Outre-mer la 1ière highlights the work of Guadeloupean, Florida-based rapper and femcee FLO, who sings in Creole, English and French. “In Guadeloupe, Flo mixes her Creole cultural heritage with hip-hop culture. Through her rap, the artist tries to raise awareness by denouncing the things that affect her, always by communicating good vibrations. Learn more about her in this new episode of Ultra-sons.” [Note: The 13-minute film mentioned below, written and directed by Sarah Almosnino for Ultra sons is not available in the United States.] 

Flo is a 41-year-old singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. She is from Baie-Mahaut in Guadeloupe. As a child, she listened to jazz and soul with her father and took piano lessons at a very young age.

She discovered rap in college. She continues on this path in high school thanks to her brother Enigma, with whom she formed the duo Inkognitwo. After her baccalaureate, she began her solo career, while pursuing studies in Bordeaux and then in the United States. She now lives in Miami.

A career in the United States

In 2007, she participated in the American television show “BET Hip Hop Awards” alongside DJ Premier, Rass Kass, Joell Ortiz, and Cassidy. Subsequently, she recorded three mixtapes, before releasing her first official album A Long Time Coming in 2018.

Rap with Caribbean influences

She sings mainly in English but also in Creole. Flo’s hip-hop allows you to navigate the musical styles specific to Guadeloupe such as zouk, kako music or gwo ka.

Creole Ambassador

Guarantor of her mother tongue, Flo uses hip-hop to lead workshops and conferences for the defense of Creole and to transmit the values of this movement. Proud of her career, she hopes to be able to inspire and give new perspectives to young people.

“I like making music that communicates the right vibes, it’s a [political] stance. I also try to raise awareness on certain subjects, to denounce certain things when they affect me, and to talk about our human experiences.”

A film written and directed by Sarah Almosnino, produced by 909 PRODUCTIONS, with the support of the National Center for Cinema and Animated Image and the participation of France Télévisions.

Duration 13 min – Year 2022

Ultra sons is a web series that invites you to meet major players in overseas music. This new generation of artists creates a new musical current in their image: between tradition and modernity. Find all the episodes of Ultra sons here.

Translated by Ivette Romero. For full, original article (in French), see https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/flo-la-rappeuse-guadeloupeenne-militante-1379318.html

Also see more on the artist at https://www.freemyflo.com/about-me/ and in the YouTube video here.