I’m not fluent in French. After a week’s vacation in Montreal over a decade ago, the best I could do was a smattering of phrases like “s’il vous plaît” (if you please) and “merci” (thank you). That makes me a pretty typical “ugly American” who isn’t as fluent in other people’s languages as they are in English. Make any judgment about me or our educational system you’d like as a result. That doesn’t stop me from admiring and enjoying French rap acts like Ärsenik though.

There’s some interesting context to that fact. In high school I had a pen pal named Yves who I met through Usenet newsgroups. We lost touch as many people transitioned from alt.rap to rec.music.hip-hop but before I even started college I was trading tapes with him. He was my French hook up and I was his American one, making mixtapes and dubbing popular albums, eagerly anticipating each installment that would arrive in the mail. It’s hard to convey how exciting it was to a kid who grew up in rural Iowa to gain greater exposure to both a national AND international rap scene. It was thanks to Yves that I learned about artists like MC Solaar, IAM and Assassin and I loved every minute of it.

Ärsenik is another of those influential French rap acts. They rose to prominence after my tape trading era, but the boom bap sound of songs like “Affaires de famille” proves you don’t need full fluency in a language to enjoy the music. People who ARE fluent described their music as “voicing the disaffection of the French underclass,” which may be the most universally hip-hop sentiment possible. No matter what race, creed or ethnicity you are, we all understand poverty and disenfranchisement — unless you’re born with a silver spoon in your mouth I suppose. Rap has always existed to give voice to the voiceless and allow us to feel the common bond of the human condition.

Brothers Lino (Gaëlino M’Bani) and Calbo (Calboni M’Bani) experienced the same things as children of Congo immigrants in France as immigrants who speak English do here. The sad truth is racism will judge you by the color of your skin and the accent you have no matter “how well you speak.” That didn’t stop the two from achieving their musical dreams — if anything it had to have fueled their desire that much more. Not only did they represent for themselves and their heritage, Ärsenik went further through the Bisso Na Bisso collective, a crew whose name means “just between ourselves” in Lingala. They may have been French by birthright, but their roots ran proudly back to their homeland.

I’m sad to report that Calbo passed away on January 4th at only 52 years old. My condolences to his brother Lino and to his family, friends and fans. Though his voice may no longer be with us in the physical essence, the legacy he left behind through Ärsenik and as a soloist will carry it on for many generations to come. If like me you are not fluent in French, you may be surprised at just how much you enjoy their work, or if you’re a long time reader of this website you may not be the least bit shocked at how good their music is. Some things transcend cultural differences. RIP Calbo.