Fabulous Trobadors
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Fabulous Trobadors are a band from Toulouse, France, founded in 1987. They have developed their own distinctive style based on Occitan folk music and the rhythms of North East Brazil.
Claude Sicre writes the lyrics and raps, while Ange B (real name Jean-Marc Enjalbert) raps and acts as a human beatbox, producing a wide range of sounds (beats, scratches, trumpet, guitar etc) solely with his mouth.
Some of the lyrics of their songs are written in Occitan. They are noted for their political engagement (denouncing many politicians by name), and particularly for their humour, wordplay, and constant puns. A major feature of their concerts is improvisation in the form of joutes verbales, verbal duels between the two rappers with each trying to outdo the other. These duels de tchaches are based on the "tençon" of Occitan troubadours. The auditorium also forms part of the show, with numerous folk dances taking place.
The Fabulous Trobadors engage in their songs with the defence of cultural (notably Occitan) identity, decentralisation, and the fight against economic neoliberalism. Together with other artists they have promoted the idea of the Ligne Imaginot, an imaginary boundary protecting Occitan culture.
[edit] Discography
- Èra pas de faire (1992)
- Ma Ville est le plus beau park (1995)
- On the Linha Imaginòt (1998)
- Duels de tchatche et autres trucs du folklore toulousain (2003)
