Vald
Sharp, absurdist French rap that pairs clinical, high-definition production with a cynical sense of humor. For when the world feels like a glitch in the matrix.
Sharp, absurdist French rap that pairs clinical, high-definition production with a cynical sense of humor. For when the world feels like a glitch in the matrix.
Vald sounds like the smartest person in the room who has decided to spend the evening making fun of the room itself. His music is a high-speed collision between polished, futuristic trap production and a lyrical style that oscillates between profound existential dread and total nonsense. It is cold, precise, and often deeply funny in a way that feels slightly dangerous.
What truly sets him apart is his background in sound engineering and mathematics, which manifests as a technical obsession with flow and sonic clarity. He doesn't just rap; he deconstructs the medium, using deadpan delivery and sudden bursts of energy to keep the listener off-balance. There is a distinct 'internet-native' quality to his work, full of irony and meta-commentary on fame and society.
Start with the album 'XEU' to hear him at his most commercially potent and technically sharp. If you want to dive into his more experimental, conceptual side, 'Agartha' offers a sprawling look at his unique mythology and world-building capabilities.
Valentin Le Du (French pronunciation: [valɑ̃tɛ̃ lə dy]; born 15 July 1992), better known by his stage name Vald (French: [vald]; sometimes stylized as VALD), is a French rapper. Raised in Aulnay-sous-Bois, in Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, he studied at Lycée privé catholique l'Espérance where he received a Baccalauréat S (Sciences). He then studied medicine for a semester before moving to Mathematics/computer science, graduating with a bachelor's degree, known in France as a licence. He also studied sound engineering. He started rapping at age 17. He released a mixtape, NQNTMQMQMB (Ni Queue Ni Tête Mais Qui Met Quand Même Bien) in 2012, followed by another mixtape Cours de rattrapage the same year. Both were re-edited in 2016 as a double CD released through his website. On 27 October 2014, he released his debut EP NQNT (Ni Queue Ni Tête) with a music video, Bonjour, finding success. It was followed by the release of EP NQNT 2 on 25 September 2015. On 20 January 2017, he released his debut album Agartha on Mezoued Records & Suther Kane Films, and on Millenium, Capitol, Universal; the album earned a platinum certification in France. A leak of song material resulted in the release of the EP project NQNT 3. On 2 February 2018, Vald released his second album XEU featuring collaborations with rappers Sirius, Suik'on Blaz AD and Sofiane; the album received a double platinum certification. This was followed by the mixtape NQNT33 in September 2018. In October 2019, he released a third album, Ce monde est cruel (This world is cruel).
Shares trap, abstract hip-hop, cloud rap (subgenres); digital clarity, maximalist, studio polished (production style)
Shares trap, abstract hip-hop, cloud rap (subgenres); urban night, basement show, focused work (atmosphere)
Shares cloud rap, trap, abstract hip-hop (subgenres); urban night, basement show, focused work (atmosphere)
Shares digital clarity, maximalist, studio polished (production style); trap, cloud rap (subgenres)
Shares trap, cloud rap, abstract hip-hop (subgenres); deadpan, rap, processed (vocal style)
Shares cloud rap, abstract hip-hop, trap (subgenres); playful, anxious, brooding (moods)
Shares cloud rap, trap, abstract hip-hop (subgenres); urban night, basement show, stargazing (atmosphere)
Shares abstract hip-hop, trap, cloud rap (subgenres); drum machine, keys/synth, sampler (instrumentation)
Shares cloud rap, abstract hip-hop, trap (subgenres); deadpan, rap, processed (vocal style)
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