Lange Frans & Baas B

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Lange Frans & Baas B is a Dutch hip hop duo from Diemen. Lange Frans is the pseudonym of Frans Frederiks, Baas B that of Bart Zeilstra. In 1997, after a freestyle session on a basketball court, they started the collective D-Men, together with Frans's brother Brutus. In English the name sounds like Diemen. Their first single, Zoveel Mensen, appeared in 1999, and in 2001 they won a talent contest run by Stichting Grap. Later Brace, Yes-R and Soesi B also joined the collective.

Music and breakthrough

In 2004 they released singles as a duo. Moppie became a big hit, with a chorus sung by Brace. Zinloos, a protest against senseless violence, reached number one in the Dutch chart at the end of the year. After the murder of Theo van Gogh in November 2004 they recorded a version with altered lyrics. Their albums are Supervisie from 2003, Het land van from 2005 and Verder from 2008.

Influence

The lyrics are in Dutch, with a direct, street-smart tone and a light, melodic accompaniment. The duo brought Dutch-language hip hop to a large audience, at a time when it lived mainly in the underground. Success faded after 2006, partly after an incident in which Lange Frans hit a student. In 2008 the single Kamervragen and the album Verder followed, both of which disappointed. In 2009 they announced that they would stop, with a final performance on X Factor.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 2003Supervisie
• 2005Het land van
• 2008Verder

Mentioned in other articles

• Zinloos SongOn 5 October 2004 Zinloos by Lange Frans & Baas B was released, with the singer Ninthe on the chorus.