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ARTICLE - BBC World Service - Trinity Hip-Hop Festival
World hip-hop questions US rap
A recent international hip-hop festival which brought together rap artists from around the world has raised the question of why non-US rap is so political - whereas mainstream American rap appears frivolous. Many of the performers at the three-day Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival in Hartford, Connecticut, were critical of the way that US rap - which is by far the best-selling - appears concerned mostly with money, drugs and sex, and has little to do with its roots in the angry political expression of groups like Public Enemy or KRS One. "There's this negative perception of hip-hop as being a criminal artform, as being the home of the uneducated and non-thinking people," said Nigerian MC Oke. "When you go across the continents of the Earth, people are embracing hip-hop as the force to change and transform the world." 'Sex, money and drugs' The artists, who came form countries as diverse as Brazil, Kenya, and Iraq, were brought together by the record label Nomadic Wax, in collaboration with a group of Hartford students and American non-governmental organisation World Up. The festival was designed to promote international understanding and community development through hip-hop. Rolando Brown, of event sponsors the Hip-hop Association, said the festival highlighted there was "more of a focus on positive community development" outside the US. "Some will argue that it's because of a lack of an economy, others would say it's because the international market has always been a little bit more conducive to development than the US has," he added. MC Dola, a Tanzanian rapper who is one of the biggest-selling artists in East Africa, said that outside of the US, stars maximise their appeal by talking about social issues and rapping in their own language. "We have been able to filter out the elements of sex, money and drugs - you don't get that in Tanzania," he explained. "You don't get airplay if you talk about these things in your music. Over 99% of the rap in Tanzania is in Swahili - and it actually has a political message to it. "They are the records that sell and appeal to a wider demographic of people than any type of music." Changing market However, many artists in Hartford blamed the current preoccupations of US hip-hop on the music industry, and stressed they believe record labels and radio conglomerates are actively promoting negative stereotypes to bury rap with a positive or political message. "Being sensational about violence or sex or drugs is a huge part of it," said Chee Malabar, a rapper with Asian-American act The Himalayan Project. "It's easier for Americans to buy into that than it is to look in the mirror and say, 'some of the social policies and institutional hierarchies are messed up'. "That's hard to sell, and ultimately it's about selling." But Jacqueline Springer, of the BBC's urban music station 1Xtra, said that she strongly disagreed with this opinion. "People haven't appreciated that although rap is the biggest-selling genre now, it's layered, so there are people who are underground, who have more of a political voice," she said. She also pointed out that the age of the average rap fan has decreased, which has transformed what rap artists produce. [img]http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41609000/jpg/_41609408_chee203.jpg[/img] "They don't really want to hear about your opposition to George Bush - they'd much rather hear about what you want to do with George Bush's wife," she said. "They don't want too much politics or too much sociological content rammed down their throats, because they're looking at rap as a fantasy - 'if I can famous, I can get iced-out teeth as well'."  |
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ARTICLE - Block Magazine
It’s Not Where You’re From, It’s Where You’re At
Nomadic Wax Brings Senegal Hip-Hop to Brooklyn By Jack Hamilton Upon the most surface listening, the veteran rap duo BMG 44’s most recent release, a track titled simply “44”, sounds virtually indistinguishable from something you’d hear rolling out of a car on your block in Brooklyn. The chorus is ragged and sounds like an anthem, a la Ja Rule or DMX (or even ONYX?), while the flow on the verses is more polished but no less forceful, invoking more than a shade of classic KRS-One. The beat is true-school, through and through, owing as much to the legacies of Pete Rock and DJ Premier as any great hip-hop track should. Upon anything more than the most surface listen, however, while you would undoubtedly still hear these traits, what would most likely catch your ear first is the fact that you can’t understand a single thing these MC’s are saying. BMG 44 are rapping in Wolof, which unless you’ve spent significant time in Gambia, Mauritania or, in the case of BMG 44, Senegal, would probably sound vaguely like French but not much else. Already a classic in Senegal, “44” is the opening cut off “African Underground, Vol. 1: Hip-Hop Senegal”, a compilation that stands as the flagship release of a small, Brooklyn-based record label called Nomadic Wax. Featuring fourteen tracks from various Senegalese MCs, all of whom are legends on the wildly popular hip-hop scene of their small, West African country, but thoroughly unknown almost anywhere else, “African Underground, Vol. 1” hits American stores on November 30th. With its unveiling, Nomadic Wax has set its eyes on a heretofore unprecedented level of international exposure for both Senegalese hip-hop and, ultimately, African hip-hop in general. The founder of Nomadic Wax is a 28-year-old Brooklynite Ben Herson, whose passion for African hip-hop is surpassed only by his belief in Nomadic Wax’s ability to take this music, and these artists, to unimagined heights. Herson, with the help of engineer Dan Cantor, produced and recorded all of the tracks on “African Underground, Vol. 1”, a labor that represented the culmination of a ten-year love affair with Senegalese music. Raised in the Boston area, Herson began studying drums at a young age, and at the age of 15 became acquainted with a Senegalese drummer, also living in Boston. The two became friends, and ten years later, Herson made his first trip to Senegal. “To be honest, when I started going to Senegal it was really just to study drums, that was my intention,” says Herson. “My first time there I was only there for two weeks, and the second-to-last day I was there I was just in the