Turn on and listen to any top 40 station in the US and perhaps even internationally and you will hear the syrup sweetness of auto-tuned vocals. The main offender of this trend would have to be T-Pain but even Lil’ Wayne and Kanye have joined in on the trend. They aren’t the only ones either, now the French have gone and upstaged the US rap/top 40 superstars. Which you could debate started the trend with Daft Punk. However, as much as France has influenced current sounds in electro and dance music, the US rap culture has influenced France.

Enter, Charly Greane, a 22 year old from Bordeaux who has just made his mark with “Première Classe (featuring Western Love)”.

The single has enjoyed many weeks in itunes (France) tops downloads and features everything that top 40 US rap/rb singles has – vocoder/auto-tune vocals rapping over gated trance style synth leads. However, the twist being Charly Greane is rapping in French and the song reaches a much higher tempo than any of the rap songs on the radio.

While Charly Greane has already been a name popping up here and there in the French rap scene and even has tracks with Institubes Bobmo, this single proves that he is an artist to keep tabs on. With his fashionable over sized t-shirts and high tops, his imagery fits right in with Santogold, M.I.A. The Cool Kids and even his country mate Yelle.

However, Charly Greane is more than just a streetwear advertisement. He’s a rapper who’s influences like Lil’ Wayne and Wiz Khalifa are worn on his sleeve but it’s all done in a way that unique.

A quick warning though, one listen can lead to many, many, many repeats and further an (un)healthy obsession with French rap, leading to the discovery of other artists like So Fresh Squad and the new Cuiziner mix tape. Even if you can’t understand a word of French, the music is a completely fresh and listenable take on the genre. Maybe, it’s that French touch?

Charly Greane - Première Classe feat. Western Love

Charly Greane - Passe la Heineken feat. Grodash

buy it here.