French beatmaker ProleteR has established himself over the past decade as a leading figure in the international electro, nu-jazz, swing-hop and instrumental hip-hop scenes. Blending vintage jazz samples, boom-bap grooves and electro-soul textures, he has developed a warm, instantly recognizable sound that bridges nostalgia and modernity. With more than 200 million streams worldwide and a devoted audience across Europe, North America and Asia, his music has played a key role in shaping the global identity of swing-infused hip-hop Born on 20 October 1982 in Toulouse, Benjamin Roca is a French music producer and musician known under the stage name ProleteR. He began making music at an early age, first playing the drums on his father’s instrument before learning the guitar during his teenage years. He initially performed in several local rock and punk bands, then shifted his focus to music production at the age of 20. In 2003, he moved to Strasbourg to study sociology, before continuing his education in journalism in Paris. He later returned to Toulouse, where he briefly worked in a factory while releasing his first musical productions online under the name ProleteR. ProleteR officially launched his career in 2011 with the release of the EP Curses from Past Times. Blending jazz and swing samples with hip-hop beats, his music quickly gained international recognition. He followed with the EPs Feeding the Lions in 2013 and Rookie in 2015. Between 2014 and 2023, he also released the Tribute to the Masters trilogy, a series of EPs paying tribute to major figures of jazz and soul music. In 2016, he recorded a DJ set for the YouTube channel Le Mellotron, which has since accumulated over one million views. He continued with the EPs Life Playing Tricks in 2017 and Bubbles in 2018. In 2022, he released the album Fairuz. That same year, the Bordeaux-based label Banzaï Lab invited him to take part in a project combining hip-hop and classical music: an orchestral version of Alone After All was recorded with JOSEM (Orchestre Symphonique de l’Entre-deux-Mers) to mark the label’s 15th anniversary. In 2024, ProleteR collaborated with Dutch producer LVDS on the EP Moonswings. He has performed internationally, including appearances at the Zénith de Paris alongside Gramatik, and has toured with artists such as Wax Tailor, L’Entourloop, Parov Stelar, and Chinese Man. Throughout his career, he has also been involved in numerous remix projects and has collaborated on albums with artists including Lyre Le Temps, Boogie Belgique, Chinese Man, Wax Tailor, Al’Tarba, Degiheugi, and Smokey Joe & The Kid. In 2025, he released his fifth studio album, Temperamental Cats, a project combining old-school influences with elements of soul, jazz, and hip-hop. The album features several collaborations, notably with Franco-American rapper Napoleon Da Legend, Canadian rapper Spark Houston, and Japanese producer Takada Fu. To support the release, ProleteR returned to the stage accompanied by three French jazz musicians: Adrien Dumont, Alexandre Galinié, and Baptiste Techer. On 4 July 2025, he also released the single Rainfall (Imagine That) in collaboration with American rapper Blu and Canadian rapper Spark Houston. In September 2025, he released Atlas(t), a maxi project oriented toward world music, built around samples collected from different regions of the world. On 28 November 2025, he unveiled Tales of Piotr and Anieta, a musical project created in collaboration with Brazilian illustrator PLIM, developed for a visual exhibition presented in France. In December 2025, ProleteR embarked on his first tour in the United States. He concluded the year with a concert at La Maroquinerie in Paris alongside producer Degiheugi. His new album, Bricolage, was just released on May 1. ProleteR returns with a warm and playful blend of swing and nu jazz. The first single, “Things of the Past,” introduces the album with a smooth fusion of neo-soul and sampling, enhanced by subtle swing elements. “Do It” (focus track) leans into a more vibrant electro-swing energy, featuring Lyre le Temps, a major figure in the global electro-swing scene.

Jazzy chill-hop beatmaker and rapper