marketplace, checking it out. The way the music industry works over there, there are these little shacks that sell all the cassettes, and there are about 20 or 30 of them in a given marketplace. You can pretty much get anything you’re looking for; and I saw that there was a whole bunch of local hip-hop and decided to check it out. I grabbed a couple cassettes, took them back home, and just started listening.” Herson, who’d been listening to hip-hop for about as long as he could remember, was moved by what he heard on the cassettes; so moved that, in 2000, he found himself writing his senior thesis at Hampshire College on Senegalese hip-hop. The next year he returned to Senegal, this time with some bare-bones beats and a newfound desire to actually record the MC’s who’d first inspired him. “After I finished writing my thesis, I kept in touch with a lot of the MC’s and went back in 2001 to start to record,” recalls Herson. “My original intention was just to stay as a production company; it was never, ever my intention to start a record label with this thing. It was just to produce the music and find somebody else to release it.” Over the next three years, Herson honed his production skills and began enlisting the help of other New York-based musicians. Soon he had established a studio in Bed-Stuy, and had begun collaborating with other African artists living in the US. Herson’s initial reluctance in starting a label of his own was overcome by his excitement over the possibilities he saw developing. Since completing work on “Vol. 1”, Herson has turned his efforts towards Nomadic Wax’s next project, a volume of Tanzanian hip-hop; eventually he and his company hope to record a compilation for every country in Africa with a prominent hip-hop scene. In the meantime, Nomadic Wax has secured both domestic and international distribution for “African Underground, Vol. 1: Hip-Hop Senegal”, which hits stores in America November 30th and is penciled for a mid-March release in Europe. Besides having huge expectations for the compilation’s potential impact, especially in Europe, where an ever-growing West African population has been largely ignored by music distributors, Herson and Nomadic Wax are thrilled at the prospect of hopefully rewarding the artists on “African Underground, Vol. 1” with previously unknown economic success. “The way the industry is set up in Senegal, even if you’re selling tons of cassettes, you can’t survive on that,” explains Herson. “Cassettes are manufactured for about a dollar, and sell for about a dollar-fifty. Unless the artists are tapping into the Western market, that’s the only way they’re going to make any money, and the only way they have made any money. And we’re not even talking a lot of money; just enough to come home off the road and give their parents a little bit of dough, and maybe buy a new pair of sneakers.” At the very least, the release of “African Underground, Vol 1: Hip-Hop Senegal” will be responsible for putting a few more dollars in a mother’s pocket, and a few more pairs of sneakers on a few more pairs of feet. But if the passion and purpose behind Nomadic Wax is any indication, Ben Herson and his artists might be on the verge of something far more lasting, and far more monumental. To read this article online,click here! |
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ARTICLE - Valley Advocate
Nomadic Beats
A ground-breaking underground hip-hop album from Senegal sets the stage for things to come in hip-hop. by Brita Brundage - November 4, 2004 Ben Herson, aka "Benny Beats" listened to hip-hop, played in various ska and reggae bands including Skavoovie and the Epitones and created some rudimentary beats. But becoming a primary producer for African underground hip-hop? That was a fluke. It started in 1998, when Herson's Senegalese friend, another drummer, invited him to travel to West Africa to learn the elements of Senegalese-style drumming from native teachers. While meandering through a marketplace, Herson bought a few local hip-hop cassettes. The music they contained struck him as an entirely new variation of American hip-hop. "I was blown away that hip-hop existed in Africa," said Herson. "I wasn't prepared for how organically it could travel with cassettes, because there's really not an integrated industry." The music major was equally impressed by how the Senegalese artists had "interjected local language, styles and themes" in their music. Attending Hampshire College in Massachusetts, Herson had been focusing primarily on Jamaican music, and saw in the Senegalese hip-hop an obvious parallel. As Jamaicans created ska and reggae by trying to imitate American R&B artists such as Chubby Checker, African hip-hop artists had taken the form of hip-hop and used it as a medium for addressing political, social and even religious issues. There was no question Herson wanted to change the focus of his studies. After convincing his school committee, he studied Wolof, the Senegalese indigenous tongue, at Columbia. He picked it up much easier than he did French, which would work to his advantage. "In Senegal, if you're white," he said, "they expect you to speak French." For the next three years, Herson spent his summers in the capital city of Dakar, listening to rap artists on the streets, at concerts, open mics and parties. He crafted a thesis around the music he heard called "Fat Beats, Dope Rhymes and Thug Lives" and its transforming effect on the local government. Senegal had been controlled by Socialist president Abdou Diouf, who ruled from 1981 until 2000 through political patronage and fraud at the polls. In the 2000 elections, a popular movement, influenced in some measure by politically-charged widespread hip-hop, unseated the longtime ruler and elected Democratic opposition candidate Abdoulaye Wade, a huge victory for the people. With Wade came the assurance that the electoral process worked, that government could no longer ignore the needs of its people, that progress would not come at their expense through sell-off to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. There was one song in particular, by a laid-back hip-hop artist named Omzo, that had swept Senegal, and helped, in Herson's view, to spur the electoral victory. The song is titled, "Kunu Abal Ay Beut," Wolof for "The Hand that Feeds is the Hand that Rules," and it stretches on for over seven minutes at an excruciatingly slow pace aided by a sad guitar line. "It was playing on the radio constantly," says Herson. "You couldn't get in a cab and go from point A to point