Rap, wine, and food: the sensory trilogy of Clovis Ochin

There is a difference between those who consume the world and those who feel it. Clovis Ochin belongs to the second group.

Unmistakable figure of the natural wine scene in Paris, rapper with raw words and warm host, he mixes food, sound, and soul with ease. In the French capital, Clovis participated in the latest lookbook of HIGH Company, along with Sain, and we had the opportunity to exchange a few words with him.

In this conversation, Clovis talks about listening as a spiritual practice, the value of intention, and the connection with Brazilian friends. Check it out below:

NOTTHESAMO: You've always seen connection as a key ingredient — whether in wine, music, or friendships. What comes first for you: creation or connection?

Clovis: For me, it's important to create with connection. Because when you create, you create for yourself, but if you want to elevate your creation, if you want to share your creation, you need connection. So, for me, really, the two go hand in hand.

NTS: Is there a parallel between making natural wine and making soul rap? You’ve said it’s not about technique, but about intention. How does this manifest, practically, in both areas?

C: For me, you can be the best rapper in the world, you can have the best technique of all. To be honest, if you listen to someone from the past like Big L, talking about flow, the rhyme technique is impressive. But there are few people who, for me, have that technique in rap. And few that I listen to because of the technique. There’s Big L, there’s KRS-One, and a few others who have that technical mastery. From my point of view, my first album was good, my second too, but now I’ve reached a point where technique doesn’t matter anymore because I see rap as spoken word. That means flowing to give melody to the beat. So, rapping, for me, is having a connection with the beat, but flow isn’t everything. What is everything for me is the intention of the voice. At a certain moment, if you make a melancholic song, you need to listen for a certain type of voice. I’ll use Conway as an example. You know he’s crying at the moment he records. And that, for me, is more important than the flow. It’s the intention of the voice.

NTS: You said listening is the greatest gift — whether in the studio or at a tasting. How do you practice this kind of active silence in your daily life?

C: I talk a lot to myself in my head. I think everyone who makes music or creates, thinks and talks to themselves in silence. So my time of silence is actually quite a bit. I spend time with people during the day, but I wake up every day between 5:30 and 6 in the morning, so my day ends at 10. I don’t like going out and all that, so... To be honest, let’s say from 10 to midnight I’m at home, relaxing. And then I sleep from midnight to 6. Or to 5. And from 5 to 8 is my silent zone. When I see the world waking up, the city waking up, when no one is awake yet — that’s my moment of silence. After the machine starts running, it’s over. It’s all day talking.

NTS: Eating well takes time, listening, and a bit of risk. How has food shaped the way you see life?

C: Food is the nourishment for my brain and soul, so that I can be a better person every day. Without food, I accomplish nothing. Without food, I don’t enter creative mode. The food, the wine I drink, and everything else are made by people I know, with the best quality possible. So yes, I see food as nourishment for the brain.

NTS: You grew up listening to rap and are now working with names like The Alchemist and Conway. How is it to transform this passion into a real dialogue with the artists who shaped your ears?

C: It’s a gift. A gift that I managed to achieve. Without a single euro, without any money. We are friends. When we do something together, there’s never money involved until the moment of... If we decide to make an album or something like that, then we take care of the album and then carry it to someone to sell. But I did a feature with Conway, a song with The Alchemist. When I ask, “Do you want money?” they say, “Please, don’t insult me.” Because when they come to France, we spend time together. And I think I bring to them a part of the culture of wine and food, and they bring me this music that has been in my ears for so long. And it’s really good ”to savor The Alchemist and Conway. Because The Alchemist has been in the game for 40 years. We’re talking about a monster, a guy who has gone through all the eras of hip-hop, who is my friend, and we’re talking about the guy who reconnected me with rap 10 years ago. So, being friends with these people and doing projects with them... Now we’re going to record an album. It’s really something beautiful, because money comes second. Never first. So for me, it’s a gift and a dream. And at the same time, it’s like Zlatan Ibrahimovic. I am confident. I knew that one day I would do this, and I believed in my dream. That’s it.

NTS: You and Sain come from different places, but share this hunger for beauty — in sound, on the plate, in what you wear. How did this meeting in Paris with HIGH happen, and what did it teach you?

C: Simple as a “hello.” I was walking down the street and he said to me, “I love what you do with food and everything, I have this showroom tomorrow.” Then I went with my friend from Starcow. People who smile, have a good soul — I can tell in a minute. It’s in the eyes. The eyes don’t lie. If you look deep into people’s eyes... Because I, when I say hello to someone, I shake their hand, say hi. You know, there are people who say hi but don’t mean it, kiss with this part here, my God. If someone kisses me like that, leave me alone. Don’t kiss me or greet me, you know? It has to be warm. And it was very warm, very kind. Then I went to meet the brand, it’s cool. It has a bit of a Brazilian vibe. You feel it, it’s short, it’s colorful. It’s meant to be in summer, you know? So it was all very simple. Then we went to The Butcher, he called me and said, “Let’s do this,” and that’s it. Simple as saying hello. Simple as being kind to others in the world. It’s simple to be kind to others, to say hello, to be nice and respectful. A respectful relationship with passion. That’s it.

NTS: Good connections change the rhythm of life. If this season were a track, how would it sound? And what would be in the glass while it plays?

C: The track would be one by Arthur Verocai, because I’m with my Brazilian family, and the wine we have now, Les Valseuses, a smooth strawberry juice. Arthur Verocai with Les Valseuses. That would be the moment.