He is Majorcan. He raps in his tongue. Nicknamed “the Terrible Child”, VALTONYC, whose history with music is matched by his romance with justice, discovered rap with the Wu-Tang Clan, Violadores del Verso, Sean Price, Vinnie Paz, Immortal Technic and Keny Arkana.
He characterizes his music as a boombap rap. Her songs are above all combative and demanding and her influences are far from being limited to rap: sailing with Minnie Riperton, Miles Davis, Quique Gonzalez or Paco de Lucia.
For him, music is a tool for social awareness, more effective than politics: “I really like this sentence that says that art must be a hammer to shape reality”.
His texts have earned him a three-and-a-half-year sentence for “apology of terrorism”, “threats” and (we think we dream …) “insults to the crown”. Knowing that Amnesty International, in its annual report, pinpoints the “apology of terrorism” that the Spanish justice system uses excessively, it seems clear that the judgment condemning VALTONYC would be invalid if the rapper lodged an appeal with the European Human Rights Court. In the meantime, he has put himself at the disposal of the Belgian Justice (like a certain Carles Puigdemont) who refuses to proceed with his extradition.
Today, VALTONYC is not quite the same anymore. He grew up, matured and, after 15 autoproductions and a whole year spent on Belgian soil, he comes out of the shadows by telling us stories full of perspectives and offers himself, with this first album labeled homerecords.be, a Renaissance.
His pen remains intact, free, provocative with a rare poetic and metaphorical dimension. VALTONYC is accompanied by talented instrumentalists; namely Boris Schmidt, Manuel Hermia, Bart Maris, Maarten Decombel, under the musical direction of eRno le Mentholé, to flesh out this rap, and give it a disconcerting richness and very pictorial. Supported by DJs and artists from his country such as Ossian, Sr. Oca, Etxart Casas, Poor Tramit and Balle, VALTONYC signs, with “Piet Hein”, an aesthetic album, out of time, freed from the usual codes and fashion effects .
The metaphor is found in the title: “Piet Hein” is a Dutch pirate of the sixteenth century who, after being locked up for a long time by the Spaniards, takes his revenge and returns as a hero in his country.
Valtònyc’s fight ? Freedom of expression, opinion and creation. He is now a refugee in Belgium and his music and lyrics resonate like so many powerful hymns that will soon become timeless classics.
🟦 Line up
VALTONYC: voice
DJ TÖHM : dj
eRno LE MENTHOLE: keyboard and choir
Boris SCHMIDT: double bass
Manu HERMIA: tenor saxophone and flutes or Bart MARIS : trumpet and buglE
🟦 Co-productions
Piet Hein received the support of Ramon Llull Institute and Pianofabriek.
🟦 VALTONYC is Majorcan. He raps in his tongue. Texts that have earned him a three-and-a-half-year sentence for “apology of terrorism”, “threats” and (we think we dream …) “insults to the crown”. Knowing that Amnesty International, in its annual report, pinpoints the “apology of terrorism” that the Spanish justice system uses excessively, it seems clear that the judgment condemning VALTONYC would be invalid if the rapper lodged an appeal with the European Human Rights Court. In the meantime, he has put himself at the disposal of the Belgian Justice (like a certain Carles Puigdemont) who refuses to proceed with his extradition.
Let’s stay there with this rights and political chapter. However, it was important to clarify the context surrounding the project “Piet Hein”, whose album was released on the label of homerecords.be. A label repeatedly applauded for its openness and for which “freedom of expression” has nothing fancy. In exile on Belgian soil, the rapper does not sit idly by. He writes new provocative texts whose flow he subjects to the groove of his new friend eRno le Mentholé. The pianist, who claims not to belong to any particular musical genre (or even rap) succeeds here a beautiful mutation of hip hop tinged with a blue touch of very good taste.
Well supported here and there by a trumpet solo (Bart Maris), a saxophone lick (Manu Hermia) or the heat of a beleaguered bass (Boris Schmidt), “Piet Hein” comes out of the heavy context in which he could have plummeted … and cliches that sometimes surround rap.
This metaphorical “Piet Hein” (a reference to a Dutch pirate of the 16th century who returns as a hero in his country after having been imprisoned by the Spaniards) will please you as much for his musicality as for his approach.
🟦 Possible formulas: Quintet / Quartet / Trio / Duo
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