9 minute read
KALASH // Interview
No need to introduce Kalash, this versatile artist with millions of streams and views, is known throughout the world and especially in the Caribbean and in France where his career is constantly evolving. Here for A Rap & A Cup Of Tea, the man also known as "Mwaka Boss" talks about his career, his new album Tombolo and his affiliation with Damso.
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With this magnificent album rich in meaning and significance, Kalash once again defies the rules with a versatile musical project. From Shatta Dancehall, to Rap and Urban, the Martinique-born artist shows us once again the depth of his talents.
Cool, honest and sincere, Kalash talks in detail about his musical inspirations and what makes him swing. No doubt, the artist who knows how to make the whole world dance never stops reinventing himself, and especially reinventing French Rap
Your new album Tombolo is truly full of all music genres. It is in fact more Dancehall than the previous one. Were you looking to go back to your first love with this type of music?
It's true that I had already released some singles, but in a big album, well elaborated, I wanted to highlight this kind of music. I love Dancehall, Shatta, Reggae, West Indian trap... The purpose was to put in a real big project what influences me the most.
The song "Laptop" featuring Maureen is a typical Shatta track. Was it because you wanted to make your audience in France discover sounds they don't know?
Yes, I wanted to. Mainly because I know that this style has a real potential in France and in Europe. And now, I feel that Shatta is slowly making its way in France, so I'm happy to bring forward both this style of music and the artists who make it live. And I really think that this style of music will continue.
By the way, your featuring with Fanny J, the crowd was expecting Zouk and that's not what happened to our greatest surprise. Maybe you wanted to take the fans by surprise?
Well, I actually wrote the song, and a few weeks later I thought of asking Fanny for a feat, as I had already met her in Guyana. But straight away, if I had wanted to make a sound with Fanny, I wouldn't have gone for Zouk Love. That's what fans were expecting, I wanted to surprise, to make a change. And even for her, I wanted her to enjoy it and to try something different than usual.
Can you tell me about your affiliaton with Damso?
Basically with Damso, we had recorded a song together and the next day I asked him to come back to the studio and that's when I made him listen to a solo song called "I Love You". And from there, he wanted me to play it a few times, and he started writing a verse. He really wanted to be part of the song, though it wasn't originally planned at all. So I rewrote my part so that he could sing on it. There are many things that are not planned but happen by instinct.
So was it obvious for you to make a new song with him?
If we weren't such good friends, I don't think I would have invited Damso back. We might have recorded a song like "Mwaka Moon" and that's it. Whereas now it makes total sense to send him a feat proposal when I'm working on an album. We have songs together that we haven't even played yet and we'll see if we can keep them or not. I like him, he's a really cool guy. Besides, he was in the middle of a break, he had not been back in a studio for a long time and he told me "Let's go and have a studio session" even though he wasn't supposed to.
So when creating a project, you don't establish barriers with a particular guideline in mind?
No, not at all. I actually prefer it when an artist tells me "Oh no, I don't see it that way anymore, I'd rather do this, etc". It shows that he also feels concerned by this song. I like it when we make a song that can fit in our two different universes, whether it's his album or mine. If we have a feat, it's not just to fulfill a "request for feats", it's also because I like the artist most importantly.
For you, is human connection the most important thing?
Oh yes, for sure. If I don't like what you're doing, the vibe you're giving off, I'll say no right away. There are a lot of big rappers, at least 10 in the "Top Rappers" to whom I said no for feat requests because I don't like their vibe or I don't see a reason to collaborate.
Can you tell me more about the meaning of Tombolo?
Tombolo is someone who talks about a rough time, a dark period, and how they were saved by someone or something. It refers to someone who saw something that others couldn't or wouldn't see. Somebody who paid attention, who actually observed what was going on in life. For example, you can say to yourself: "He's rich, he's got money, he's got fans" but in reality he's waiting to be saved.
Is there also a religious aspect, a bond with Sainte-Marie de Martinique?
Indeed, it is related to the Tombolo of Sainte-Marie. Tombolo is also a sandy path that appears only 4 months, at least here in Martinique, and in April, it disappears. It is the symbolism of something that appears and then disappears abruptly. It defines me well I guess. Once it's done, it's done. And then there is also this mistic aspect, the religious side of Sainte-Marie, which is a very strong religious and spiritual environment and that I have always seen as such.
Was it important for you to bring out this part of you that is religious?
To be honest, it was natural, and it was mostly the right time. When life throws you curveballs, when you grow up, etc., you start moving towards wisdom, towards the spiritual aspect of life. Some people get closer to nature, to their family... You're not 23 anymore and you're not that little idiot anymore. (laughs) So you start to think about more serious things, less ephemeral. I used to think of buying a luxury car, a Rolex... But now it's not something I look forward to anymore.
As a matter of fact, "Masterclass" is one of the strongest tracks of the album, you address the criticisms you received, you talk about religion, politics etc... I had the impression that you were setting the record straight...
Yes, every sentence is there to address a point, and at the same time, I show that if I want to, I can rap like other rappers do, but these rappers can never do what I do. It's like when Italians say "Va'fanciullo". (laughs) Whether it's the singing parts, the vocals, the stage performance, all that... All the stuff that I see, that I do and that a lot of artists that I went to see on stage can't do. It's not mean, but they just can't match it. It's a good way to acknowledge your skills and be proud of them.
What's the most significant song in your eyes on this album?
Tombolo without hesitation. Because you can identify, God, a man or woman who saved you. You can identify the savior that you picked, or whom you are related to. And that's also why I named the album that way. It's the last track I recorded for the album, and when we recorded it we said "That's it, we have the name for the album ". That's how it came about. I also think it defines my music, bridging an island to a continent, several lands inhabited by human beings.
Do you find that your audience in the mainland is different from the one in the Caribbean?
Yes, for sure there's an audience that's less interested in songs like "Everybody Falla" with Bounty Killer. But I think that songs like "My Life" or "Tombolo" tackling more serious matters, more sad, etc. will touch people in the same way because it's a more universal message.
Has it always been a strength to come from Martinique or do you find it harder to assert yourself in Metropolitan France?
It's always harder to impress in France when you come from the islands. Normally, after a song like "Mwaka Moon" you should already have your name engraved in the French Rap scene, whereas I feel like I always have to do it again, to show that I exist. For example, people say "Kalash is back in 2022" when I released a song 6 months ago... People think I was gone when I never left. Maybe because my songs are less featured in the media, because they're not understood...
You said you had the feeling of having several careers in one, having made your breakthrough in the West Indies long before making it in France. Can you tell me more about that?
I probably had at least 5 careers! I started with a sound system career, then freestyling in the street, a new career with my first hit that was played at parties, then the hit "Mama" that introduced me to young people and parents... Then, there was another milestone with songs like "Rouge Et Bleu" in feat with Booba... So each time it's like I was a new artist for people, each time I started from scratch, even in interviews I used to get asked "Hello, what's your name?" Things have changed now. (laughs)
