Written by Mia Keitt

“MINIMUM” is written and performed by a Senegalese rapper named Chaax. Chaax grew up in a very musical family, so it is no surprise that his lifelong passion led him to his rap career. Like many Sengalese, he grew up in both France and Senegal. Living in both places has allowed him the opportunity to be immersed in different music scenes and styles, and it was this upbringing that shaped his musical identity. The influences both countries, as well as the New York rap scene, have had on his sound are very apparent, especially in the song I am covering in this article.

When I first listened to the song, it reminded me a lot of the trap music I heard growing up. I feel like his song is really good, both in terms of the music itself and lyrical content (which will be examined later). The music has a moody, serious synth melody, as well as a hi-hat pattern that is characteristic of trap music. The song itself is really well produced and even without knowing the lyrics of the song (save for the chorus, which says: “1 million c’est le minimum”/”1 million is the minimum”), I could get a feeling that he was bragging on his talent and how he will stop at nothing to succeed.

After translating the lyrics, my assumption of the lyrical content was pretty spot on. His music is a great example of the concept of braggadocio in rap. He brags about how his perseverance and talent will allow him to succeed, unlike many of his peers who will give up and sell out when facing challenges in the industry. He also brags about how he is driven to pave his own way in the industry and to make a name for himself regardless of what anyone else says.

Below is an excerpt to demonstrate:

“Fuck le 9 à 5 (Fuck the 9‑to‑5)/Trop de haineux dans le club, ça trinque (Too many haters in the club, we toast)/À leur santé, Dom Pérignon (To their health, Dom Pérignon)…/J′leur dis que je voulais toucher le ciel (I told them I wanted to touch the sky)/Ils m’ont dit c’est trop loin boy, resserre-toi un sky (They told me it’s too far, boy, pour yourself another whisky)/Qui m′aiment me suivent quand je taille (Those who love me follow when I move on)/Mon ambition leur épouvantail (My ambition scares them)… 1 million c′est le minimum (1 million is the minimum)/1 million c’est le minimum (1 million is the minimum)…”

This excerpt shows how he not only stays true to his ambitions but also that he believes his consistency, work ethic, and authenticity will allow him to gain true fans and success.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed listening to this song. His delivery was impeccable and made the song impactful. One thing that was really interesting to me was hearing how his song parallels a lot of rap sounds in the States. It was great to see the concept of cultural continuity from class in real time.