{"id":13991,"date":"2026-07-21T23:32:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T04:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.magazinehiphop.com\/?p=13991"},"modified":"2026-07-21T23:37:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T04:37:19","slug":"assassin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.magazinehiphop.com\/en\/assassin\/","title":{"rendered":"Assassin: the grand return of a legendary French rap group"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Founded in Paris in the mid-1980s, Assassin<\/a><\/strong> is a legendary French Hip-Hop group led by its charismatic frontman Rockin\u2019Squat<\/a><\/strong>, a major figure in socially conscious French rap. From the beginning, the group stood out with uncompromising writing and a strong artistic independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its uniqueness also comes from its economic model: Assassin<\/strong> was the first French rap group to achieve a gold record while remaining completely independent, producing and distributing its music through its own label, Assassin Productions<\/strong>. A pioneering approach that made the group a reference for an entire culture, both in France and abroad, earning them more than one million albums sold and several tracks that have become cult classics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the helm of the collective since its beginnings, Rockin\u2019Squat<\/strong>, a former graffiti artist from the Parisian scene, crossed paths in the 1980s with other founding figures of French rap such as Kool Shen<\/a><\/strong> and JoeyStarr<\/a><\/strong> within the D.R.C posse<\/strong>, before founding Assassin<\/strong>. The group became known for its commitment against police violence, the death penalty and media excesses, themes that run throughout its entire discography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After L\u2019Odyss\u00e9e suit son cours<\/strong><\/em> (1996), followed by Touche d\u2019Espoir<\/strong><\/em>, released in 2000 and remaining its last studio album for more than twenty years, Assassin<\/strong> never completely disappeared: the group regularly returned to the stage from 2009 onward, notably through tours celebrating the golden era of French rap, while never abandoning its roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"AI (Artisan Intelligence)\": the expected comeback<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The long silence in terms of new releases is finally coming to an end. The group returns with a new album, IA (Intelligence Artisanale)<\/em><\/strong>, scheduled for October 16, 2026, led by a first single already available. The track L\u00e9gende Urbaine<\/em><\/strong>, released on June 16, 2026, marks a return to the group\u2019s foundations, combining vision, commitment and sonic innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This album mainly represents a symbolic reunion: L\u00e9gende Urbaine<\/strong><\/em> brings together two historic architects of the Assassin<\/strong> group, Rockin\u2019Squat<\/strong> and Doctor L<\/strong>, who co-wrote and composed some of the group\u2019s most influential tracks together in the 1990s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This new chapter is part of a gradual return to the spotlight: as early as May 2025, the group released a single, Kique Ta Merde 2.5<\/em><\/strong>, reminding everyone that French rap\u2019s most iconic crew still had more to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A marathon tour until 2027<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The album's return is accompanied by a particularly extensive tour, starting in spring 2026 on festival stages before continuing throughout 2027 in venues across France and Switzerland. Here are the dates confirmed to date:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n