Interpretation
The song "Petit frère" by
IAM tells the story of a young brother who wants to grow up too fast and drifts in the wrong direction. The lyrics refer to the violence in society and the negative influences that children and teenagers are exposed to nowadays.
The song begins with the little brother, Petit frère, who has only one wish: to grow up. But instead of achieving it in a positive way, he chooses the wrong path. At the age of ten, he starts behaving like a wild animal and sees violence as the solution to any disagreement. He wants to force adulthood by being influenced by the news on television. Akhénaton raps: "Devenir adulte avec les infos comme mentor, C'est éclater les tronches de ceux qui ne sont pas d'accord" (Becoming an adult with the news as a mentor, That means smashing the faces of those who disagree).
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that Petit frère is becoming more and more obsessed with money and status. He wants to grow up quickly to get money. He steals, breaks into cars, and dreams of expensive cars, guns, and money. Shurik'n raps: "Petit frère rêve de bagnoles, de flingues et de tunes, De réputation de dur, pour tout ça il volerait la lune" (Little brother dreams of cars, guns, and money, Of a tough reputation, for all that he would steal the moon).
The song also reflects the changes in society and the overexposure to violence in the media. Violence in schools has always existed, but now it is shown daily in the news and seems normal. Petit frère is manipulated by advertising and violent acts, and tries to find his place in society by imitating what he sees. Akhénaton raps: "Les journalistes font des modes, La violence à l'école existait déjà de mon temps, Les rackets, les bastons, les dégâts" (Journalists create trends, violence in schools already existed in my time, extortion, fights, damage).
The song ends with the realization that Petit frère doesn't realize he is losing himself and that his pursuit of wealth and fame could make him lose a lot. Shurik'n raps: "Il voudrait prendre l'autoroute de la fortune, Et ne se rend pas compte qu'il pourrait y laisser des plumes" (He would like to take the highway to fortune, And doesn't realize he could lose some feathers in the process).
"Petit frère" is a warning against the negative influences in society and the dangers that arise when young people want to grow up too fast and develop in the wrong direction. The lyrics express the hope that Petit frère recognizes his mistakes and finds the right path before it's too late.