B without hearing it." Its content explored all the failures of post-Colonial Senegal, including the intrusion of the IMF and World Bank in a way that Herson says was "one of the most eloquent I've seen from an MC past or present." What had previously been a music form for the younger generation, from whom the elders, traditionally, did not take lessons, became, through Omzo's song, a unifying force. "People in the older generation were willing to listen to what this young kid had to say because he was so eloquent," says Herson. "It got young people out to the polls and older people to reconsider their position." The success of Senegal's democratically elected change in government struck a particularly strong chord for Herson, as he watched the U.S. democratic process unravel at home. With George W. Bush's 2000 presidential win coming at the hands of the Supreme Court and botched poll results, the comparison couldn't be more striking. "While the United States seeks to 'export' its own model of democracy to the developing and Muslim worlds," Herson writes in the liner notes to African Underground Vol. 1: Hip-Hop Senegal , "Senegal, a country with a religious majority of 92% Muslims, held an election that could be characterized as more democratic than our own..." The album, hitting stores this November, is the first in a series of African hip-hop albums that Herson is producing through his company, Nomadic Wax, and it upholds the standards laid out by Omzo's transforming track. On the compilation, Omzo, in his easy, loose, Q-Tip-esque style, does "Missalu Aduna" or "The Philosophy of Life," another vision of the way the world works. All the songs were recorded in a converted community center in Dakar on portable recording equipment, with the help of Dan Canter, an ASCAP-winning recording engineer. The effect of Herson's plain-cut beats and instrumental flourishes draws a direct correlation to old-school American hip-hop. It's boiled-down and clean and gets its point across even with the language barrier. The established Senegalese group BMG 44 on the song "44" is one of many groups that comes across with a hardcore edge, the voices croaky and rough, the beats direct, the feeling forceful. Las MC's song, "Africans Don't Wanna Understand," is equally aggressive, with lyrics, in Wolof, calling for the Senegalese to hold onto their traditional values. His voice has been compared to the thundering sound of an elephant, earning him the nickname "Mr. L'Elephant." Sadly, Las died in a motorcycle accident in 2002. While the songs are several years old here, they are such a departure from mainstream hip-hop that they sound undeniably new. Song after song addresses political, social and religious issues (song descriptors in the liner notes help). Simon (Bis Bi Klan)'s track "Chagga" ("Bitch") takes on the evildoers who have strayed from the path of righteousness with a slow, deliberate delivery style dropping words with precision. It's obvious, even without knowing the words, he's got something serious on his mind. "The Islam that they practice," says Herson, "is meditation, prayer and peace. Religion is such a strong presence and in so many ways reflected in the rap music. Those values are taught at such a young age in the daras (schools) where the first thing they learn to read is the Koran. All the materialism and the misogyny gets filtered out." Besides religion, the Senegalese struggle with rampant poverty. Unlike American rappers, says Herson, "They can't be lulled into the sleep of materialism. They end up having to deal with real life." An artist like Shiffai, who sings primarily in English and currently lives in Brooklyn, is the most obvious candidate for cross-over, not least of which because he's the least political voice on the album. One song "Shiffai," with its easy-bumping beats and female vocal choruses, goes so far as to rhyme "yippee yi yo" with "mafioso." But whether the song is obvious or not, it's accessible, and Herson isn't so worried about those kinds of distinctions. English is a third language for Shiffai, he explains, and the MC has been as influenced by the U.S. since his move as his home country. This is his identity. The mainstreaming of the more outspoken international hip-hop artists "is going to happen eventually," says Herson. "It's a natural cycle of life but it's also sad, because it doesn't need to be that way. The market goes where the money goes. If people are talking about deeper subjects, the markets would go that way." But as Omzo did in Senegal, artists can do in the U.S. Let a few easier-to-swallow MCs like Shiffai through the door, and who knows who else might kick on through. To read this article online,click here! |
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INTERVIEW - Fly Magazine- UK
African Underground Vol 1 - Hip Hop - Senegal
Five years ago, Ben Herson travelled to Senegal and was blown away by the skills of the local hip hop talent. He returned with his ‘mobile guerrilla-style’ production techniques and has just released a great album on his own label, Nomadic Wax. We have had words. Why is hip hop so popular in Africa? How does it relate to local culture? Hip hop is popular for a number reasons: on a cultural level, the idea of speaking, singing and rhyming over a raw beat is not a foreign idea for most countries in Africa. In 2000, the rappers helped to oust Abdou Diouf in the first peaceful democratic election ever in Senegal. Generally speaking, most African counties have some sort of oral tradition which is accompanied by a beat and little else. Because of this, it has led to a much more widespread acceptance and intergration of American hip hop in Africa. In Senegal, for example, they have an oral spoken word poetry called Tallif which has been around for 1,000 years! Hip hop has also been used as a tool for the youth of Senegal to engage in a meaningful dialogue with their elders and politicians about their displeasure with their country’s political and religious leaders. Prior to the emergence of a hip hop culture in Senegal, it was not quite acceptable to use music as a form of political protest especially for the youth. With the rise in popularity of local, socially-concious hip hop groups, the MCs have become more outspoken than any other musical movement in Senegalese history. The result was overwhelming when, in 2000, the rappers helped to oust Abdou Diouf in the first peaceful democratic election ever in Senegal. What does African hip hop have to teach everyone else? It teaches us that music does not