Paradisiaque is the third album by the French musician MC Solaar, released in 1997.[6][7]

Paradisiaque
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 17, 1997
Recorded1996–1997
GenreRap
Length59:53
LabelPolydor[1]
ProducerBoom Bass
Philippe Zdar
DJ Mehdi
MC Solaar chronology
Prose Combat
(1994)
Paradisiaque
(1997)
MC Solaar (album)
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[2]
Robert Christgau(1-star Honorable Mention)[3]
Daily Mirror8/10[4]
NME5/10[5]

Critical reception

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The Guardian called the album an "erudite but musically uneven variation on le rap francais."[8] The Daily Mirror deemed it "one of the funkiest albums you'll ever hear."[4] Skiing concluded that "Solaar mounts a ferocious lyrical attack, arguably stringing together more rhyming syllables than any other MC at work today."[9]

AllMusic wrote that Solaar's "good sense of melody turns the best moments of the album into fine pop-rap that is entertaining even if you don't understand French."[2]

Track listing

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  1. Intro - :32
  2. Paradisiaque - 3:12
  3. Gangster Moderne - 4:05
  4. Tournicoti - 3:49
  5. Zoom - 3:53
  6. Le Sens De La Vie - 4:05
  7. Dakota - 3:58
  8. Illico Presto - 4:23
  9. Les Temps Changent - 3:18
  10. Daydreamin' - 4:51
  11. Les Boys Bandent - 3:18
  12. Les Pensées Sont Des Flowers - 4:02
  13. Wonderbra (featuring Bambi Cruz) - 4:02
  14. Le 11 Choc - 3:33
  15. Protège-Tibia - 4:12
  16. Quand Le Soleil Devient Froid - 3:51
  17. Outro - :34

Certifications

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Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BRMA)[10] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[11] Platinum 300,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[12] Gold 25,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. Bouton, Remi (Jan 24, 1998). "French language 'hinders int'l sales'". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 4. pp. 71, 73.
  2. 1 2 "Paradisiaque - MC Solaar | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  3. "Robert Christgau: CG: MC Solaar". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. 1 2 Hyland, Ian (6 July 1997). "MC SOLAAR: Paradisiaque". Daily Mirror. Features. p. 33.
  5. Cigarattes, Johnny (1997-06-28). "MC Solaar: Paradisiaque". New Musical Express. p. 59.
  6. "MC Solaar Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  7. Cepeda, Raquel (September 29, 2004). And It Don't Stop: The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-571-21159-3 via Google Books.
  8. Glaister, Dan (11 July 1997). "MC Solaar Paradisiaque". The Guardian. p. T16.
  9. Glass, Charles (Mar 1998). "Show tunes". Skiing. 50 (7): 47.
  10. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  11. "French album certifications – MC Solaar – Paradisiaque" (in French). SNEP.
  12. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Paradisiaque')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 February 2019.