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Here are some excerpts from our interview with Tiakola. The entire 2-page interview can be found in the magazine n ° 344 of Onze Mondial available on newsstands and on our eshop since October 7th.
“I put Karim Benzema at the table of the best forwards in the world. ”
TiakolaCredit Photo – Julien Moreau
How do you relate to football?
Football means a lot to me. This sport is part of my life. I am a big supporter of Real Madrid. I think about football every day. I haven’t missed a game since I was little. My big brother still plays soccer. At the time, he was in a training center at ESTAC. He did not pierce because of the wounds, he chained the physical problems. He played a season with the reserve, after which the club did not keep him. He continued to play football in Drancy in CFA, then he went to Spain. Football is tough, there are too many parameters to take into account. Especially in Île de France, there are too many of us!
What was your level?
I played at Le Bourget and at Drancy. I also practiced futsal! I loved futsal. My last years of football were indoors. In Drancy, I did not play in 17 national years, that demoralized me. I saw my guys signing in pro clubs, and I stayed there training with the reserve. Mentally, I was no longer motivated.
Why weren’t you playing?
I did not manage to cross that milestone. I didn’t have that determination. Today, I have this determination, I transcribed it in the music. I don’t know how to explain this to you. In my town, we didn’t have any educators to mentally prepare us to play. At La Courneuve, we have a lot of talent, but we don’t have the necessary mentality.
Who are your former teammates who signed in professional clubs?
Youssouf Fofana in Monaco, Makan Sidibé in Cholet, Moussa Diarra in Toulouse, Billal Mehadji had signed in Rennes, but today, I do not know where he plays.
How did you get into this sport?
My brother pushed me to play soccer. And when I saw Real Madrid on TV, I fell in love. The day I saw Robinho play, I loved phew football! At the time, it was “Joga Bonito”. When you watched the videos on Youtube, it made you want too much. I loved the 2006 World Cup with Zidane.
What position did you evolve in?
Left side. I just told you about players who have nothing to do with it, but I was an attacking player à la Marcelo (laughs). I wasn’t defending too much. Basically, I was a left winger and as the competition was tough, I was repositioned side. In addition, I was one of the only left-handed people in the workforce. As I was fast, no one took any speed (smile). When I gained height, I lost my acceleration. My first quality was my technique. I was clean in what I did, I understood the game well. I started football at Le Bourget, in the same club as my brother. My father liked this club and its educators. When I arrived at Drancy at 15, I was playing number 6.
Can’t you stand PSG?
I like PSG, but since Messi has been there, it doesn’t work out too much. Me, I am a pro-Cristiano. I love his mind too much! I see myself in him. He never lets go, I like it. Messi has a crazy talent, he’s a left-hander, I love it. But Cristiano has something special. He only had two Ballons d’Or and Messi five, and he managed to catch up with Messi. It makes me love it, it always surprises me. Look, he’s back in Manchester. He pretended to go to City to join United. I love this guy too much.
Who are the others that you like?
I liked Marcelo and Xabi Alonso. People don’t talk much about him, but he was hot, he sent real transversals, not to mention Mesut Özil. Me, I am Real Madrid thoroughly! You can talk to me about Arbeola, Guti, Michel Salgado, I’ll tell you stories.
What do you think of Karim Benzema?
I put him at the table of the best strikers in the world.
Are you in contact with some players?
Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembélé, Blaise Matuidi too. He invited us to his city after the World Cup. I get along well with Pape Gueye, I was with him recently. I am also close to Youssouf Fofana.
Why not ask Ousmane Dembélé to come to Real Madrid?
I would like to (smile). But I know it’s not going to happen. I really like Ousmane Dembélé, I think he will come back strong. It’s just a question of mentality, because repeated injuries are boring. He will prove to Barça or elsewhere.
Kylian Mbappé is announced close to Real Madrid. What do you think ?
I am for. And why the PSG seeks to retain him? If he wants to go, he must be left. Playing with Messi and Neymar is a dream. But he wants to write his own story. And he wants to do that in Madrid, so we have to let him. I’m not saying this because I’m from Madrid.
Did you follow the beginnings of Eduardo Camavinga?
Sure ! He starts off strong. I like this player, he is humble, calm. He must continue. I congratulated him on his signature, just to send him a little strength. They too give us strength when they snap our sounds.
How do you react when you see your sounds in the locker room?
I smile to myself, there is nothing more to say (smile). Well, I would have preferred to be in their place, I would have liked to become a footballer. But footballers would like to be rappers too. I do not know why. There is a good connection between us. For example, Jonathan Ikoné loves rap. Sometimes he says to me: “I want to get into rap”. And I want to be footballers. Our two worlds have a lot of links in common.
If you had been a footballer, how would you have been?
I would have a Pogba style, it shows, right? At the end of my match, I would have rushed to the Burna Boy concert. I would be a focused guy, but who likes to show off, like Pogba. I would have taken my mother everywhere, I would have raved with my brothers. When I played soccer, I enjoyed dancing and making war cries.
