Rapping through time: an analysis of non-standard language use in French rap

This article investigates the impact of diachronic determinants on non-standard language use in French rap. This study relies on a lexicographic analysis to produce quantitative results which are then analysed qualitatively with the help of extracts from semi-structured interviews with francophone rappers. The analysis focuses on tracks from different generations of rappers and also a single artist throughout his career, Akhenaton. The initial quantitative results will lead to discussions of the impact of the beginnings of French rap in comparison to the wide acceptance and success of French rap nowadays. The effect of life experiences will also be taken into consideration to observe how much vocabulary can change throughout an individual’s life as he or she goes through various life-changing events. These discussions will be linked to the effects of strong- and weak-ties relationships on language change as well as the impact of increasing fame, changes in social class and the advent of the Internet. This article concludes that the different generations of rappers displayed a marked increase in non-standard language use with time, whereas Akhenaton’s non-standard language use fluctuated much more.