Fortunately, TTC are nothing to do with the French tax system. They have however, everything to do with French hip hop. Tekilatex, Tido and Cuizinier formed TTC in 1997, with the fundamental aim of disturbing the peace and poking fun at anyone within earshot of their rhymes. Their subversive humor eventually got them noticed by Big Dada governor, Will Ashon, who recruited the trio on the strength of “Game Over ’99,” their first self-released single. A French rap group signed to an English label may sound strange, but even stranger still, was their first release proper, “Leguman,” a song about superhero vegetables. So, does anyone, especially the English-speakers among us, know what they’re talking about? Tekilatex isn’t sure himself, but thinks we can appreciate the general atmosphere of a song, even if we don’t get the subtleties of things like lyrics. “Afterall,” he muses, “a lot of French people listen to American rap without understanding a word of English.” Good point… “I think people who are attracted to our music and flows are going to try and translate the lyrics anyway. So if we can push English students to be more attentive in French class, that means we’ll have done something positive in our lives.”

But enough of all that sincerity, what about the record? Apart from rapping about bandana-wearing vandals in Michael Jackson videos, the Metro, rich kids acting poor and redefining the four elements of hip hop, things are fairly normal. Production is strong, with some original samples and beat-boxed rhythms — like on “Pollutions,” a Flash Gordon-esque sci-fi soundtrack, featuring La Caution. DJ Vadim and DJ Fab produce tracks too and there’s an appearance from Doseone, who lays down English speakeasies with his usual, solid style. Teki’s voice sounds like a deflating helium balloon, frantic and high-pitched but dynamic and directed. Tongue-in-cheek narratives kick to porno beats, rolling at 100 bars per second. So even if you don’t follow what’s being said, the music is doing the talking. And that’s what TTC are about — shouting out at conformity, changing the norms of society and reformulating Parisian hip hop, no matter who’s listening. “Things are changing slowly [in Paris] and more people are interested in our genre of hip hop… people who are looking for something different, for something that can still surprise them.” Look out for small print and hidden charges then, this is more“Hors Taxes” than“Toutes Taxes Comprises.”