Blueprint for a breakthrough

>> After laying the foundations, les Architekts are set to blow by design

by SCOTT C

You know the name, and if you don't you soon will. Les Architekts are no strangers to the ins and outs of the Montreal French hip hop scene, having been involved in its inner workings for so long. Partners DJ Ray Ray and Stratege have done their part to build over the years, lending their individual productive talents to the likes of the Butta Babees, Sans Pression, OL1KU and Kashiem, to name a few, before finally arriving at their own crossroads. With the release of their first full-length, Le Plan, getting closer and closer every day, the two are preparing for an upcoming tour with France's La Garde and MC Cobna to set things off correctly.



Mirror: So where the hell have you guys been? Everybody knows who you are, and that you make good music, and that you've been making it for years. What took so long?

Stratege: First of all, both of us are beatmakers. Both me and Ray have been busy with other people's shit for a while. I just got fed up with it. When I got back from France last April, I said "Ray, this shit has to go on. It's an emergency!"

Ray: We weren't sure how to structure this whole thing. We didn't exactly know how we were going to come out. Were we gonna get signed, were we gonna license the shit or do it independently? But now it's about coming out like boom! The campaign to promote is here. We got the single and the video riding with the tour.

M: Has anybody expressed any interest in putting you guys out?

R: Yeah, some people have expressed interest, but there hasn't been anything that's interesting for us. We're doing everything ourselves at this point, 125 per cent just us and our friends from longtime and that's it, y'know.

M: You think French hip hop in Montreal has progressed at all in the last year or so?

R: I think it's at a good point right now, but it's getting corrupted by people who want to step in and pimp it and step out. People like Radisson want to work the shit for what it's worth, not thinking it's gonna last and move on. That stains the scene. The truth is you have to make it happen for yourself. I don't expect help from nobody.

M: I think this tour is gonna be good for you guys.

S: Yeah man! It's amazing how this has come together. A few phone calls and everybody was down to come on board. I want 3-million people to know the name of les Architekts when this is done, and I want them to know that we are here to stay.

With La Garde, MC Cobna, Sans Pression, Yvon Krevé, 01 Etranjj and X-Horde at Club Soda on Friday, March 16, 9pm, $25