DERK16, new rising head of the Marseille rap scene. We presented him to you on the occasion of the release of his sixth song in the series Les #Alims. A few months later, we met him in Marseille and discussed his rise in the rap world and the release of his first mixtape; Everything for the gang. Hello! Can you introduce yourself? DERK16, Kader, rapper from the northern districts of Marseille, more precisely from the 14th arrondissement in Sainte Marthe. It's been six months since I joined Nemesis and Belem, we're working. I just released a project and it's going well for now. Can you explain why you started rapping and how did it come about? So, basically, it was a delirium with colleagues, always from the same sector. There were other rappers. We thought: "Why not make sound, just for delirium or to remake the big ones from home, like Black Marché, Puissance Nord and others." We saw that it was starting to get a little more serious, so we really went for it. We know that there is money to be made, inevitably, it calls and it motivates. Now it's much more serious. You started with the #Alims, it really started like that. Can you introduce us to the concept? Exactly! Why #Alims? Because in every neighborhood, you find food. And in general, that's where we land. You find all kinds of people, all profiles go through the power supply to take what they need. So, I said to myself: "Why not go on a delirium that is done in front of the power supply and invite rappers, afterwards, to join me. Either join me at the power supply of my home or do it directly at home. As in #Alim 6? It was done in Paris? Yes, #Alim 6 was in Paris, it is the Alim of the signature. How was the connection with the different artists made? I think it happened naturally. For Kery, there is knowledge in common, for Alonzo, it was done through networks, by discussing. He liked the delirium, I invited him, he came and we did that. Food is a place that brings people together, where we meet as you said. Exactly, it's a place where everyone meets and it gives something. It says something. 
You told me you had signed with Nemesis, Fianso's label. Was that also done little by little? At Nemesis and Belem, they are two labels. It came from Kerry James. He introduced us to a producer at Nemesis and it was done like that. Kery James rarely presents artists to say: "We must bet on them". So it's an honor. And it was done at the time of the #Alims? It was done at that time. In reality, #Alims opened doors that I couldn't just open myself. We had to go through it and I'm glad it took like that. You released on July 8th the mixtape Tout Pour Le Gang (TPLG), can you tell us about it and explain why it's so important to be with this gang? Why everything for the gang? Because, as you just said, it's important to remember that in reality, we don't move forward alone. Even those who claim it every time. We always need people to be able to move forward. So why not associate, weld and rise together. That's why, All for the Gang. Can you introduce it to us, how it was conceived and what ultimately differs from #Alims? On this project, I try to start on several different styles of music. Whereas on the #Alims, I am on a style of music where I tell what is happening in the northern districts, what is happening around me. I am in a delirium where I enjoy and I pose on what inspires me. There is a feat on TPLG with Dina "Sur ton visage". Why did you decide to do a feat and why with Dina? I didn't decide to do just a feat, it was done like that. If we had been able to do two or three feats, it would have been as beneficial to the project. But it's not bad to do than a feat on a first project, in reality. It allows you to fumble, to know who you are? And to show the public, directly, who we are. Do not go through this or that artist, because he has much more notoriety and it is because he is there, that people discover you. So, in any case, it's something good. It's beneficial. What are your inspirations, whether musically speaking, in your lyrics or artists? Those who inspired me, I listened a lot to the Parisian wave of the time like Salif and those who are still there; Booba, Rhoff and so on. I was more inspired by the Parisian wave. And in Marseille, I listened a lot to Alonzo and the rappers I was talking about earlier, the big ones from home, Black Marché du 14eme. I listened a lot to the Parisian scene, as long as I like it, I listen! Which artist, all styles combined, would you most like to collaborate with? Celine Dion! Because musically speaking it's something. Is there someone who does Celine Dion, who can do Celine Dion? Maybe Adele, I mean, Adele can compete a little, but for the legend, Celine Dion! I would have told you Michael Jackson, if he had been with us. Are you planning a small tour, concerts? Ah, that's the public who will decide, because if it doesn't work, inevitably we will stay there. At the moment, I don't plan to tour. I know that I plan to prepare a project, an album much more worked, much more serious. There will surely be some small scenes. How would you see your career develop? And what would you most like to achieve in music? A goal to achieve. I was at the Soprano concert some time ago and when I saw that, I saw the velodrome stadium, I said to myself: "If one day I do a velodrome, it would be something strong, big." That's something I'd like to do in music, for example. Because it's strong, it's in my city, it's the stadium, it has a meaning. Do you have a word for the end, for our readers? One for all and all for the gang!
Thanks to DERK16 for granting us this interview.
We assure you, it is a talent more than promising and we advise you to follow it very closely. DERK16 is an artist who is not ready to stop surprising us!
Find him on Instagram @derk16.officiel
