IAM - Yasuke

Yasuke arrives in stores on November 8, 2019, marking the release of the ninth studio album by Marseille-based group IAM. This project, produced by Imhotep, Akhenaton, and Kheops (whose role is uncertain for all tracks), bears a name drawn from history: Yasuke, an African slave of the sixteenth century who became a samurai in Japan. The album continues the trajectory of the collective formed thirty years ago by tackling heavy themes such as history, migration, and reflection.

An acknowledged production architecture by Imhotep, Akhenaton, and Kheops

The hybrid vocal writing that characterizes this record rests on a studio architecture sculpted by Imhotep, Akhenaton, and Kheops. While Kheops' role remains uncertain for the entirety of the tracks, these three names define the main production of the project. The acknowledged Eastern sound emanating from this collaboration serves to dignify close out a specific period of the group, already strong with two albums in 2013.

Strategic encounters with Psy 4 de la Rime and Femi Kuti

International features play a central role in the fusion aesthetic of the album. On Self Made Men, it's Psy 4 from Rime who brings his documented presence to the track, adding a specific narrative dimension to this song. Further into the project, on Remember, Femi Kuti steps up for his part, contributing to the overall texture of the record with his distinctive vocal register. These collaborations allow them to enrich the group's current form, despite an occasionally uneven discography.

An uncompromising writing on urban realities: Eldorado and End of Illusions

The album also offers an uncompromising look at urban realities through songs like Eldorado and Fin des illusions. On Eldorado, Kalash is credited as present on the track, bringing his own touch to the song. Similarly, on Fin des illusions, the presence of Allen Akino, Faf Larage, R.E.D., Relo, and Veust is noted in the credits. These interventions testify to the group's good form from Marseille, even with an uneven discography.

An artistic review confirming the heritage of the Marseille group

Yasuke positions itself as a rich and powerful album, regarded by critics as testimony to the group's current form. More open than ever, this Marseille collective delivers an album with a powerful soul. Critical reception is mixed: while some media outlets praise the project's opening, others urge listeners to beware of the pitfalls of conscious rap.