They may not be as well known in their native France as many American hip hop groups, but TTC have built a following worldwide over the past decade. There aren't many French-speaking hip hop groups who get praise from high-minded magazines like The Wire, music blogs and the mainstream press, but TTC seem to have the ability to sell to a fanbase that might not always understand their lyrics.
The group, made up of MCs Tido Berman, cousins Teki Latex and Cuizinier as well as turntablist DJ Orgasmic, released a couple of underground EPs around the turn of the decade, including the "Game Over 99" EP produced by Mr. Flash, who would later find fame on Ed Banger Records. They were eventually signed to Big Dada and released their debut album in 2002. That LP, "Ceci N'est Pas Un Disque," displayed an art-rap sensibility that hinted at influences from the American avant-hip hop scene.
"Batards Sensibles"took influence not just from traditional American hip hop, but from the sound of Dirty South with its grimey 808s and synth-heavy approach.
But with the release of their second album, Bâtards Sensibles, the group took off in the press and reached another level of stardom altogether. With tracks produced by Parisian techno-hip-hop heads Fuckaloop, of which Para One is a member, "Bâtards Sensibles"took influence not just from traditional American hip hop, but from the sound of Dirty South with its grimey 808s and synth-heavy approach.
There's a definite element of self parody in TTC's music, but also a celebration of American culture, with MCs often apeing the lyrical content of their cross-Atlantic counterparts in humorous ways. But really TTC went beyond that on "Bâtards Sensibles" and their equally impressive follow up, "3615 TTC," taking in elements of IDM, Baltimore breaks and playful Eurotechno.
The group's wide musical range, and success beyond their native France is another reminder of how compressed the world's musical culture has become, especially within the realm of the cutting edge hipster elite. A group like TTC, growing up in the Parisian hip hop and electronic music scene, had developed many of the same cultural references and touch points as their English-speaking American and British counterparts, even if the experimental sensibilities of these "Bâtards" might not translate for an American hip hop station