have to be merely entertainment or an escape from reality. Nor does it have to be pretentions and didactic.Music can challenge power, educate and awaken minds as well as entertain. Africans have gone though so many struggles from the beginning of the Middle Passage to the present. In spite of the wreckage that colonization wrought, as well as the subsequent dictatorships, civil wars and AIDS, Africans have learned to use hip hop as a tool to express themselves and create their own unique subcultures. Hip hop in Africa is more than just entertainment, it is a tool for self expression and cultural survival. How are you going to top Vol. 1? (Senegal is surely unique?) Senegal is unique! However, there are incredible hip hop scenes all over Africa. Tanzania and Kenya have an incredibly developed music scene with hip hop dominating. South Africa also has a notable hip hop scene. We have plans to work in a number of different countries over the next few years and hopefully we will have a number for different African Underground series available by the end of 2005. We’ve already finished our follow-up session for Senegal and we have over 50 tracks recorded and ready to be picked for our next Hip-Hop Senegal! African Underground Vol 1 - Hip Hop - Senegal was released on Nomadic Wax August 11, 2004 and will be available for download this autumn. |
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INTERVIEW - Heftig Magazine - Germany
Nomadic Wax Records - African Underground Vol. 1: Hip Hop Senegal - 2004
Heftig: Tell more about the project 'African Underground Vol. 1: Hip Hop Senegal'! NWR: We began the project in the summer of 1999. I was busy traveling to Senegal West Africa and I came across some Senegalese hip-hop cassettes in the local market. I became fascinated by the fact that hip-hop had a such a strong hold in West Africa and I decided to find out more about this local phenomenon. I returned the following summer to write a thesis (dissertation) for college about the hip-hop scene in Senegal. I spent three months interviewing rappers, producers and others involved in the hip-hop scene in Dakar. The thesis was titled 'Fat Beats Dope Rhymes and Thug Lives: Youth Hip-Hop and Politics in Dakar' and went on to win a Threshold Grant Award in 2000. Upon returning home, I kept in touch with many of the MCs from there. I was asked to return to record a compilation of the groups that had been influential in the underground scene in Dakar. At that time, no one had gone there to do such a project and the underground scene was largely being ignored by rest of the world. I returned once again in 2001 with a small 8 track hard disc recorder and used a small space in a community center to record the project. From there we experienced some great success with a number of the singles that we released on the radio in Dakar. After a few more years and many recording sessions later, I decided to launch the project in the United States which has been amazing. Heftig: What is the philosophy behind the project? NWR: The philosophy is to produce, record and distribute underground hip-hop from around the world. We have a heavy emphasis on African hip-hop because of the high concentration of talent and because the political and social and political lyrical content of the lyrics in African Hip-Hop are something we wish to promote. Nomadic Wax is about spreading music from these vibrant underground scenes that would never normally have the opportunity to get their music heard outside of their own country. Heftig: How long have you worked on the album? NWR: This album is over 3 years old. We finished it many years ago and released the tracks on the radio in Dakar. While we were working on it it took about a year and 1/2 from beginning till end. Heftig: When and how you became contact to the MCs from Senegal? NWR: This happened in 2000 when I returned to Dakar for my second time. I met people just hanging out in the streets and in the clubs. I learned to speak Wolof (the native language of Senegal) and that helped a great deal as well. People in Senegal are very friendly and incredibly hospitable so that facilitated meeting more people. Heftig: Who produce the instrumentals? NWR: I produced all the tracks with much input from the MCs. The tracks were then mixed by Dan Cantor at Notable Productions in Boston MA. Heftig: Tell more about Nomadic Wax Records! NWR: We're really excited about the development of hip-hop around the world. Hip-hop is more than just rap music, it is the whole culture and philosophy behind it that makes hip-hop so powerful and important. Most people neglect the fact that rap music is only one part of a culture that has many different aspects, 'Knowledge' being the first and foremost. Nomadic Wax is trying to expose the underground scenes around the world that are a positive alternative to the rap music that glorifies all this violence and greed that afflicts so much of hip-hop toady. Heftig: What do you think of the development of Hip-Hop Music? NWR: I think the 'development' of hip-hop has been a two way street. On one hand it has grown and explored new musical ideas and concepts. On the other hand it has taken a few steps backwards and has become complacent in it's larger than life ego and glorification of financial wealth. Hip-hop across the globe will eventually come back to play an important role in the scene in the US. US rappers will see what people are doing abroad and will become influenced by some of this as well. Heftig: Did you already hear some hip hop from Germany? NWR: I haven't heard much but I'm really curious! Heftig: What are your future plans? NWR: We are going to continue working on 'African Underground' compilations exploring other areas of Africa. We plan on a whole series with at least 3 more African Underground series out by 2005. We also have full length albums from some of the MCs featured on the compilation. Omzo 'Jaam Jeex Na' will be out by 2005 Shiffai 'The Chosen One' and a few others in the works. We're also doing a lecture tour speaking about African Hip-Hop. We will be speaking in Essen Germany for the Womex conference in 2004 this Oct which we're honored to be a part of. To read this article online,click here! |
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INTERVIEW - Robots and Brains (UK) - with BENNY BEATS
Ben Herson runs Nomadic Wax, a label just one record old but wise beyond its age. We liked the one record, a compilation, African Underground Volume 1: Hip Hop Senegal a lot. We learned from its wisdom. We wanted to know more.
