Lost: an album as a legacy
A father of three, Lost has been thinking about the idea of inheritance for a while.
Montreal rapper Lost, member of the 5sang14 collective, is releasing Heritage on Friday, a long and rich album of 22 songs in various styles. He explores the notion of legacy, without neglecting his favorite subjects: family, love, the street.
Father of three children, the rapper has been thinking about the idea of inheritance for a while. For him, it is important to think about the mark we leave as a human being on this earth, for his family and for generations to come. Hence the title of his album.
“Whether material goods or values or life lessons, I often think about what I will leave to my children” , he confided to Métro in an interview. em>carries a double meaning. “I said to myself that if I had one last album to do, if I was to be remembered for only one album, I would like this to be the one. »
An album with varied sounds
That's why he gave everything he could for this album. There is a range of songs on Heritage: from pure and hard rap pieces, sometimes raw and sometimes political, to more romantic songs with African and even Latin sounds.
“I am someone who loves and who listens to all kinds of music. All spectrums of hip-hop and RnB in all possible languages, Italian, Spanish, Arabic. As long as it speaks to me, I go there, no matter the style,” says the Cameroonian-born rapper.
If he touches on so many styles, it's because the rapper believes he can do it. “I have gained enough experience over my career to know that I can play on several levels. »
People who are familiar with the music of Lost know that even within a single song, the rapper is able to shift his voice, such as from aggressive rapping, almost growled, in a soft, melodious voice. “It's my signature,” confirms the rapper.
These variations of musical styles and voice timbres allow Lost to make an album of no less than 22 songs, something very rare in the industry, without it getting bored or appearing redundant.  ;
Lost. Photo: Julio Alejandro
Experience speaks
Even if he returns with Legacyon several recurring themes in his discography – all subjects lived, registered in him and which are close to his heart -, the rapper tries to treat them in a different way each time.
“It's normal that from one year to the other my speech changes, because my vision changes”, affirms the rapper who says gaining in maturity and wisdom.
“My life today is much easier than before, declares the one who bathed in underworld circles and served prison sentences. I try to give back as I was given. I don't pretend to be the wisest, but if I have an audience, I believe in saying constructive things. »
Lost's pen strikes a brilliant balance, never falling into street glorification or morality. Rather, he delivers observations, in all authenticity, based on a heavy experience. For him, it is much more interesting for a young person to listen to the experience of certain people than to be told what to do.
“I myself am someone who likes to listen to people. When I go to my country [Cameroon], I like to sit on the terrace and listen to the old people talking. You understand that there are things that repeat themselves. You will find people who are going through or have gone through the same ordeals as you. »
A movement in progress
This rap movement, sometimes mistakenly referred to as “street”, has had greater visibility in recent years. Connaisseur Ticaso and Souldia, two rappers whose experiences bear similarities to that of Lost, won the Félix for hip-hop album of the year in 2021 and 2022.
“ Yes, the movement has a better window, but it is the force of things, because it is taking such a scale that we can no longer ignore it, “believes Lost, who is quietly establishing itself in industry.
“There is still a long way to go, because there are still so many prejudices. Fortunately, there are also many people who understand the bottom of what we do and not just the surface. We are moving forward, but we are not there yet. »
Lost will be performing on June 9 at the MTelus as part of the Francos.
