GhentVincent Storme (32) passed away a good two years ago. The young rapperfrom Nieuw Gent left behind numerous unfinished songs. That bosom friendSpreej now processed into the record ‘Open End’. “I still remember my firstmeeting with Vincent”.
With Jef Neve, Zwangere Guy or Tijs Vanneste, Christophe ‘Spreej’ Cabochemanaged to gather a beautiful circle of musical talent around him. Togetherthey worked on Open End, Vincent Storme’s posthumous album. The rapper fromthe working-class neighborhood of Nieuw Gent took his own life in 2020 at theage of 32.
“Storme still had a lot of unfinished songs,” says Caboche, a soulmate sincechildhood. “In the last years of his life, Vincent was not doing as well,everyone saw that. But I want to show that despite his demons he still madeexcellent music.”
In the end, the whole process took two years. “Longer than expected,” saidCaboche. “But I didn’t want to rush it. The recording sessions were alwaysvery intense. I often had to recover from it for two weeks. Storme was my bestbuddy. It was the first close friend I had to say goodbye to.”
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Ghent rapper Storme. © RV
“Dare to talk”
Storme lived the last years of his life in Nieuw Gent, the social residentialarea near UZ Gent. “I moved there with my mother when I was 16,” says Caboche.“When I first met Storme, he was rapping at the top of his lungs in his livingroom. I was blown off my socks.”
Quote >>> Storme was proud of his neighbourhood, but he sometimes lingered in the dark> side. I hope that the young people now hear his lyrics and realize that they> are not alone. That’s why this call: dare to talk>> Christophe ‘Spreej’ Caboche
“Since that day we have become good friends. I built a studio in one of theblocks and we sat together almost every day. Storme was proud of hisneighbourhood, but he sometimes lingered in the dark side. I hope that theyoung people now hear his lyrics and realize that they are not alone. That iswhy this call: dare to talk.”
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Storme during a performance by Safi & Spreej a few years ago. © RV
Vincent Storme (left) and Spreej at the release of Open Book. © RV
processing process
With ‘Open End’, Spreej elaborates on Storme’s earlier albums. He previouslyreleased ‘Open Book’ and ‘Open Hart’. “We wanted to re-appear ‘Open’ in thetitle anyway. It was a good friend who came up with the name. Everyone wasimmediately sold. It perfectly describes how we feel.”
Quote >>> For me, making the record was a processing process and at the same time a> recognition of his talent. He himself wanted to work with many of the> artists>> Christophe ‘Spreej’ Caboche
“In New Ghent, Storme has not yet been forgotten. After his death, a largegraffiti work was painted in the youth center where he volunteered. For me,making the record was a processing process and at the same time a recognitionof his talent. He wanted to work with many of the artists himself.”
“Storme had already been in contact with Tijs Vanneste. He sent me an emailafter his death when he heard about the record. In the end, Vanneste made hisown version of the chorus of ‘Sometimes’. Storme had already recorded that,but the audio quality was poor. Tijs’ version is simply top notch. We canrightly be proud.”
‘ Open End’ can be found from 16 December at _Spotify . Anyone withquestions about suicide can contact the Suicide Line on the free number 1813or on the website www.zelfmoord1813.be._