Respectez-nous as We Feminize the Rapped Rhyme
moved to Essone in the Paris suburbs when she was very young . She came of age up in the disadvantaged “ banlieues ” ( urban – suburbs ) at the same time when French rap started to explode in popularity in the early 1990s . When she was an adolescent , Diam ’ s started writing and performing and she was quickly noticed by small record labels . Similar to other artists who came before her , Diam ’ s would also be first gain acclaim after she was featured in tracks or albums released by male rappers ( in her case by Les Neg Marrons and Black Mozart ). After a few solo releases that were mildly received by the public in terms of their very modest sales and airplay , Diam ’ s finally evolved from the rap underground in 2003 with her own album entitled “ Brut de femme ,” (“ Crude Woman ”). This particular release was autobiographical in nature and one that tackled many women ’ s issues head on , such as domestic violence , marital problems , and gender discrimination in employment , amongst others . Once the album hit the airwaves , “ Brut de femme ” became one of the top selling French hip-hop releases of all time , and its crossover appeal helped Diam ’ s win a “ Victoire ” award for “ Best Rap Album of 2004 ” ( a first by a female artist ). This sort of visibility and commercial success enabled Diam ’ s to cement her status as a major player in the French hip-hop scene . 8 However , despite her preliminary success , even greater things lied ahead for her . For example , it was her next album , entitled “ Dans ma bulle ” (“ In my Bubble ”) that would set a new standard , not only for female artists , but for French hip-hop in general . The subject matter of this new release did not shy away from discussing contentious matters as they affect women and others from ethnocultural communities . The thematic matter of her newest songs addressed , discussed , and deconstructed divisive topics such as racism and sexism in France . Diam ’ s was fully cognizant of her growing popularity and she used this public platform as a lectern in which to educate the entire
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