We'll join the story of La Cliqua when the Paris record shop 'The Lab' that was run by Brian (now the band's manager and founder of Arsenal Records) and one of La Cliqua's members closed down.


They launched 'Arsenal Records' and produced their own 12", 'Freaky Flow'/'Les Jaloux', making 1000 copies (of which I am the proud owner of one!).



After featuring with one of the best tracks on the album of music inspired by the film La Haine, they released a mini-album, 'Concu pour Durer'. This album is wicked! All the rappers (and there are 5 of them - Daddy Lord C, Rocca, Doc Od Noc & Egosyst) get a work out, with one of the standout tracks for me being 'Comme une Sarbacane' featuring Rocca.





The re-release of Daddy Lord C's 'Freaky Flow' with a smooth remix came soon after. Don't know how it sold, but by now the name 'La Cliqua' on a record was enough to sell it, so it probably went by the bucket load!







Then came a compilation of artists from their label, 'Arsenal Records', called 'Le Vrai Hip Hop'. True hip-hop is what it is ... a slamming piece of vinyl, with tracks from La Cliqua, solo members of the group, Petits Boss and others,



plus,



on the latest re-issue, a collaboration between Shyheim and Petit Boss on a track called 'Worldwide'. It's a wicked slab of vinyl. A must, in fact.




This is the last release I'll look at - the first solo album from a member of La Cliqua. My only disappointment with it is that it's a single vinyl even though it's 60 minutes long. Other than that, it couldn't be better. Superb.


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