The record grew out of Ben's college thesis and the trips he made to Senegal between 1998 and 2000, observing the indigenous hip hop culture that managed to be conscious, political and spiritual and also avoid the violence that surrounds the original. After finishing his thesis he returned to Senegal with a portastudio and set up in a community centre where he recorded (and prayed with) rappers from across the country. The tracks were supposed to be released as a double cassette in Senegal but it hasn't quite happened yet. They're rhymed in a mixture of French, English and the Senegalese Wolof language and thankfully steer clear of over-production. A couple of cuts particularly stand out: Las MC blows more than flows over his Africans Don't Wanna Understand, a gruff chorus bursting out of a rap about the loss of traditional values in his society; Slam Revolution's Begguma (featuring BMG 44) drops a jagged riff of strings over half a bass line and a ticking beat while the crew juggle themselves around the mic, a whirlwind of traded verses and that blends raw throatiness and helium bendiness and French and English. The Nomadic Wax label grew out of your college thesis.. In 1998 I was studying at Hampshire College in Amherst MA. At the time, I was writing more about Jamaican music (i.e. ska, reggae, dub) as well as 1960's/70's African music (i.e. afrobeat, hi-life). I had just recently returned from a trip to Senegal where I had been introduced to the local hip hop scene via some cassettes I had bought. I was truly blown away by the music and decided I would make the shift away from writing about Jamaican music which has already amassed some amazing scholarly work, and focus on the hip-hop scene in Africa. Was your research part of a wider study? I would have loved to have been able to do a work on African hip hop as a whole, however it could take years to even begin to grasp the whole pan-African hip hop scene. I decided to focus on one micro-scene - Senegal - because in spite of the small size of the country it has one of the largest and most developed hip hop scenes in Africa. How and where did you start? Before my research began I didn't know what the thesis would be in terms of its scope and focus. I simply went to Senegal, studied the language and tried to immerse myself in the culture and observe in as unbiased a way as possible. I did this for about three months, conducted a number of interviews and translated songs. The end result, my thesis, Fat Beats, Dope Rhymes and Thug Lives: Youth, Hip Hop and Politics in Dakar, took about another 6 to 8 months to complete after returning to the States. Can we get the thesis on the web somewhere? Not yet but soon! I'm going to be turning Fat Beats Dope Rhymes into a more extensive book on Pan-African hip hop. I hope to finish it sometime in 2006. When did you first become interested in Senegal? One of my good friends, Abdoulaye Sall, from Boston where I grew up, is Senegalese. It was really just through him that I became interested in Senegal when I was 15. Of course as time went on I discovered Fela and the whole Afrobeat and Afrofunk moment as well. Abdoulaye is a very talented drummer and was one of my first drum teachers as well as my introduction to Senegalese/Wolof culture. It was Abdoulaye who I travelled with in 1998 to Senegal for my first time. I guess you were a hop hop fan before you started? I've always been a big hip hop fan. The first record that I ever owned was the Fat Boys' first album. Soon after came Run DMC and the Beat Street sound-track. There's always been a lot about the music and the culture that fascinated me and drew me in. The beat, the style and the way people could express themselves through rhyme and dance was something that really blew me away. In the 90's I kept listening but stopped following as closely when the post NWA-fake-gangsta element began to dominate the culture. Ironically enough it though my experiences with African hip hop that I in a sense 'rediscovered' the music and the culture. The African scene gave me a completely renewed appreciation for hip hop. How difficult was it to become accepted as part of the hip hop scene in Senegal? Senegal is a country known for their hospitality (terenga). Anyone who has stepped foot there and spent some time in Dakar's neighborhoods can attest to this fact. Because of this, it makes it incredibly easy to meet people and make friends. The fact that I studied and could speak only Wolof, the local dialect, as opposed to French, the colonial language, made me stand out considering the fact that not many non-Senegalese can speak the language. This helped me a great deal in terms of meeting people and and communicating on a deeper level as opposed to speaking in broken English. I think people looked at me with an open mind and took me for what I was: an American with a deep appreciation and respect for their culture and music. How insular was the scene? Was local hip hop considered less authentic/desirable/something else than the American version? Good question! I think people are very conscious of the the world wide market however there is most definitely a sense of wanting to make music that is