August 4, 2005

 Rapper has French Lesson Beat

 By: Johann Vannisselroy

 Twelve years ago Steven Langlois was a teacher in Ontario, Canada.

Today he is an award-winning hard rock/rap artist, named Etienne.

Never heard of him?

It’s probably because he performs in French, using music as a motivational tool to help spread the language.

Etienne took to the stage in Dunedin yesterday in front of an audience of 350 high school French pupils, punctuating his performance with cries of “come on” and “you guys are great”.

The mostly female audience, lapped up his antics as he postured, rapped and howled around the Bayfield Auditorium.  Some screamed, some gave him high fives and others simply waved placards towards the stage.

Etienne said in North America they call him the children’s Eminem but there were no swear words, no dwarfs and no drug-taking at this show.

“I’m loud and obnoxious but that’s where it ends,” he said.

An educator rather than an aggravator, 12 years ago the languages teacher wrote songs for his pupils, in an effort to help them understand verbs.

“A teacher found out about these songs and encouraged me to record them.  I released an album, sold tens of thousands of copies and got concert requests from all around the world.

“I’m pretty blessed.”

He has won two Canadian MTV awards for his music but manages to stay grounded during his globetrotting lifestyle.

Backstage debauchery is out.

“I’ve brought my wife and kids with me this time – and I go back to being a teacher when I return to Canada.  I’m lucky the school board is so supportive.”  Using music appealing to today’s youth goes a long way to helping them remember French, he said.

“You go to most education shows and there’s a guy sitting there on a stool with an acoustic guitar.

“That’s not me.  I like loud, in-your-face stuff.  I grew up listening to metal and that’s what I like.

“They seem to like it too.  It sticks in their head.”