My World

Jul
My World

In a short two years, French rapper Jul became a hitmaking hip-hop powerhouse. His 2013 debut single, “Sors le cross volé,” was a slice of boastful hooligan rap that went instantly viral, while the following year, he dropped the jagged, nostalgic LP Lacrizeomic, stacked with boom-bap beats and harpsichord samples that harkened to Y2K-era classics from Eminem and TLC. But it was My World that cemented the Marseille native into francophone rap ubiquity, embracing four-on-the-floor beats that propelled him into throbbing discotheques. Channeling the combo of hard raps and EDM beats that anointed Akon and Pitbull as dance-floor staples—an avenue paved by French club music icon David Guetta—Jul expanded his musical palette with colorful bursts of Afrobeat and reggaetón. “Mamasita” nods directly to Jul's newfound Latin influences, spitting cockily over a driving dembow riddim. Meanwhile, the seductive “Ghost Rider” takes its cue from American R&B and North African beatmakers, making for a sultry, bass-heavy earworm. Jul is also credited for mainstreaming a French rap style that leaned more assuredly into singing, also heavily incorporating Auto-Tune, notably on the giant hooks for hits “En Y” and “Lova.” His musical voraciousness shines on the trap inflection of “Dan l'appart” and the Middle Eastern instrumentation of “Dans la légende,” which nods lovingly to his Algerian ancestry. My World was a sort of emancipation for Jul, who previously cultivated his rising star alongside the label Liga One Industry. He parted ways with the company following a dispute over unpaid royalties and merch sales, starting his imprint D'or et de platine and taking the reins of his music and brand henceforth. The gamble paid off and the album received a Platinum certification three weeks after release, eventually reaching diamond status. Jul has since become one of the bestselling French artists of all time, influencing a new generation of ambitious talent and remaking the hip-hop world in his image.

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