distinctly Senegalese as opposed to a carbon copy of American hip hop. MCs in Senegal make obvious references to MCs from the States however, while doing so, they clearly make it their own through their use of Wolof, their choice on lyrical content and general aesthetic. The compilation liner notes say that tracks you recorded while you were there are out and have been hits in Senegal, but.. Contrary to what the liner notes say, the tapes have yet to be distributed in Dakar. This is due in part to the fact that the Senegalese music industry is quite disorganized and funds are often misappropriated. At the time of writing the liner notes (May 2004), the tapes were to have already hit the streets in Senegal well before the International release of African Underground Vol. 1. Although that plan took a different direction, the MCs did take their songs to the radio stations and scored a number of hits. Shiffai, Yat Fu, Sen Kumpa, Slam Revolution and BMG 44 all had songs in regular rotation and many are still played on a frequently in Dakar. Because of the popularity of the tracks and the fact they they were not available to buy on cassette or CD it's given the tracks on African Underground Vol. 1 a certain rare quality. Additionally, two of the MCs (Las MC and Tipse of Slam Revolution) died tragically soon after the CD was recorded. The tracks they recorded with us were some of the last recording of both artists. Do you expect the record to be released in Senegal any time soon? Right now the reason for the delay is because all of the promotional materials, CDs, promos for radio etc are locked up some post office in Dakar. It's been there for almost a year and the MCs cant get it out. As soon as they do Vol. 1 will hit the shelves. However, I'll be returning this Summer/Fall to release Vol. 2 so the second may get out at the same time as the first! Tell me about how you came to start the label. The label came about as a means to an end. I had finished Vol 1 but had no way to put it out. Most labels were not willing to put money into a hip hop product in a language other than English so I decided to do it myself. Sure there's been problems along the way but in the end it's been a great experience on a variety of levels. You mentioned volume 2.. Yes, this is going to be a multi part series. We're continuing with Senegal for Vol. 2 because it's such a huge scene. I wanted to make sure I did it justice on CD. After that it will be Tanzania/Kenya and South Africa. Which Sengalese artists were you closest to? I have a great deal of respect for all of the MCs I've worked with. Of course since I've recorded 50 plus groups, there's bound to be some folks that you find you have more in common with than others. Omzo is an MC with many admirable qualities. As an artist, he's an amazing lyricist and is able to write songs that touch people on deeper level than what most MCs are able to achieve. For example one of Omzo's songs, Kunu Abal Ay Beut, (The Hand That Feeds is the Hand that Rules) is a politically inspired track that scored him a hit in 2000/2001. The track was so powerful that it influenced a large number of young voters in the 2000 election to get rid of the former leader Abdou Diouf. Omzo is a rare breed of musician who is both prolific and talented yet maintains a remarkable sense of humility and kindness toward the world. And I think we'd all agree the world needs more of them. Check out Nomadic Wax at www.nomadicwax.com. To read this article online,click here! |
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INTERVIEW - TAPE OP MAGAZINE with BENNY BEATS & DAN CANTOR
"African Underground Vol. 1: Hip-Hop Senegal"
Interview with co-producers Ben Herson and Daniel Cantor By Jason Hatfield I sat down with cousins and co-producers Ben Herson and Daniel Cantor at Daniel’s Notable Productions studio, over strong, delicious Senegalese coffee. We discussed the first compilation they’ve helped create, their "guerrilla-style" production techniques, and the state of Senegal’s burgeoning underground hip-hop scene. Ben, a drummer and self-described neophyte in the world of recording and production, created the beats and grooves on "African Underground Volume One: Hip-Hop Senegal" over which Senegalese rappers rhyme in Wolof, English, and French. He and his cousin Daniel, also a drummer, as well as an experienced recording engineer, songwriter and producer, traveled to Senegal to record on location a variety of Senegalese rappers, in a hundred-degree community center with just a hard disk recorder, a laptop, and a few inexpensive microphones. The two returned to the States, where Ben used his laptop to edit what they had recorded, and then together they added overdubs and mixed the tracks at Daniel’s studio just outside Boston. The resulting album is a beautiful mélange of slamming beats, subtle musical embellishments, strange noises and an array of intelligent, often overtly political rhymes. To download this very long interview click here! |
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INTERVIEW - Underdog Magazine - Austraila
Hip-hop has started trippin' to West Africa's cultural heartland and is reshaping its identity.
