The French rap scene is currently navigating an unexpected ideological shift with the arrival of Paolo Rotelli, performing under the moniker MC Pao. Through his label, Tractolabel, and the associated "Tractopelle Musik" movement, Rotelli is introducing a distinct brand of libertarianism that mirrors the aesthetic and rhetorical flourishes of the American New Right. It is a project defined as much by its political skepticism—particularly toward European institutions—as it is by its sound.
Central to this disruption is the label’s heavy reliance on artificial intelligence. Tractolabel’s music videos often feature AI-generated imagery that evokes the hyper-saturated, populist visual language frequently associated with the digital iconography of the Trump era. This is more than a stylistic quirk; it represents a strategic use of generative tools to construct a provocative, alternative reality that bypasses traditional media gatekeepers while securing collaborations with high-profile artists.
The emergence of MC Pao suggests that hip-hop, long a vehicle for social critique from the margins, is becoming a contested cultural front for libertarian ideals. By merging the raw energy of rap with a tech-forward, anti-regulatory stance, Tractolabel is testing whether the genre’s inherent spirit of rebellion can be successfully reframed for a new era of digital populism.
With reporting from [L'ADN].
Source · L'ADN
