Even before his teenage years, Benjamin tried his hand at the drums, eventually switching to guitar. He earned his stripes by recording demos and performing live shows with a rock influence. In the 2000s, he discovered hip-hop and sampling. Under the alias ProleteR, he released his first boom bap beats in 2009. Thanks to the internet, "April Showers", a track from his first EP released in 2011, gained international success. Identified as an electro-swing producer, he gained momentum by releasing a series of projects. This year, he released his fifth album, "Temperamental Cats”. He’s now touring with three horn players and dreams of performing in the United States, the birthplace of the music that inspires him. Here's an interview with a digger and sample manipulator who’s bringing swing back to life for a new kind of dance.

Welcome! Drink of choice?
A Martini sounds good, but I try to stay sober as much as I can, so maybe just a lemon ginger tea (laughs).

Where did you grow up, in what kind of artistic environment, and did you have vinyl records at home?
I was born in Toulouse but moved around a lot as a kid, spending a few years in the Paris suburbs (95) before eventually settling in a small town near Toulouse. My dad had a decent vinyl collection, mostly rock. There were lots of amateur musicians around, my dad’s friends, my uncle, so music was always present. We had an old Pearl drum set lying around at home, which I started messing around with, but I quickly switched to guitar around age 8 or 9. My older brother took up drums, so we formed a band together from a young age.

Before becoming a beatmaker, you played guitar in bands. Did you release any records? What do you take away from that period?

We mostly recorded demos on old mini-disc or DAT multitracks, some in studios, some DIY. I still have the tape from my very first band; I must have been 12 or 13. We took it seriously, but it was all very local and amateur. Still, it was a real initiation into the artist’s life, it’s where I learned everything. I performed a lot back then, played many local band competitions in the second half of the '90s. These contests were serious, with headliners and everything (laughs). I guess that’s when I subconsciously realized this was my path. It was exciting and formative, a beautiful period in my life.

What sparked your transition into making boom bap beats? Was it related to your move? And why did you leave Toulouse? Are you back now?
I left Toulouse to follow my girlfriend at the time. I felt like I was reaching the end of a cycle and needed to cut ties with my environment and family. I’d already started experimenting a bit, recording demos with a mini-disc, my guitar, and my synth’s drum machine. That was my first taste of production, mostly influenced by trip hop and the experimental stuff from Warp and Ninja Tune. Then in Strasbourg, I went all-in. I got a Yamaha RS7000, a sampler meant for techno, and started making hip-hop loops. I met some guys, especially Erkan, who really educated me on hip-hop culture. Everything aligned and pushed me into beatmaking. I’m a control freak, so being able to create complete tracks from home, without renting a studio or dealing with others, that blew my mind. Sampling hit me like a wave and completely redefined how I approached music. It opened up a new world, and I dove in headfirst.

When did you come up with the name ProleteR? Is it a tribute to the working class?
I came up with the name around 2009, during the Myspace era, when I started uploading my first beats. The name isn’t random, class issues have always resonated with me and shaped my worldview. At the time, I was working crap jobs, mostly manual labor in big-box retail. That was my life. I come from a family that fluctuated between social classes. I remember debt collectors coming to the house, then my dad eventually becoming a manager without even finishing high school. So I can’t say it was strictly a working-class family, but my experiences and environment were definitely rooted in that world.

Many people separate boom bap from electronic music. What do you think, especially since your music is often labeled electro swing?
I never saw myself as an electro swing producer, in fact, I didn’t even know the genre existed when I released my first album. These labels are mostly for record stores or Spotify playlists. By default, my most popular tracks ended up in those playlists, so now the label sticks, even though my catalog is way broader in style. I consider myself an electronic producer in the broad sense, hip-hop, swing, French touch, German electro... Genres become limiting when your music crosses boundaries. You can’t escape the boxes, but I try.

Your music found success abroad first, especially with "April Showers." Was that the goal?

Not at all. I had no career plan, no strategy, I was working in a factory and had like 500 SoundCloud followers. Making a career out of music wasn’t even on the table. I made my first album very intuitively, with zero calculation. The success of April Showers, especially in the U.S., was a complete surprise, unexpected and out of my control.

The boom bap scene in France has grown, but there's a sense of sameness. You’re touring with L’Entourloop now, but you didn’t even listen to them before, right?
Yeah, when I released my first album in 2011, I was mostly into RJd2, DJ Shadow, Wax Tailor, Blockhead. Ours Samplus and L’Entourloop came later. I wasn’t part of the scene yet.I identify first as a boom bap beatmaker, that’s my foundation. But over time, I’ve drifted a bit. I’m too associated with swing to be seen as a true OG boom bap guy. And like you said, the lo-fi/boom bap scene has turned into this “gold standard” of “good music,” almost nostalgic to a fault. I’m kind of over that. My goal now is to be seen as a French touch producer. 

What’s the difference between jazz and swing? Isn’t swing also a dance?

Yes, swing is a dance style too. But I’m no expert (laughs). Musically, swing has a specific rhythmic feel, a bouncy groove with syncopation. It’s more accessible than jazz, often includes vocals, very melodic and danceable. It’s linked to big bands and has a festive, post-Great Depression vibe.

