Everything about Loco Locass totally explained
Loco Locass are an
hip hop group from Quebec formed in 1995. The group often defends the role of the French language in Canada, and champions
Quebec sovereignty.
The group were formed as an "experimental rap" group by Biz and Batlam under the name 'Koubraüss'. The group would then change their name from 'Koubraüss' to 'Les Locos Loquaces'. In 1999 the band would change their name again, first to 'Locos Locass' and then to 'Loco Locass', also adding new band member Chafiik.
Loco Locass' lyrics often deal with the role of the French language, and Quebec's role in Canada. Songs such as "
ROC Rap" and "Résistance" highlight the band's political leanings, and their strong advocation for Quebec to secede from Canada.
Politics
The group made the headlines in
2004 with their hit single
Libérez-nous des libéraux (Liberate us from the Liberals), a song denouncing what they held to be the views of the
Jean Charest and
Paul Martin governments, and featuring vocals from Quebec comic group
Les Zapartistes. The song took subtler shots along the way at
Bernard Landry for what they viewed as an unwillingness to tackle controversial issues on his part; it was re-released on the 2005 album
Amour oral in a longer, extended version.
Student Funding
In the winter of
2005, Loco Locass supported the political arm of the Quebec student movement during a major
student strike, protesting against the Quebec Liberal government of the day's conversion of $103m in bursary funding to loans. Critics, however, charged that the group's song
Casse du 24 supported what they felt to be police repression of students.
Sovereignty
Particularly given the importance of the "national question" in Quebec culture and politics, it's unsurprising that Loco Locass's self-image as a vehicle for promoting the sovereigntist option has played into existing social divisions. These divisions have played out on several occasions:
St-Jean Concert: on
June 24,
2005, the group took part in a show marking the government-designated
Quebec National Holiday organised by
Les Cowboys Fringants at Montreal's
Parc Jean-Drapeau. The ten-hour politicized show's $40 entry fee was controversial, as was its sponsorship by Coca-Cola and Gillette, companies some left-wing nationalists identified as "Anglo-Saxon imperialists", leading to charges that the show constituted elitist competition with a long-established event at
Parc Maisonneuve.
Federal Funding: Loco Locass are not among the sovereigntist artists whose political stance leads them to boycott federal funding programmes. In particular, some of their recordings have received federal recording industry subsidies. Federalists have charged that this poses an integrity problem, since they accept funding from the very level of government whose rejection they seek to promote. Federally-funded sovereigntist groups respond that as taxpayers into the federal entity they've the right to benefit from its programmes and that, in the sovereign Quebec they promote, their tax dollars would be diverted to Quebec funding programmes which would similarly become available to them.
Federalists Leave Home: Biz was reported during the spring of 2006 as suggesting that those who don't support the sovereignty option should leave Quebec.
(External Link
) This position is unpopular among Quebecois who support continued affiliation with Canada. Some also accuse Biz's of taking part of the history of accusations of disloyalty by nationalists.
Unusual Events
Poids plume (Featherweight): After the group's first album birthed a first poetry collection,
Manifestif, Loco Locass released their second book,
Featherweight, bringing together the lyrics to their albums
Amour Oral and
In Vivo. The 128-page book was published in November 2005 (
Éditions Fides) and included photos by Marie-Lyne Baril and illustrations by Alain Reno.
Loco Locass symphonique: On
August 19,
2005, in
Rivière-du-Loup,
Quebec, Loco Locass played five of their songs accompanied by a young string orchestra of musicians aged 12 to 17, an initiative of
Camp Musical St-Alexandre director-conductor Mathieu Rivest. The five songs were
La censure pour l'échafaud,
La bataille des murailles,
L'empire du pire en pire,
Antiaméricanisme primaire and
Libérez-nous des libéraux, to which music by
Prokofiev,
Berlioz, and
Stravinsky was added. Partners included
Télé-Québec,
Vidéo- and
Audiogram, and a documentary was released in the winter of 2006.
Awards
Loco Locass have won awards from:
Discography
Manifestif (2000)
In Vivo (EP) (2003)
Amour Oral (2004)
Videos
Sheila Chu la (2002)
Groove Grave (2005)
Bonzaion (2005)
Spleen & Montreal (2006)
La bataille des murailles en symphonique (2006)
La censure pour l'échafaud (2006)
M'accrocher (2008)Further Information
Get more info on 'Loco Locass'.
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