''Z.E.R.O'' is a street CD and

mixtape In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists mo ...

by the rapper

Kaaris Armand Okou Gnakouri, known by his stage name Kaaris (, ; stylized as KΛΛRIS), is a French rapper, actor and record producer. Early life Kaaris was raised in Sevran in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, northeast of Paris. Career Kaaris started ...

. Released in May 2012 and produced by Therapy 2093, eighteen months before ''

Or Noir ''Or Noir'' (; "Black Gold") is a series of albums by Kaaris with three albums issued to date: the original ''Or Noir'' (2013), ''Or Noir Part II'' (2014) and ''Or Noir Part 3'' (2019). ''Or Noir'' ''Or Noir'' is a 2013 album release by French ra ...

'', it is a project that already features many elements characteristic of Kaaris's later music. The work holds significant influence in Francophone rap, standing as a frontrunner in the arrival of the

trap music Trap music, also known simply as trap, is a subgenre of hip-hop music which originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from t ...

genre in France.

Analysis

Musical impact

The work, which marks Kaaris's first attempt to delve into trap music, innovates in many aspects. The production by Therapy 2093 is particularly noted for its

avant-gardism In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable t ...

. The album is very raw and designed to shock; for example, Kaaris declares: "Hurry up and suck me, my tip is dried out". Yet, he also references

Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...

and displays a calmer

lyricism Lyricism is a term used to describe a piece of art considered to have deep emotions. Its origin is found in the word ''lyric'', derived via Latin ' from the Greek ('), the adjectival form of ''lyre''. It is often employed to relate to the capab ...

, as in "Africa is a billion Jesuses on crosses". The track ''Lourd Lourd'' is said to have "one of the most spectacular intros ever seen in a

French rap French hip hop or French rap (, ), is the hip hop music style developed in French-speaking countries. France is the second largest hip-hop market in the world after the United States. History Beginning of French hip hop: the 70s and 80s By 198 ...

song, embodying the two facets of Kaaris's writing: on one side, very brutal punchlines; on the other, more sophisticated and reflective lyrics".

Legacy

With this release, Kaaris is said to have been democratized within the Francophone rap scene for the first time. In 2018, ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...

'' described it as an "essential prequel" to ''

''. The album is also referred to as a "monument" of Francophone rap by ''

Mouv' ''Mouv '' () (formerly ''Le Mouv'') is a French youth-oriented radio station which began broadcasting on 17 June 1997. As part of Radio France, it is a public radio station. The station primarily plays youth-oriented music, centered on urban mu ...

''.

Track listing

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zero 2012 albums 2010s French-language albums Kaaris albums Albums produced by Therapy 2093