Arts et migration en banlieue : analyse sociologique des productions des jeunes rappeurs et slameurs de Seine Saint Denis

The variety of artistic and cultural imaginaries in migration remains a largely unexplored avenue in sociology (Martiniello, 2015). However, in the suburbs, the arts, whether literary, musical, theatrical, or poetic, are often carried forward by young migrants. Hip hop, slam, and rap are a perfect illustration of this artistic expression in the context of migration. Our field research focuses on a sociological study conducted in 2022 with 15 young rappers and slam poets living in Seine-Saint-Denis. Who are they? What relationships do they have with the suburbs? How do they manage to build an identity as young people and artists from the suburbs? Our study, conducted in June and September 2022, focused on slam poets living in the main cities of Saint-Denis, Bobigny, Bondy, La Courneuve, and Aubervilliers. Based on observations and ethnography of the cities where they produce their rap and slam, we asked them how they manage to build an identity as young people and artists living in the suburbs. How do they experience their art in a department like the 93rd arrondissement, which, in the eyes of the public, is rife with prejudice? Our data collection methodology consisted of conducting open-ended focus groups with rappers and slam artists from the aforementioned cities in Seine-Saint-Denis. These focus groups, lasting from thirty minutes to an hour, or even two hours, first aimed to identify the identity of these slam artists and rappers (age, education, place of residence, social background, motivations, etc.); then, the reasons that led them to choose music and art as a means of expression. For these 15 young people, what messages do they convey? To fight discrimination? What relationships do they have with other young artists living in the suburbs? Secondly, we will sociologically analyze the content of their rap and slam, far beyond what they may experience in the suburbs, such as social deprivation, violence, and poverty. What do they advocate in the context of their art? What are the issues for Seine-Saint-Denis, as a department stigmatized and singled out by observers? In short, what sociological analysis can we use to analyze the arts in a context of migration?