An underground French hip-hop crew comprising four rappers and two DJs, La Rumeur have been releasing independent, politically charged records since 1995. Their sound is influenced by old school hip-hop, built on downtempo breakbeats and crackly, vintage jazz samples. Building tracks around a piano loop or a surf-rock guitar riff, they are known for their principled stands; they've been involved in activism around immigrant rights and boycotting the mainstream media. Their 2004 opus, Regain de Tension, is a stark listening experience, stirring up controversy with its overtly radical politics.