Long ignored by the rest of the world, West African hip-hop is finally making its mark on the global music scene. And Senegal is the undisputed leader of the pack. The "African Underground" series on the Nomadic Wax label has been mining the country's phat beats and dope rhymes, providing an excellent starting point for further musical exploration. Underdog Online interviewed Nomadic Wax founder Ben Herson about the Senegalese old school, new school and everything in between. Ben, how would you account for Senegal’s leading position in the African hip-hop scene? Senegal is a cultural superpower in West Africa. For hundreds of years, the country has been a major gateway for trade and commerce in Africa. Because of this, Senegal has been greatly influenced by other countries and cultures, adapting everything from Islam to soccer and, most recently, hip-hop. Senegal also has a highly advanced and remarkably liberal and independent media. Many countries in Africa have only a few radio stations and newspapers, which are usually government controlled. This is not the case in Senegal, where there are dozens of radio stations and newspapers almost all of which are independently owned and have quite diverse music programming and international news. The open media, as well as the advent of bootleg cassette duplication, has led to an influx of foreign music into Senegal, and especially hip-hop, over the past two decades. It is for this reason that hip-hop culture and music even at its earliest stage has had an incredibly strong influence in Senegal. Today, there are an estimated 3,000 hip-hop groups. How has Senegalese hip-hop evolved since the early days of M.C. Lida and M.C. Solaar? Like its US counterpart, Senegalese hip-hop has evolved tremendously. In the 1980s, many MCs (but not Solaar) were quite concerned with trying to copy the US sound and style as close to the original as possible. Rappers would rhyme in English and often copy American rap lyrics verbatim. This changed with the formation of groups such as PBS, Africa Yefu, Pee Frois and Daara J, who fused the American hip-hop formula with lyrics rapped in Wolof rather than English. In the 1990s a split emerged between the two styles of hip-hop in Senegal, resulting in Hardcore and Rap Ragga Soul. Rap Ragga Soul groups commonly fused Mbalax, which is Senegalese pop, and Reggae with Hip-Hop and R&B. The hardcore groups were primarily dedicated to keeping Senegalese hip-hop culture "authentic" and true to the American underground groups. They were influenced by groups such as Mobb Deep, KRS One, and Das FX. They continued, however, to keep true to their Senegalese identity by rhyming in Wolof. The underground hip-hop music in Senegal proved to be a potent mix of hardcore beats and politically charged and socially conscious rhymes all rapped in Wolof. It was so effective a tool for political chance and raising the public’s awareness that the underground rappers were able to oust the former dictator, Abdou Diouf, in the first peaceful democratic election in Senegalese history. Both movements are still developing but the line is not as divided as it once was. Rappers of all styles are continuing to make music and record albums. Their rise coincides with the emergence of affordable recording equipment. In Senegal today there are many more home studios than in years past. Technology is so advanced that with a modicum of equipment, an MC can produce a relatively professional sounding album for very little money. Groups who have talent are able to showcase their material in ways that previously may have been out of their economic reach. How does Senegalese hip-hop relate to or interact with other forms of music such as Mbalax, both within and outside Senegal? As I mentioned earlier, rap music fused with Mbalax relatively early on in Senegal’s hip-hop history. The combination called Rap Ragga Soul or Mbalax Rap was geared toward the Senegalese mainstream—it was easier for Senegalese ears to digest because of the use of sabar drums and singing which has been popular in Senegalese pop music for quite a while. The underground scene, however, resented this mixture. They felt it compromised hip-hop's true message since many of the Rap Ragga Soul groups tended to rap about love, partying and fun as opposed to the hardcore rappers, who tended to be more politically minded. This doesn't mean that Rap Ragga Soul groups are not political. Quite the contrary. PBS, Senegal’s most famous Rap Ragga Soul group, had many politically conscious songs. But the political stance of Rap Ragga Soul groups as a whole tend to be a bit more ‘centrist’ than that of their hardcore counterparts. Does Senegalese hip-hop have other concerns and messages than its U.S. counterpart? Very much so. For the most part, Senegalese hip-hop is very politically and socially committed, no matter what the style. The Senegalese media has provided a wealth of information to the country via radio, TV and newspapers. In general, people tend to be more concerned with world affairs, economic issues and local politics than “blunts, bitches and beamers.” In fact, much of the ego boasting, degradation of women and idolization of financial and material wealth is shunned by Senegalese MCs, many of whom are religious Muslims. For the most part, MCs tend to look down on this kind of crass commercialization and choose to rhyme about issues that are relevant to them. Can you describe the interplay between Senegalese hip-hop in Wolof, French and English? How do these languages mark cultural or musical differences? Wolof today is a linguistic stew of Wolof, French and English, and also contains elements from the other 36 languages spoken in Senegal. Pure Wolof (Wolof bu xoot) is rarely used and tends to be only spoken by older people or country folk. Because of this, multilingual usage is very much part of the Senegalese psyche—mixing these languages in rap comes quite naturally. How did African Underground Vol. 1 Hip-Hop Senegal come about and how does it tie into Nomadic Wax’s other activities? We began the project in the summer of 1999. During a trip to Senegal I came across some Senegalese hip-hop cassettes in the local market. I became fascinated by the fact that hip-hop had a such a strong hold in West Africa and I decided to find out more about this local phenomenon. I returned the following summer to write a thesis about the hip-hop scene in Senegal. I spent three months interviewing rappers, producers and others involved in the hip-hop scene in Dakar. The thesis was titled “Fat Beats