PPerhaps a new genre is emerging: the documentary that owes its viral success to children and young people who convince their parents to watch it. At the beginning of September we reported on the Kaizen phenomenon, the film that follows YouTuber Inoxtag’s climb to Everest.
Two weeks later, it was the case of DJ Mehdi: Made in France, d’Art. The six-episode series dedicated to the genius of music production, from rap to electro, has registered 4.7 million views since it was published online on September 12 on Arte.tv and YouTube. “The two films have nothing to do with each other, neither in theme nor in means, but people put them in parallel, surprised Bruno Nahlon, the producer of the Arte series. Probably because they both say the same thing: “Come on, put down the phone and live your life!” »
On Facebook, sociologist Irène Théry, 72, convinced by her children, shared her favorite. After devouring the episodes “in the course of a sleepless morning,” believing that “rap, electro, it was not for [elle] “, she concluded: “It’s never too late”.
DJ Mehdi attracts sixty-somethings who meet someone they’ve never heard of, elderly parents who discovered his death at the same time as his existence (DJ Mehdi died in 2011, at age 34), and fifty-somethings who still I wonder how they could have overlooked this charismatic artist, who was already too old or too busy. These latest fans of DJ Mehdi cannot but approve of this message of musical reconciliation around a rap and electro figure and this hymn to creativity and work.
How do we recognize them?
They wondered if they were the only ones who had never heard of DJ Mehdi (no) and what they were doing at the moment. Immediately after watching the series, they promoted it on social media, saying “for those who don’t know him”. The first episodes made them nostalgic for audio tapes and the spirit of celebration around the 1998 World Cup. At several moments, the pieces made them say : “Oh, was that him? » They think he left too soon, even though they found out too late. Aware of not having been among the first viewers of the series, they specify that they have seen it twice.
how they talk
“He was very little known, especially by me. » “I hope music teachers make their students listen to this. » “I could have crossed paths with him. » “I’m not a rap fan and yet…” “It’s not my generation but…” “What a master class!” » “I didn’t realize his impact on the history of French music. » “I didn’t understand the scope of Uncle from the country. » “I don’t know why I haven’t heard more about it.” “He built bridges between cultures. » “I had completely missed this phenomenon. » “What a great documentary although I didn’t know him or his work! » “What an inspiring journey, I’m about to get back to music! » “If I hadn’t died, I probably would have…”
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