Orelsan

Orelsan, the French hardcore rapper born Aurélien Cotentin on August 1, 1982, in Caen, France, released his debut full-length album Perdu d'Avance in 2009. The hit project ignited widespread debate, leading many critics to compare him directly to Eminem. As a youth he favored rock before turning toward rap with advancing age. He first appeared on record in the mid-2000s through underground singles circulated online, prominently on YouTube and Dailymotion, including “Ramen” in 2006 and “Saint-Valentin” in 2007.

Working with the French rap label 7th Magnitude, he entered the commercial market in October 2008 with the single “Changement,” the opening track from Perdu d'Avance. The album reached the Top 20 on the French albums chart and produced further singles such as “No Life,” “Différent,” and “Soirée Ratée.” Skread supplied the bulk of the production, yielding a French rap album that diverged sharply from convention. Unlike the majority of French rappers, who typically share immigrant backgrounds, emerge from suburban high-rise ghettos, and address social injustice, Orelsan is a white middle-class artist from the far northern province of Lower Normandy who chronicles the tedium of rural surroundings. These contrasts prompted comparisons not only to Eminem but also to Mike Skinner, the British rapper known as the Streets.

After Perdu d'Avance appeared, politicians from both the right and left publicly denounced the violence and misogyny in his lyrics, singling out “Sale Pute” (“Dirty Slut”). Though the track never appeared on the album and predated it, the resulting furor generated extensive coverage, especially after French cultural minister Christine Albanel attempted to have the song removed from YouTube, casting Orelsan in the role of an outlaw hero. His 2011 album Le Chant Des Sirènes contained far less contentious material, with many songs exploring the artist’s rise to fame.