glory.

I heard that you “fell to the Rap” at 14 in 6th grade quite randomly. Is this true?

Yes, it is. Back then, my friends and I used to listen to a lot of Rap, but we never thought we could do it. The truth is, we were so bored by spending lunchtime at the canteen. One day, there was a Hip-Hop culture worker who came into college. At first, we were not too motivated, but then it quickly became an addiction.

You knew immediately that this was what you wanted to do and nothing else?

I had no other passions besides football, and I knew I  wasn’t at the level to have a career. In school, I had some facilities, but I never really felt good in school, and I didn’t know what to do with my life, in all honesty. I very quickly quit school and did jobs that I hated, and I didn’t want to get to 40 and say, “Fuck, I ruined my life”. So, I put all my strength into music. Obviously, there were ups and downs, but I never gave up. The thing is, my only goal has always been to be able to live from my passion. I never did it for the money, but I always did it for the love of music. From now on, I have the life I love, even though I know everything can stop overnight.  

In the song 'J'avoue', you discuss the difficulty of being an artist, especially of breaking into that world. You say, “I see the ones older than me snooping when I rapped or laughing  at me / I see myself crying nights trying to change my fate, faking celebrity interviews.”  Now, your Rap is respected, and you do interviews. What perspective do you have on the situation?

I'm an eternal dissatisfied guy, I will always want more, so I have trouble taking a step back. Three years ago, if I had been told, “You’re going to sign in a label”, I would never have believed it. I’m someone who’s always working. Even when I’m not properly working, I’m thinking about what I could do and so on. So, I would still like to take it to the next level and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. I never feel satisfied in truth.

What exactly are these objectives?

My goal is to reach a large audience without misrepresenting who I am and what I want to do as a musician. My only feeling of satisfaction comes from my audience. The most beautiful feeling I can experience through music is receiving messages from fans. It’s an indescribable thing. Yet I still feel uncomfortable when people recognise me on the street because it’s new to me. Being able to go out and meet my audience, play big shows and respond to their message is what I care about most.

Can you take the time to answer your fans' messages? 

I try to do it as much as I can, even if it gets more and more complicated from now on because  I get more and more messages. I try to respond to the latest messages I receive, but I also take the time to enjoy my loved ones without always being overwhelmed by my phone. You know, I already work a lot, and I'm often on the road or in the studio, so when I am with my people, I try to be physically and mentally there. The goal is not to succeed in music and end up alone with myself. (laughs)

Many of your fans would love to see you on the Colors Show...

It’s something I’d like to do for sure. I find it clean, without artifice, and it puts music at the centre of everything. You big up an artist much better this way. Colors is a platform that my team and I follow.

I’d like to go back to your journey. It’s impressive, to be signed to Def Jam in such a short time, since your first project named Rose released in June 2018. It’s a very famous and influential label, it must make you very proud, right? 

At first, I worked in the shadows for a long time, I invested my time, my money, etc. I used to work with my best friend, and we had released a single that worked pretty well on Facebook. Independent Rap labels soon contacted me, but we had no chemistry when I talked with them. They were all talking about business without ever talking about music, and I wasn’t comfortable with that. My passion was music, and I had to work harder, and harder, to reach a reasonable level. And then one day, I was contacted by the Dancecode label that makes electro music, and after our first exchange, I really thought, “This is who I want to work with”. Musically, I still needed to find myself, and we worked like crazy for two years before releasing Rose, my first album. Sales were not great, I have to be honest. But in the professional world, it was a real upheaval. No label wanted us before the album came out, but once it came out, everyone wanted me. I was even contacted to write for other artists, it was a crazy thing.

"I knew I had to have my own thing.

I looked for what could define me."

Was that revenge for you?

Not necessarily, because I wasn’t really popular enough to sign a record label in real life. I felt that no one really understood my music and my world. Until the day I met Pauline Duarte [e.d: Def Jam’s label boss], who showed me genuine enthusiasm for my music and what I was doing. I felt that Def Jam could take me to the next level. It’s an actual street label that has signed artists like Rémy, Koba LaD, Alonzo, Kaaris, etc. Nobody did what I did. I also liked the idea of taking people off guard and showing that I wouldn’t sign where everyone thought I was going. Here we have just released ‘Ça Me Gêne’, which is the first single before the album’s release, and we are in the middle of promo, and I'm happy to be there.  

This album you just mentioned, when is it planned? 

It should be released in early 2020. The goal is to create a buzz around its release via singles before we unveil it fully and see the public's reaction.

It's often said of you that you have a “surgical flow”: you take every emotion through an in-depth examination. Do you think that's a definition that fits you?

That’s a nice definition. (laughs) Actually, I needed to stand out from those I was rapping with at the time, and who had a crazy level including my sidekick Verbal - who became my backing performer on stage now. I knew I had to have my own “thing”. I really looked for what could define me. Naturally, I decided to talk about the things I experienced personally and the way I lived it to give a genuine authenticity to my writing. I'm also a real perfectionist, if I have to make a new song 200 times to end up with the emotion I want to convey, I do it without hesitation. You know, I think a sentence can be said in a thousand ways,  and until I figure out how I want to say it, I keep working and working.

Are there sometimes things you keep in mind and think "I have to talk about this", or do you write on instinct?

It really depends on everything: my mood, the albums I listen to, etc. I write all my ideas down on my notes, and sometimes I read them and think, “I don’t even know why I wrote this”, and then I come back on it a week later and say, “Wow, that’s a banger!”. What helps me to start writing lyrics is the idea I want to pass on or a theme I want to address. But I know that I often write about love and the different angles that this theme can take because it's something that inspires me a lot.

Moreover, the sound ‘Dansé’ has a powerful message because you talk about a breakup. Isn’t it hard for you to be so open in that way? 

When I have to talk about such an introspective theme, it's always more complicated. Sometimes, I want to write a song, but I don’t know how to do it or how to express myself well on a subject that affects me. 

The making of the video 'Ça Me Gêne'  is really great; it looks like a collection of archival videos that represent the story you tell in this song. Are you also involved in the audio-visual production of your videos?

Yeah, I totally got involved in that piece. I had already worked with Louis Azaud - the director - and felt this alchemy between our two universes. And for this clip, I knew that it was he who could best stage the idea I had in mind, and I wasn't mistaken. In the future, I also want to get involved this way. 

Are there career models that inspire you? 

In truth, there are artists I don’t necessarily listen to, but I find them genuinely inspiring in interviews. Some have an incredible background, and it may be weird to tell you that, but sometimes I’m more passionate about their journey than their music. For example, with Fianso, we really feel that he worked hard to get there, and he's happy to be here now. He’s someone I like because he’s telling the truth in saying “Damn it, I’ve worked so hard to get there”, and it’s that sincerity that touches me.

And there are features you would like to do with artists you enjoy? 

The process of going to someone and saying, “I like what you do, can we do something?” is something that bothers me a little. I prefer to have a nice, human encounter that leads to a collaboration rather than looking for collaborations. For example, with Youssoupha, there was a real human connection during our meeting, which encouraged us to work together on certain projects. He’s someone I get along with really well, and I’m glad I can have the human side go with the musical side.

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