One of the best parts about traveling is meeting new people, especially those you establish an instant connection with. In Paris this isn’t the easiest thing to do as the language barrier and the sheer vastness of the city (NYC looks small in comparison) makes finding the local party spots extremely difficult. Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time and had the good fortune of connecting with the boys from Quartiers D’Ete. They got Karistan and I on the guest list to the most happening party in the city at a club called Paris Paris. The event we attended there is held about once a month, and the venue is partly owned by one of the founders of Colette.

Unlike Vancouver’s hipster infested hotspots, there is no cover to get in, the DJ spins classic hip-hop and funk records (not 80’s mash ups on Serato), and the scene isn’t coked-out. Because of the ridiculously high price of liquor (8 Euros per bottle of beer and ten plus per mixed drink) most people just go to dance and rock out with their friends. Inside the club, the roof is illuminated with pulsating carousel lights that strangely add to the excitement of being crammed like a sardine in such a small space. In Paris Paris, by 1:30 AM it’s impossible to hear the person screaming in front of you or dance without knocking someone out.

The event’s crowd is good looking too – they’re modern hippies with style. The girls are natural, tight bodied, and not dressed like whores. They each have their individual style and are a far cry from Vancouver’s Aritzia clones with fake tits, bleached hair and fat lips. (Oh, and Lululemon pants? Hell no, haven’t seen a pair yet.) The dudes are much the same – they select an era and create their own look around it. It’s unique. The energy and vibe is relaxed and accepting, pretentiousness is minimal, and it’s rude not to politely greet one another (male or female) without a kiss on each cheek.

The music was hype: early ‘90s classics from Wu-Tang, Redman, The Beastie Boys, and Nas blasted from the speakers. The party really came to life when Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) by Us3 was played and everyone started playing the air saxophone.

This got me thinking: if Europe is typically two years ahead of what is considered cool in the west, than this ’80s craze in North America is going to be over real quick. ‘90s hip-hop is the new shit (again)!