Stupeflip

Stupeflip is a French group between punk, rap and variety composed of King Ju (Julien Barthélémy), Pop Hip, Cadillac (Stéphane Bellenger) and MC Salo (Jean-Paul Michel).
In 2000, a strange name -Stupeflip was going around in Paris on a peculiar mix-tape. On the 6th of November 2001, they go in the studio to transform the mix-tape into a promotional Single that will already contain the essence of the group. This first release notably includes the overt â€œStupeflipâ€, and â€œcomme les zotâ€; seven titles in all, where King Ju pens texts and music with the participation of Cadillac.
The funny and effective title â€œJe fume pu d’shitâ€ starts to air on Parisian radios. Eventually they sign on Vorston Limanteli, an independent label bought some months later by BMG and, at the end of 2002, they release their first album: -Stupeflip.
The album, very much like the first EP, contains an uncategorizable sound: a mixture of angry guitar riffs akin to Bérurier Noir (Stupeflip also emulates their masks), samples of Hip Hop, Californian punk, pop jingles (inspired by French 80’s pop), and strange noises (Stupeflip was often compared to The Residents, an ambient experimental band).
Through their songs, they present the mythical history of the C.R.O.U., a mysterious organization founded in 1972, consisting of 3 members, here to â€œterrorize the population and thereby create a new eraâ€, â€œthe era of Stupâ€. Stupeflip is only the tip of the iceberg of the C.R.O.U. (-â€œan outgrowth’ of the C.R.O.U.â€).
The lyrics, finished, between fierce assonance and provocative slogans (â€œwe say that kneading is shaping, I say that breaking is destroyingâ€) are sometimes rapped, often bawled, sometimes sung. There are two titles with the atypical Mangu, rapper of Dominican origin.
Stupeflip holes its atypical place in a nice-ish French scene, and creates a lot of noise, fueled by self-parody and nonsense, in major media promotions (MCM, Oui FM, Thierry Ardisson). The band chain-plays chaotic concerts during which they used to insult the public (â€œfor cause of softnessâ€, said King Ju). A buzz starts in the media, whom otherwise used to relegate their music in the background. Some question the integrity of the band and decreed a â€œtrick from the record companyâ€
In 2005, they released Stup Religion, repeating the formula of the first album by extending their winning universe as much as consistency: furious scratches, traumatized children, tasteless humor, schizophrenic flow, punk riffs, syrupy & cynical pop and absurd lyrics. The LP will go quite unnoticed in both the general public and the specialized circles all of which thanks to a shy promotion from their label (some fans of the first album were not even aware of the 2nd album’s existence). Follows a series of fantastic concerts throughout France, where the universe created on the LPs was transposed on stage with lighting, costumes and quite impressive ghostly moods, revolving around the theme of â€œthe religion of Stupâ€.
In 2006, despite the LP making it to 42nd in the charts within a week of its release, BMG decided to break the contract following the relatively weak sales of Stup Religion. Follow a lengthy trial from Stupeflip for non-compliance of contract, eventually won by the record company (which led to the withdrawal of albums still in stores’ shelves and their return to King Ju). Meanwhile, King Ju associated with Simone elle est bonne, hyped muse from MySpace, to create the duo Simone and Pop Hip, a musical electro-punk crossover.
In 2007, an association emerged with fashion stylist/creator Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for the Gallierock exhibition, King Ju creating the whole sound and musical look as well as the main musical theme.
Beyond all these collaborations purely innocuous (with Sono Loco and Lofofora -King Ju also made the artwork of â€œmémoires de singesâ€-), Stupeflip remains silent for 3 years.
In 2008, new songs appear on the Internet. An EP (Psycho Girl) is distributed, which suggests the return of Stupeflip on the scene’s forefront.
As far beyond the concept, Stupeflip builds, with their shifted sound, some genuine songs, sinister and sincere, cynical and nostalgic.