We went to the Underground Store, a record store located in Villefranche-sur-Saône, to meet rapper Kohndo, former member of the legendary group La Cliqua, on the occasion of the release of his new album. “Higher than the Eiffel Tower”a dedicated opus “to migrations, to exiles”.
At a time when France is rediscovering its hip-hop heritage with series such as the World of Tomorrow devoted to the NTM group or the return to the stage of the Sector Ä, we wanted to highlight Kohndo and through him, the legendary group La Cliqua which he formed with Egosyst, Doc Odnok, Raphaël, Daddy Lord C, Chemiste, Mush le Phonky Bwana, Lumumba, Jelahee and Rocca.
Of Beninese origin, Kohndo grew up in Bobigny in Seine-Saint-Denis where he discovered hip-hop thanks to the eponymous show from Sydney broadcast on TF1, like many other French people of his generation.
In 1987, Kohndo moved to the city of Pont de Sèvre in Boulogne-Billancourt, where he befriended Zoxea of the Sages poetes de la rue, his 4th floor neighbor “, he confided to us. Zoxea introduced him to his cousin Egosyst with whom Kondho founded the group Coup d’Etat Phonique with rapper Raphaël and producer Lumumba. In 1993, he met rapper Daddy Lord C who was a former member of the Black Dragons, a gang founded in the 80s who went hunting for far-right groups.
In 1994, La Cliqua was formed on the occasion of the release of Daddy Lord C’s maxi, Freaky Flow/The Jealous on the independent label Arsenal records.
In 1995, La Cliqua was released Built to last his first album which will remain etched in the history of French hip-hop, but the collective will end up splitting up in 1997. Its members have released solo albums which have had mixed fortunes. We can still quote Rocca’s album Between two worlds released in 1997.
For his part, Kohndo has made several featurings, in particular on The end of the world with Strasbourg from NAP and Awakening with Koma6. It is also found on the soundtrack of the film Zonzon by Laurent Bouhnik released in 1998, as well as on the albums Rap In City (Paris – New York – Marseilles)” and Nubian Spirit with Egosyst and Bazooka. In 1999, Kohndo released a mini-album titled Prelude to the Odyssey. He then released two more EPs, Jungle Boogie in 2000 and I hear the sirens in 2001, which will be grouped together in 2004 in a single album: Blind test. In 2003, he signed with Ascetic Music and released their first album Everything is written, with more jazzy sounds. In 2006 Kohndo released his second solo album Two Feet on the Ground / Stick to Groundfeaturing American artists Slum Village and Dwele.
In 2008, La Cliqua reformed on the occasion of the festival L’Original created by JM, the founder of the fanzine Version 6.9.
While his last album dated from 2016, Kohndo worked for three years on “Higher than the Eiffel Tower”his latest album dedicated “to migrations, to exiles”.
“I have been working with unaccompanied minors, with families in an irregular situation, asylum seekers for 5 years. I worked with the Cada de Chelles, the aid center for asylum seekers, with the Catholic relief, the Red Cross currently “he explained to us.
According to him, “Talking about things is putting your skills at the service of others, that’s better, but everyone does it at their own level”. “I use what I master, art, video to do workshops for awakening, meeting, speaking out. »
For Kohndo, “it is really up to all of us to make an effort of humanism and humanity”. “There have been 10 million deaths in the Congo over the last ten years… There are people dying every day in the Mediterranean. We have to remember that we are all connected by heart, by blood, by spirit. »
Speaking of ties, at the Underground Store, Kohndo was accompanied by his friend Gassam, a rapper from Lyon whose portrait we have already drawn up, whom he met on the occasion of the release of Let’s say noa compilation released in 1998 featuring Faf la Rage, Monsieur R, Diam’s, Ménage à Trois and even Assassin.
Nick, the founder ofUndergound Records also told us about his store which he opened in 2005 and which is open to “all styles of music” in its reserve which has DJ Shadow cellar areas.