1995 (band)
| Company type | Collective |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | France |
| Products | Hip hop music |
1995 is a French rap collective that originated in 2008 in the southern part of Paris, initially known under the name P.O.S. In 2010, they adopted the name "1995," a nod to what is widely regarded as a pivotal year for French rap. The ensemble consists of six members: five MCs and one producer, all hailing from the 14th and 15th districts of Paris. Their musical approach embodies the energetic and optimistic spirit characteristic of 1990s French hip-hop.
The pronunciation of their name varies, including forms like "Mille neuf cent quatre vingt quinze" or "un, neuf, neuf, cinq" (). Although record labels showed interest, the group chose to remain autonomous by releasing music through their own imprint, "Undoubleneufcinq."
Members
The lineup comprises:<ref name="Fluctuat">
- Alpha Wann – also known as Phaal or Philly Phaal
- Areno Jaz – also called Jupiter Jaz or Darryl Zeuja
- Fonky Flav' – alternatively Fonk'
- Nekfeu – also referred to as Nek le Fennek or Nekflamme
- Sneazzy West – aka Sneaz' or Sneazzy
- DJ Lo' – known as Lo' or Hologramme Lo'
Among them, five perform as rappers while Lo' handles production and DJ duties. Alpha Wann and Areno Jaz established the group initially, later incorporating Nekfeu and Sneazzy—who shared an educational background with Alpha Wann. Fonky Flav' joined after connecting via Myspace and took on the role of producer.
Career
Beginning with participation in rap contests and open mic sessions across Paris and neighboring areas, founders Alpha Wann and Areno Jaz expanded P.O.S (standing for Porteur Officiel de Sac-à-dos / Petite Organisation Scred) into a broader collective paying homage to 1990s rap culture.
Their track "Dans ta réssoi" rapidly garnered over five million views on YouTube, followed by another popular release, "Hi Haters." The group became frequent competitors in rap battles such as the prominent Rap Contenders series.
In June 2011, they released their debut EP, La Source, featuring eight self-produced songs. It peaked at number 23 on the SNEP official French charts and reached seventh place in digital downloads during its opening week. Their presence on social media grew significantly, with their Facebook page attracting 130,000 followers and their YouTube channel accumulating 12 million views.
Individual members also developed solo endeavors, including Nekfeu and Alpha Wann’s En Sous Marin EP, Sneazzy’s online EP, and Areno Jaz’s mini-album Alias Darryl Zeuja.
In March 2012, their second EP titled La suite was launched through a collaboration between Universal Music Group and their own label. The band supported this release with an extensive tour and appearances at various festivals.
Their first studio album, Paris Sud Minute, was released in early 2013. It earned them the "Best Urban Music Album" accolade at that year's Victoires de la musique awards.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Record Label | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Belgium (Wallonia) |
Switzerland | ||||
| 2013 | Paris Sud Minute | 4 | 21 | 32 | Undoubleneufcinq / Polydor | |
EPs
| Year | Release | Chart Position | Record Label | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR | ||||
| 2011 | La Source (EP) | 23 | Undoubleneufcinq | |
| 2012 | La Suite (EP) | 8 | Undoubleneufcinq / Polydor |
Singles
| Year | Track | Chart Ranking | Certification | From Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR | ||||
| 2012 | "La Suite" | 42 | La Suite | |
| 2012 | "Réel" | 63 | Paris Sud Minute |
Individual members' solo works
(refer to the discographies of Alpha Wann, Lomepal, Nekfeu including S-Crew, and Sneazzy for comprehensive details)
- 2009: Lowfficieux (Produced by Hologram Lo', featuring rappers including 1995)
- 2010: Même Signature (Nekfeu collaborating with S-Crew)
- 2011: 5 Majeur (Nekfeu alongside 5 Majeur)
- 2011: #Nothing (Sneazzy)
- 2011: En sous-marin (Alpha Wann & Nekfeu)
- 2012: Êtes vous prêts? (Sneazzy)
- 2012: Alias Darryl Zeuja (Areno Jaz)
- 2012: Métamorphose (Nekfeu with S-Crew)
- 2013: Seine Zoo (Nekfeu and S-Crew)
- 2014: Alph Lauren (Alpha Wann)
- 2014: Jeunes entrepreneurs (Nekfeu, Alpha Wann, Fonky Flav' featuring L'Entourage)
- 2015: Super (Sneazzy West)
- 2015: Feu (Nekfeu)
- 2016: Alph Lauren II (Alpha Wann & Hologram Lo')
- 2016: Destin Liés (Nekfeu together with S-Crew)
- 2016: Dieu Benisse Supersound (Sneazzy)
- 2016: Cyborg (Nekfeu)
- 2017-2018: Sneazzy's ongoing series Dieu Benisse Supersound II & III
- 2018: Alph Lauren III and UMLA (Alpha Wann)
- 2019: Les Étoiles vagabondes (Nekfeu)
- 2020: Releases include Sneazzy's Nouvo Mode, Darryl Zeuja's Chilladelphia, and Alpha Wann's Don Dada Mixtape Vol 1
Tracks and Video Clips
- 2011 : "Flava In Ya Ear" (director: Le Garage)
- 2011 : "La Source" (director: Le Garage)
- 2011 : "La Flemme" (director: Le Garage)
- 2012 : "The Motto Remix" (director: Le Garage)
- 2012 : "La Suite" (directed by Le Garage / Syrine Boulanouar)
- 2012 : "Renégats" (directed by Le Garage / Syrine Boulanouar & Rodolphe Lauga)
- 2012 : "Bienvenüe" (director: Kourtrajmé)
- 2012 : "Flingue Dessus" (directed by Le Garage / Syrine Boulanouar)
- 2012 : "Freestyle PSM" (director: Le Garage)
- 2012 : "Réel" (directed by Le Garage / Syrine Boulanouar)
- 2012 : "Pétasse Blanche" (directed by Le Garage / Syrine Boulanouar)
- 2012 : "Bla Bla Bla" (director: Nicolas Davenel)
- Nekfeu
- 2014 : "Time B.O.M.B" - Nekfeu (directors: GVRCH and Clifto Cream)
- 2014 : "Egérie" (director: Dawid Krepski)