Do you sample swing often because the music is over 75 years old and in the public domain?
I started sampling swing by accident, honestly. It wasn’t about being public domain, though that became helpful later. It was one of those happy accidents. I inherited a crate of vinyl from my grandmother’s late husband, he was a jazz and swing nut. That led me to the sound that became my signature. I didn’t realize at the time that I was building an identity. I was just making tracks and having fun. But I started noticing that swing samples worked better, they had something special.

Was it hard to clear the sample in "By Your Side"? Who did you sample for this title that I used for my film Star Wax meets Filipino writers?
Thanks! Actually, that one wasn’t hard at all, it came from Tracklib, a platform that offers pre-cleared samples with ready-to-go licenses. It’s a revolution for diggers. I try to build all my current projects using Tracklib now because clearing samples is a nightmare. I’m not into self-snitching, so I’ll make an exception for you, the sample is “I’m Satisfied” by Kittie Stevenson. I found another version of the song by a different artist, which gave me more elements to work with. That allowed me to layer, add depth, and manipulate parts from both versions.

Why did you choose Christophe Chapelle, and did you ever meet Carl Craig?

Christophe and I go way back, our bands used to cross paths in our teenage years. We had mutual friends, and the mother of his kids is my son’s godmother. So it felt natural that we’d work together eventually. He’s been mastering all my projects for over a decade. As for Carl Craig, never met him.

From your first album in 2014 to "Temperamental Cats", has your production style evolved? Did becoming a father influence your drum patterns?
Yes, my production has definitely evolved. I sharpened my skills, I started with hardware samplers and a very minimal, innocent approach. Switching to Ableton around 10 years ago was a turning point. Over time, I began to see myself more as a producer than just a beatmaker. That shift led me to broaden my sound, make more sophisticated tracks, and explore new genres and techniques. I’m not sure if my son influenced my drums (never thought of it that way), but yes, I’ve expanded my creative range. Moving beyond classic hip-hop patterns was a big shift for me.

There were scratches on “Tribute To The Master Vol. 1.” Were those yours? Why are there none on the new album?
Tribute To The Masters was more of a maxi-series than full albums. DJ Vega did the cuts on the first one. After that, all the scratching on my projects was done by Mendosam, who toured with me for eight years. He wasn’t available during the album’s final stages, and I didn’t feel cuts were necessary this time. I don’t add scratching just for the sake of it, it has to serve the music.

Working with MCs is also new, right?
Not really, I’ve done a few collabs from the start. Taskrok on my first album, then Awon, Ruinz Ason... So I’m super happy to have Napoleon Da Legend and Spark Houston on this project. But it's not a priority for me to rack up features.

Since 2023, it feels like things are accelerating. Tell us about working with Dutch producer LVDS.
Maybe not accelerating, but shifting. Despite some success, I operated like a semi-amateur for years. I recently decided to take it seriously, got a manager, and a distribution deal. That gave me a better structure and maybe that’s what you’re seeing now. LVDS reached out for a collab, we made “Family Values” and the process was smooth and fun. I liked it so much that I suggested we turn it into a full EP.

You have Spanish roots. Are you into Spanish music?

Yes, I’m of Spanish origin, but I wouldn’t say I’m passionate about Spanish music. I do enjoy Latin music more broadly, Spanish-language stuff, but not necessarily from a digger’s perspective. I love the creativity in Latin American music, even mainstream stuff like Rosalía.

Do you still buy vinyl? Are you into NYC hardcore? Heard about James Brandon Lewis’s project with a Fugazi member?
I’ve spent a fortune on vinyl over the past 15 years, dug like a madman. But lately, I’ve slowed down. I mainly bought records to sample, but after all the trouble with clearance, I now try to stick to pre-cleared catalogs like Tracklib. Honestly, I wasn’t aware of that Fugazi project, thanks for the tip. I’m really into post-hardcore right now, like Touché Amoré and La Dispute.

How was the transition from solo live to playing with a brass section?
It came from a chat with my manager, we wanted to highlight the live and musical side of the show. Since brass is already such a big part of my arrangements, it made total sense. I found a killer team of musicians, and it all came together naturally. Working with talented players like that is easy.

Is moving away from sampling a goal or is it part of your identity?

I’ve made a few tracks without samples, like “Chasing the Clouds” with Devi Reed. I started as a songwriter in bands, so writing songs is nothing new for me. But as ProleteR, sampling is part of my DNA. I love the textures and layers, it’s an art form in itself. It’s hard to give that up. It’s part of what makes me, me.

Do you have any other passions? You mentioned wanting to write a novel.
Yeah, that’s true! It’s been on my mind for years, even if I don’t have a clear idea yet. Otherwise, I’m kind of monomaniacal, I dabble in literature, geopolitics, and film, but nothing in-depth outside of music.

What’s next for ProleteR?

Up next: shows with the brass section, an EP with Spark Houston, a collab with Lil Fish, a new and surprising ProleteR EP, and hopefully a U.S. tour soon.

Interviewed by Dj coshmar / photo par Damien Warcollier.