Stupeflip

MCM.NET VERSION :

The crew (C.R.O.U.) formed in 1972. they are composed of three members, Flip, considered the soul of the group, Pohip and King-ju who writes and produces, the trio delivers a music as lunatic as himself, which ranges from hip-hop to punk. According to their own words, they came "to terrorize the world and establish a new era, the era of Stup". For long remaining in the shadows, they are discovered at the "Transmusicales de Rennes" with one of their flagship title "Je fume pu d'shit". Their eponymous first single lands in record stores in April 2002. The album is released the following year. Stup Religion, the second opus of the Parisian outfit, lands in store in June 2005, one year and a half after the previous record's release. This second version gets a good reception from the public: it ranks 42nd on the charts within a week of its release.

-source: http://www.mcm.net/musique/ficheartiste/7598 (in French)

WIKIPEDIA VERSION:

Stupeflip is a French group between punk, rap and variety composed of King Ju (Julien Bartholomew), Hip Pop, Cadillac and MC Salò.

In 2000, a strange name -Stupeflip was going around in Paris on a peculiar mixtape. On the 6th of November 2001, they go in the studio to transform the mixtape into a promotional Single that will already contain the essence of the group. This first cd notably includes the overt "Stupeflip", and "comme les zot" [like the ozers]; seven titles in all, where King Ju pens texts and music with the participation of Cadillac.

The funny and effective title "Je fume pu d'shit" [I don't smoke hash no mo'] starts to air on Parisian radios. Eventually they sign on Vorston Limanteli, an independent label bought some months later by BMG and, at the end of 2002, they release their first album: -Stupeflip.

The album, very much like the first EP, contains an unclassifiable sound: a mixture of angry guitar riffs akin to Bérurier noir (Stupeflip also emulates their masks), samples of Hip Hop, Californian punk, pop jingles (inspired by French 80's pop), and strange noises (Stupeflip was often compared to The Residents, an ambient experimental band).

Through their songs, they present the mythical history of the C.R.O.U., a mysterious organization founded in 1972, consisting of 3 members, here to "terrorize the population and thereby create a new era", "the era of Stup". Stupeflip is only the tip of the iceberg of the C.R.O.U. (-"an 'outgrowth' of the C.R.O.U.").

The lyrics, finished, between fierce assonances and provocative slogans ("we say that kneading is shaping, I say that breaking is destroying") are sometimes rapped, often bawled, sometimes sung. There are two titles with the atypical Mangu, rapper of Dominican origin.

Stupeflip holes its atypical place in a nice-ish French scene, and creates a lot of noise, fuelled by self-parody and nonsense, in major media promotions (MCM, Oui FM, Thierry Ardisson). The band chain-plays chaotic concerts during which they used to insult the public ("for cause of softness", said King Ju). A buzz starts in the media, whom otherwise used to relegate their music in the background. Some question the integrity of the band and decreed a "trick from the record company"

In 2005, they released Stup Religion, repeating the formula of the first album by extending their winning universe as much as consistency: furious scratches, traumatized children, tasteless humor, schizophrenic flow, punk riffs, syrupy & cynical pop and absurd lyrics. The LP will go quite unnoticed in both the general public and the specialised circles all of which thanks to a shy promotion from their label (some fans of the first album were not even aware of the 2nd album's existence). Follows a series of fantastic concerts throughout France, where the universe created on the LPs was transposed on stage with lighting, costumes and quite impressive ghostly moods, revolving around the theme of "the religion of Stup".

In 2006, despite the LP making it to 42nd in the charts within a week of its release, BMG decided to break the contract following the relatively weak sales of Stup Religion. Follow a lengthy trial from Stupeflip for non-compliance of contract, eventually won by the record company (which led to the withdrawal of albums still in stores' shelves and their return to King Ju). Meanwhile, King Ju associated with Simone elle est bonne [Simone she is fit], hyped muse from MySpace, to create the duo Simone and Pop Hip, a musical electro-punk crossover.

In 2007, an association emerged with fashion stylist/creator Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for the Gallierock exhibition, King Ju creating the whole sound and musical look as well as the main musical theme.

Beyond all these collaborations purely innocuous (with Sono Loco and Lofofora -King Ju also made the artwork of "mémoires de singes"-), Stupeflip remains silent for 3 years.

In 2008, new songs appear on the Internet. An EP (Psycho Girl) is distributed, which suggests the return of Stupeflip on the scene's forefront.

As far beyond the concept, Stupeflip builds, with their shifted sound, some genuine songs, sinister and sincere, cynical and nostalgic.

Discography

2002: Stupeflip (Single)

1. Stupeflip
2. Comme Les Zot' (CROU version)
3. Stupeflip (Prayer version)


2003: Stupeflip

1. Le crou ne mourra jamais
2. Stupeflip
3. Présentation du crou
4. Je fume pu d'shit
5. J'refume du shit
6. Explication n°1
7. L'épouvantable épouvantail
8. Naissance de la région sud
9. Les monstres
10. Crou nostalgie
11. Avertissement
12. Carry on
13. Comme les zot
14. Média terror
15. LECROU
16. Création de la deuxième ère du stup
17. A bas la hiérarchie
18. La bavure de pop hip
19. The Cadillac théory
20. Passe mon truc
21. Stupeflip (home made version)
22. Annexion de la région sud


2005: Stup Religion

1. Intro
2. Krou kontre attakk
3. La religion du stup
4. Les clés du mystère au chocolat
5. Mon style en crrr
6. Le miracle
7. Stup danse
8. Une bonne correction
9. Les cages en métal
10. 35 animaux morts
11. Pop hip's revenge
12. Région nord
13. L'enfant fou
14. Stup monastère
15. Salo therapy
16. Ce que tu dois savoir
17. Le cartable
18. Argent
19. Une victoire bien méritée
20. West region's inquisitors

2006: Ghost Track

1. Aqui Per Fau Dau Brutz
2. Le Fléau


2008: Psycho girl (Single)

?

-Source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupeflip (in French)

Translation and edition: Babs (translation achieved with the help of google translate)