“Nice will finish in the top 5. PSG is a team of cheaters with Messi (laughs). ”
TiakolaCredit Photo – Julien Moreau
You are still young, you can try your luck in football …
Football is dead for me. However, I play in my neighborhood. We even play all the time. In my neighborhood, there are really talents. Sometimes I say to myself: “We’re cursed here”. We have talents and nobody breaks into football. I hope the light will come on us at some point. We only released Matt Moussilou, that’s not good (laughs).
You recently shot the music video for your track “Spark” in Naples. How did it happen?
Dawala called Kalidou Koulibaly to know good places. And it all happened quickly. I thank him for the welcome. We had already met, I came to a game last season, we had kept in touch. And when I told Dawala that I wanted to clip in Italy, it all went naturally.
You wear Maradona’s jersey in the clip, why?
To pay homage to Maradona. I had his swimsuit on, everyone stopped me in the street to find out how I got that swimsuit. It was a rare piece. After a while I had to change and remove the jersey. For me, Maradona is above Messi. Even though I didn’t know him, I was able to watch him in documentaries. I like his character and his madness too much. I remember a match where he fought. My sound went through the Napoli stadium recently before a match, it’s heavy. I think the supporters have validated me.
You often make footballitic references in your sounds, why?
I make little metaphors. There are a lot of links between rap and football. We have mutual entourages and mutual friends. Everything is the same. We move on a stage and them in a stadium, it’s a bit similar. We also do shows in stadiums.
Are you aiming for a stadium?
The Velodrome! We tell each other the truth, I’m a guy from Paris. But when you see an OM match at the Vélodrome, it’s crazy. And yet, I am more Paris than Marseille. As a guy from Paris, organizing a sick concert in Marseille would be incredible. They will let me do it quietly and on the last sound, I’m going to put on the PSG jersey (laughs). It will be too late for them, they won’t be able to do anything.
At what point in your football career are you?
It’s hard what you ask me. I have to tell you about a player who won a title and then took a small risk. I start my solo career, I took a gold record already. Come on, I’ll tell you Kylian Mbappé when he arrives at PSG after the title with Monaco and the semi-final of the Champions League. After this transfer, he was seriously expected. And I know I’m expected. I have to prove it.
Which coaches do you like?
José Mourinho. He is a coach who likes risks. He won a Champions League with Porto. He likes to go to clubs and restore their image. When he came to Madrid, he managed to revive Real and show that we could stand up to Barça de Guardiola. At the time, Barca were hard to beat. We finished champion with more than 100 points. Mourinho is in history. Even this season he can win a title with Roma. Do you remember what he did with Inter anyway? He’s really strong.
What do you think of Ligue 1?
It’s a good championship! This season, there are challenges and shows. Angers are a good team with Boufal, Cho and Fulgini. Right now, I’m enjoying Nice with Galtier, a top coach. He has a well-built team with Gouiri, Delort, Dolberg, Bard, I like it. Nice will finish in the top 5. PSG is a team of cheaters with Messi (laughs). Lens is playing well too.
Where do you watch the matches?
I watch the games at home, quiet. Except for the big games, we land in Greek with friends. You have the supporters of PSG on the right, those of OM on the left, me, I am in the middle. I don’t go to the stadium often. I have been to the Stade de France once before and also to Lille. I dream of going to Dortmund, to Signal Iduna Park. I like Old Trafford. I have footballing friends, but I never asked for anything. Me, I want to be with the supporters and enjoy it, I don’t want to be in the VIP.
Have you never been invited to a club?
Never. On the other hand, if Manchester United does that to me at Old Trafford, I’m here. They don’t know that I like Cristiano or what? I’m waiting for their phone call.
Who are the young players that you can announce?
Amine Adli has a crazy facility, Moussa Diaby, Amine Gouiri, I will only quote French people because we only have cracks. Ah yes, there is a German who evolves in Leverkusen, a 10 who replaced Havertz (he is looking for). Here, I have his name: Florian Wirtz. He’s really hot. There is also Jamal Musiala from Bayern. I also liked Lang de Bruges. I discovered him against PSG, he surprised me. Jude Bellingham is talented too. You have Mohamed-Ali Cho, you have to follow him closely.
Do you have a football anecdote to tell?
When I was a player, during a 93 Cup match against Bondy. We were led, I had a shot from far, it was magnificent. On top of that, Bondy was strong. It was the generation just after Mbappé. This goal had followed me. But I didn’t manage to get tests, it’s a shame. I would have liked to go to a training center. Not at 12/13 years old, I wouldn’t have been focused enough. I would have been ready at 15. Otherwise, I liked the level of my friend Makan Sidibé who is in Cholet today. I was going to the game to watch it. I would stand on my side and shout “Do it!” Do it ! “.
to summarize
After several years with the group “4Keus”, Tiakola launched his solo career. As the release of his first project approaches, the rapper from La Courneuve talks about his passion: football. Passed by JA Drancy or Le Bourget, this absolute supporter of Real Madrid keeps a close link with the round ball. Proof of this is his latest single “Spark”, shot in Naples with Maradona’s jersey on his shoulders.
