By the time Jul's 25th album, Extraterrestre, arrived in 2022, the bestselling artist in French-rap history was eager to hit some new milestones. He'd released at least two LPs per year since his debut nearly a decade prior, earning multiple Platinum and Diamond sales along the way. He'd also masterminded the ambitious compilations 13 Organisé and Le classico organisé, the latter of which convened 157 French MCs for a titanic, three-disc flex of homegrown talent. His previous release was the blockbuster Indépendance, which aimed beyond Jul's devout francophone fanbase with polyglot features from Spanish superstar Morad and a voracious sonic palette stacked with house, kuduro and R&B. But while Extraterrestre was unmistakably conceived as the victory lap for a rap icon with the world at his feet, the proud son of Marseille transformed this particular album cycle into an exuberant celebration of his hometown. Extraterrestre was released the day before Jul took the stage at Marseille's famed Vélodrome Stadium, accompanied by music videos for each of the album's 21 tracks, which were shot throughout the rustic coastal city. On “Ça tourne dans ma tête”, Jul muses about success over a pounding dance beat and delicate harp strings, reflecting defiantly that it's going to take more than money for him to leave home behind. Later, on “Comme au bon vieux temps”, he looks back on his long, illustrious career noting the ebb and flow of social media and a flailing music industry while he remains—unyielding. On “1 fois mais pas 2”, he salutes the friends and allies who've been by his side from the beginning, inviting frequent collaborators and fellow hometown heroes Houari and Moubarak to jump on the track. The celebration unfolds over thumping reggaetón, continuing Jul's flirtations with Caribbean riddims last heard on Indépendance and injecting the hater-decimating cut “J'ai tout su” with sumptuous dancehall. After the massive album release concert, Jul released a special Vélodrome edition complete with three new tracks, including “Frozen”, “Pas de panique” and “La Dragon”—the cherry on top of an already staggering love letter to his loyal fans.