Paris-born artist, producer, and creative force MANSO̶U̶R̶ isn’t here to pad your playlists—he’s here to slice straight through them. His new double A-side, NEAT kUT, is exactly what it says on the tin: two tracks, zero fat, and enough personality to keep both the dance floor and your headphones working overtime.
The opener, “WHY NOT” — co-produced with MOOKICE and featuring REEM and 00ab — is an irresistible, glitchy 2-step rush. It’s all shimmering percussion, kinetic bass lines, and bar-for-bar chemistry, the kind of track that feels like sprinting through Paris at 3 a.m., neon reflections blurring in puddles while you text your crew to find the next move. The video doubles down on that energy—DIY but dripping with style—as MANSO̶U̶R̶ and 00ab bounce around the city with REEM dropping in via FaceTime like a conspirator in this sonic joyride.
Flip the record and “PARIS!” slows things down without losing the edge. Co-produced by Lamsi and featuring Rxlls, it’s a late-night reflection—minimal beats, glassy synths, and keys that hang in the air like cigarette smoke. Where “WHY NOT” thrives on impulse, “PARIS!” trades in vulnerability, giving Rxlls space to pull you closer with every line. Together, they form a perfectly calibrated double shot: one to get you moving, one to make you linger.
This isn’t just another drop from a buzzed-about newcomer. With co-signs from BXKS, Len, Sam Wise, El Londo, Oscar #Worldpeace, and Odunsi (The Engine), plus a résumé that weaves through NIKE, ADIDAS, and Jean Paul Gaultier, MANSO̶U̶R̶ sits comfortably at the crossroads of serious music, fashion culture, and community energy. His instinctive, unfiltered approach feels refreshing in a scene often obsessed with overproduction.
In his own words, the goal was simple: “Clean, sharp, honest.” NEAT kUT delivers exactly that—proof that sometimes the sharpest statement is the one that knows when to stop talking.
“NEAT kUT” is two tracks, two moods, no filler. What’s your personal definition of a “clean cut” when it comes to sound — and how do you know when something’s done?
I’d say a ”clean cut” is when everything feels intentional. The textures, the energy, the layers, the sequencing, the transitions… It all makes sense together. And how do I know when something is done? Honestly… never really. You just reach a point where you feel like it [your music] says what it needs to say. That’s when you need to let it go, I guess. You could keep tweaking it forever, but at some point, it just clicks bro.
“WHY NOT” feels like pure kinetic chaos — glitchy, sexy, alive. Was it built for the dancefloor, or did it just land there by instinct?
I love to dance. There’s nothing like letting your body do the talking. “WHY NOT” wasn’t necessarily built for the dancefloor, but its energy was. There was this curiosity, like, what would a rave feel like if we shaped it our own way? So we started exploring that with MOOKICE. It wasn’t about following a formula, just about exploring something. It’s simple: if it makes your foot hit the floor, then I guess it’s doing something right.
From Facetime cameos to bouncing around Paris with 00ab, the “WHY NOT” visual has this DIY charm that’s totally unfiltered. What does showing personality in your visuals mean to you right now?
What you see is just what I feel. It’s about expression, letting things flow naturally. If you’re really tapped into what you believe in, it always ends up making sense. I truly believe that you can’t fake steeze, you know? So I just do what I like, stay true to what moves me and that in itself feels dope.
“PARIS!” flips the vibe completely — icy, introspective, beautifully bare. Did that contrast feel necessary after the heat of “WHY NOT”? Or are you always balancing chaos with calm?
I didn’t really think of it as a contrast. I just care when I create. I have to stay honest with how I feel at the moment. Sometimes that means chaos, sometimes calmness. Sometimes both. It really depends on the story I’m trying to tell. Music is like movies, every scene has its own mood.
You’ve worked with BXKS, Oscar #Worldpeace, REEM, Rxlls… what draws you to a collaborator? Is it vibe, bars, energy — or something harder to pin down?
What draws me in is the energy someone gives off, not just the sound. Every artists I’ve worked with stays true to themselves, and that’s what makes it real. We just try to grow together, elevate and push each other to be better than yesterday.
You move so fluidly between fashion, community building, production, and curation. When did you realize you weren’t just a DJ or a beatmaker, but something bigger?
I’m still the same kid with the same dreams. I just don’t limit myself. I allow myself to be everything. What I’m doing is bigger than music, it’s about leaving a mark and never regretting the ideas I put out. So… if you’re reading this, trust your gut and put your ideas out there.
Let’s talk roots. How did growing up between Algerian, Guinean, and Parisian influences shape the way you hear music — and how did frequent trips to London flip that perspective again?
Growing up with different cultures around me shaped everything. You’re exposed to so much that even you can still surprise yourself sometimes — and that’s the beauty of it. It really taught me that I can do whatever I want. London always shifts something in me. EVERY TIME. The energy, the people, my friends… It pushes me, they’re pushing me and reminds me there’s always a way forward.
Your work feels like it carries emotion even in the most electronic corners. How do you keep sincerity alive in a scene that can sometimes lean toward surface-level cool?
I don’t really care about the scene, or its ”rules”. I – once again – stay true to myself, and that’s how I keep the sincerity alive. Everything you hear is a reflection of what I’m feeling. Now, if that happens to help someone out there — mashallah.
You’ve played sets for everyone from Jean Paul Gaultier to Rinse France. What’s the most surreal moment so far where you thought, “Damn, this is actually happening”?
That still happens every day. Ngl, I don’t have one specific moment. We’re building, “brick by brick”. Even talking to you right now, that’s part of it. I just stay grateful for each moment and keep my eyes on where I’m headed.
Your sound feels both underground and cinematic — like it belongs in a warehouse and a Nicolas Winding Refn film. What does the bigger picture look like for you: an album, a film score, a label, all of the above?
Everything I wish for myself. An album, a film score, Grammys, why not all of it? That’s what I’m seeing right now.
