Nov 3/06
Thiaroye, then up up
I thought after all the buzz around the Awadi post I’d post some more current Senegalese hip-hop today.
The other half of Positive Black Soul, Duggy Tee (formerly Doug-E Tee – gotta love that name change), also has his own solo thing going on. Personally I think that Awadi has more talent, but Duggy Tee is really popular with the rap kids in Dakar. He must be rapping something cool in Wolof slang that I can’t understand.
Wagëblë is making a go for it. They won the 2005 Senegal Hip-Hop awards and have some good publicity buzz. Check-out their well-designed web site, MySpace page. There’s also a YouTube video of today’s track. The shots of Dakar, Gorée and Thiaroye are great.
The last group I don’t know anything about except that they remind me a bit of The Gambia’s Dancehall Masters. It’s always nice hearing the kora incorporated in to the local rnb and hiphop sound. I can imagine a heavily made-up Viviane doing vocals for these guys.
ps- any of you have a 2-3 pièces apartment for me to rent in Paris? It’s worth asking.. especially in a city where you have to visit 30 places before finding something decent. Send me an e-mail if you have a lead and I’ll bless you with African music for life.
Duggy Tee – Beugueuloul
Wagëblë – Senegal
Mama Balla – Beautiful
Thanks for the diversity of songs. I far prefer the Mama Balla one, simply because the music (with the kora) really represents something African. A lot of the rap I hear from Africa seems to have talented voices, but the music is way too derivative, imported, lame.
Was just watching Wagëblë on YouTube, which led me to an interesting video on Hip Hop in Uganda. Definitely worth a look. Interesting woman rapper named Rah-P was included. Have any of her tracks? Or others who — like Mama Balla or Gokh-Bi System — incorporate traditional instruments into their hip hop?
Having listened to a lot of Afrikan music through the years I never thought that I could get into Rap,but hearing PBS’s Boul Ma Mine version opened my ears to a new dimention.At the same time I also see eyeball to DJ Earball,but must add that for me Reggae even though imported(exported?)works well,like Didier Awadi rapping over Tiken Jah Fakoly’s Quitte Le Pouvoir or over samples of classics,like Reggie Rocktone doing his Hip-Life thing on some classic Fela.This was also done by Branford Marsalis on his Buckshot LeFonque album with Maya Angelou doing a poem over Fela’s Beast of No Nation.Then the kora mostly works for me too, especially like the song,Afrique,ne paie pas !(the instrumental version),a kora mixed with a breakbeat,soothing stuff.Off tthe album Attac Ta Dette 2003. Greentings Samboerou PS.Where could I send you some tracks, Matt
..wow, that Uganda video is great. I don’t have anything from Uganda, but if someone out there does please get in touch.
-Matt
Oh wow! How can I get a copy of that Mama Balla song? I have fallen deeply in love with it. I am headed to Guinea in January with the Peace Corps USA, and am so excited to learn more about West African hip hop/IDM!
Thanks for the songs,i haven’t listened African Hip Hop and this is a good beginning.
Being that I am American and grew up on american based hip hop, I was very please listening to several Duggy Tee’s albums that your brother Amish played for me today. I was very impressed and I’m looking forward to meeting you when you come to America.