"The J is the S", "En Y" or "Mercééé": become an expert on the vocabulary of Jul, the Marseille rap phenomenon

Phenomenal, like the title of his latest single. In 2025, Marseille rapper Jul walks on water.

After having pulverized the Stade de France gauge on April 26, 2025 (nearly 98,000 spectators), Julien Mari (his real name) is preparing to repeat the feat by filling the Vélodrome stadium twice in a row this Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24 .

In 10 years, the little guy in flip-flops and socks, who rarely appears in the media, has established himself as a behemoth in the French music industry, which he floods (literally) with his sounds. To his credit: 34 albums, some... 1000 titles and 200 certifications .

Adored by some, the thirty-year-old who calls himself the UFO remains for others an unidentified (or even decried) sound object, with an often obscure vocabulary . Want to see more clearly in the texts of this social phenomenon? Here is a useful glossary.

Expression. "The, the J, it's the S (ok), hum, I'm taking out the RS (vroom, vroom)" ( Organized Band , 2020)

The J is THE nickname of rapper Jul, whose real name is Julien Mari . For the simple reason that... it's the initial of his first name. As for the S, it abbreviates the word "blood", popularized by Jul to describe very strong, even family, friendships ( "You are the blood" or "it's the blood of the vein" ). The expression therefore translates as "The Jul is the blood" and means that the rapper is a sort of member of the family.

Expression. “KX en Y, T-Max en Y, P’tit Stunt en Y, Runner en Y” ( En Y , 2015)

The expression "en Y" refers to a figure reproducing the shape of the letter of the alphabet. It consists of tipping your two-wheeler onto its rear wheel while raising your arms. Whether it's a T-Max sports scooter, a KX motocross bike, a Stunt or Runner scooter... It doesn't matter what type of scooter you choose, as long as you have the figure. By extension, the expression "en Y" also describes the act of mastering something, dominating a situation, a sector...

Masculine noun. "Call me the UFO, the letter, or the J" ( Bow , 2018)

We're not telling you anything new. It's the acronym for "unidentified flying object" which also describes "a character, an author, an unexpected, unclassifiable work" , according to the Le Robert dictionary. In Jul's language, it refers to the rapper himself, who also uses a drawing of an alien (quite naive) on his t-shirts, medallions and other goodies.

Masculine noun. "For Team Jul, what do we say? And thank you!" ( Wow , 2025)

The term is a version of the word "merci," pronounced with an accent. According to Le Parisien , it was Marseille footballer Benjamin Mendy, a friend of the rapper, who popularized this pronunciation. Jul uses "mercé" in many songs and has even developed, with his clothing brand D'or et de platine, a "Et mercé la zone" t-shirt, paying tribute to his community of fans.

Feminine noun. "So the zone, what does it say? It's summer, every day is Saturday night" ( Alors la zone , 2021)

Basically, the word is used to describe the neighborhood, the city, the headquarters, the place where one comes from and to which one is connected by a strong sense of belonging. By extension, Jul also uses it to describe his early fans, his crew, his community.

Feminine noun. "She has the look that kills Tchikita. Long hair like Nikita" ( Tchikita , 2016)

In Spanish, the word "chiquita" means a little girl. In Jul's language, it refers to his partner. Unknown to the general public, the woman he thanked at the end of his concert at the Stade de France has reportedly shared his life for many years, even before he became famous. The rapper frequently references her in his songs.

Feminine noun - "Just Ju-Jul in the vago" ( Asalto , 2018)

A slang word used particularly in Gypsy culture, "vago" means car. The term is frequently used by rappers, including Jul, who also use it in the verlan version "gova." The term "gamos," also common in hip-hop sounds, refers to a high-end automobile.

Proper noun. "No need to go to Lacoste anymore, since I'm Gold and Platinum" ( Organized Band , 2020)

Gold and Platinum is the name of the independent label created by the Marseille rapper in 2015, the year he left Liga One Industry following financial disagreements. Abbreviated to D&P, the name can be found on many merchandising items developed by Jul for his fans: tracksuits, jerseys, flip-flops, socks... His latest album, released on April 25, 2025, is called D&P for life . On May 8, 2024, while he was a surprise torchbearer in Marseille, Jul was mocked by internet users who argued that he did not know about the bronze medal after he declared that he wished "all these athletes bronze, silver, gold and... platinum medals!". Failure: this was just a private joke from J for his community.

Expression. "There are too many boco, I'm going to change my number. The young guy, he's crazy, he chases you away after the aperitif" ( After the aperitif , 2025)

Boco echoes the word "mouth." By extension, "to have the boco" therefore means to use one's mouth a little too much, that is, not to hold one's tongue, to talk a little too much, and therefore not to be a trustworthy person.

Feminine noun. "That's how life is. Smoked visor on the Honda. I'm not the prince of the city. But I don't betray the Honda." (That's how life is)

Honda, normally spelled "Onda", refers to the name of a gang in the thriller "The Princes of the City" , an American film directed by Taylor Hackford and released in 1993. By extension, it is used by Jul to refer to the family, the trusted people around him to whom he is bound by a pact of common values.

Adjective. "Yesterday, I was smiling; today, I'm crying; now, I'm done for." ( How It's Gonna End , 2020)

Quillé is a familiar term meaning drunk, drunk.

Name. "I'm doing my leases, leave me here, leave me here..." ( I'm doing my leases , 2018)

Widely used by the younger generation, the term has several nuances of meaning. Having a lease can firstly echo a love affair, a flirtation. Note that it can also be used to describe one's flirtation in the form "it's my lease." "Faire ses bails" can translate as living one's life, one's stories, making one's plans.

Acronym. "You did the BDG. You got trapped. She flung you" ( BDG , 2019) Sensitive souls abstain. BDG, an acronym popularized by Jul, means "gadji bandeur", that is to say a serial seducer of women ("gadji" being a term used by Gypsies to designate a non-Gypsy girl or woman). The female counterpart, BDH is the abbreviation of "man bandeuse" (also called "pick-me") and designates a girl ready to crush the female competition to attract the attention of men. This is an insult widely used among teenagers to tarnish reputations. Note that this last meaning is rather an interpretation made by young people.

In the Jul universe, BDH in the masculine, man-bandeur, also designates a person who admires a man so much that they are ready to do anything to get noticed by him, even if it means bordering on ridicule, crushing others or betraying their friends.

Expression. "You're the one with the hatred, why are you pushing other people's buttons?" ( I Knew Everything , 2022)

Widely used by Jul, the expression "faire des poussettes" means to come into contact with one's opponent to physically try to destabilize him, to seek him out in short, in an unjustified manner, with anger.