One of the world’s top jockeys is behind a project to turn clip-clop into hip-hop. Frenchman Christophe Lemaire is on course to becoming champion jockey for the seventh time in Japan, where he is now based, and has won big races all over the world. Away from the track he has made it his mission to try to connect horse racing with a wider and younger audience.
Two years ago, taking his cue from famous French fashion houses, he launched his own fashion label, CL by Christophe Lemaire. Using the concept ‘street jockey’ his brand has produced a range of clothes based on items jockeys wear at the races. Now he has gone a step further by expanding into the music business with the production of a hip-hop record, which has been called ‘street jockey music’.
The first single ‘Let’s Ride’, featuring Yung Gritty, has now been released from the forthcoming The Winners Circle album, which was recorded at the Dr Dre Pharmacy studios. Lemaire told Mirror Racing: “I have got involved in the co-producing of a hip-hop album with an owner from Seattle in America called Greg Conley and a music producer in LA, Frank Nitty, who is close to Dr Dre.
“We produced a hip-hop album talking exclusively about horse racing, horses, jockeys and races. “The first single came out last week and the full album will be released, maybe in the middle of February, so we will probably have one or two more singles to listen to before then. It’s a very exciting project.”.