Dope Rhymes and Thug Lives: Youth Hip-Hop and Politics in Dakar” and went on to win a Threshold Grant Award in 2000. Upon returning home, I kept in touch with many of the MCs from there. I was asked to return and I decided to record a compilation of the groups that had been influential in the underground scene in Dakar. At that time, no one had gone there to do such a project, and the Underground scene was mostly being ignored by rest of the world. I returned once again in 2001 with a small 8-track hard disc recorder and used a small space in a community center to record the first project. From there we experienced some success when a number of the singles that we released on the radio in Dakar went into regular rotation. After a few more years and many recording sessions later, I decided to launch the project in the United States. We are going to continue the African Underground series in other countries in Africa and will hopefully have Vol. 2 and 3 out by the end of 2005. Also, we will be launching a new line of digitally distributed albums and compilations in part of the Nomadic Wax "African Mixtape" series. These recordings will be available exclusively for digital download in places such as iTunes worldwide. We will begin this series with Shiffai's "The Chosen One" and will also be distributing albums, comps, and singles produced by smaller labels and production companies in Africa. To read this article online,click here! |
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LINKS
LIST OF LINKS TO OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS
AFRICAN HIP-HOP - www.africanhiphop.com AFRICAN SERVICES - www.africanservices.org AMBASSADOZ - www.ambassadoz.com ANANSI CLOTHING - www.annansi.com ANTIBALAS - www.antibalas.com BANTU - www.bantucrew.com CHOSAN - SILVERSTREETZ MUSIC - www.silverstreetz.com DAMION SILVER - www.damionsilver.com DJ TESFA - www.iemergeandsee.com HIP-HOP REVOLUCION - www.hiphoprevolucion.org MILESTONEZ (EAST AFRICAN HIP-HOP) www.milestonez.com NOTABLE PRODUCTIONS - www.notable.com OMZO - www.omzomusic.com SENERAP - www.senerap.com SHADOW ZU - www.shadowzu.net STUBBORN RECORDS - www.stubbornrecords.com WHERE'S THE ONE? - www.wheresthe1.com WORLD UP! - www.worldup.org |
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MUSIC VIDEO - "United Nations of Hip-Hop" trailer
Check out the trailer for Christina Choe's documentary - "United Nations of Hip-Hop"
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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MUSIC VIDEO - CHOSAN - "RIDE"
To see the video for RIDE click here!. |
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MUSIC VIDEO - CHOSAN LIVE AT HEAT WITH JUELZ SANTANA (DIPSET)
Chosan performs with Dipset's Juelz Santana live at HEAT!
To view movie # 1 click here!. To view movie # 2 click here!. |
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MUSIC VIDEO - KANYE WEST feat CHOSAN -
To see the video for Kanye West's "DIAMONDS" directed by HYPE WILLIAMS click here!. Listen for CHOSAN rocking Sierra Leonian Creole in the intro! |
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MUSIC VIDEO - Sen Kumpa - "Niawal"
Brand spanking new video of Sen Kumpa's "Niawal" directed by Christina Choe! If you want to peep some of the clip she used check the video blog!
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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MUSIC VIDEO - SNAZZY -
To see the video for Namibian Hip-Hop Queen SNAZZY click here!.
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MUSIC VIDEO - SNAZZY - DOCUMENTARY
To see the short documentary about Namibian Hip-Hop Queen SNAZZY click here!.
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PICTURES - African Underground Record Release Party 2003
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PICTURES - Depths of Dakar Set 1
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PLAYLIST -
I've been following Senegalese wrestling for nearly a decade. In my many years of traveling to Senegal I've seen some incredible bouts. I've been lucky enough to have witnessed the rise of Mohammed Ndao aka Tyson (the wrestler who coined the term 'Boul Fale') when he beat down Manga 2 on July 4th 1999. I was also there when Tapha Gueye got punked by Bombardier and saw the stadium go into a near riot in response. Every time I go to Dakar - I make a point to go to the matches. For me the combination of the music, mysticism and drama of the wrestling tradition all are just as incredible to watch as the battle itself. Now imagine my surprise when I looked at the CNN.com website the other day to find a full page spread on this esoteric cultural tradition on their FRONT page.. What!?! Senegalese Wrestling on CNN! Next thing you know they'll be playing Senegalese hip-hop on the Sopranos.. wait.. sorry, happened last week. Forget that. Although we don't yet have any Senegalese wrestling on the Calabash site - (I've got to get some soon!) - what we DO have for you are the true sounds of Dakar itself that have inspired and been the sountrack to this incredible martial art and cultural tradition. Essentially - this mix is a 'what would might hear if you sat in a car rapide from Medina to Thiaorry with the radio blasting the whole time'. From the mighty slap of the sabar to the guttural raps of BMG 44 - this mix is the true sound of Dakar's inner city. Get ready to rumble.. To download the play list CLICK HERE! |
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PODCAST - "Leonard Lopate Show" - WNYC with BENNY BEATS, TY AND OKE
Benny, TY and OKE have some enlightening conversation with the legendary Leonard Lopate!
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - "Wake Up Call" - WBAI - with Toni Blackman, TY and Will Calhoun
Benny, TY, Toni and WILL CALHOUN FROM LIVING COLOR kick it with the WBAI crew.
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - Coco Jean Radio Nostalgie - Dakar Senegal
Check out some interviews in English, Wolof and French as well as some dope ass freestyles from Yat Fu and Momo!
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - Jungeltelegrafen (Norwegian NPR) with BENNY BEATS
Benny kicks it on Jungeltelegrafen with radio journalist Arne Berg!
Radio interview is half in Norwegian half english and was done at WOMEX 2004. To listen click here! |
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PODCAST - Keyti, Radio Temoin - Dakar Senegal
Benny Beats chats it up Senegalese style with the Almighty Keyti!
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - Noah Zark - WFMU with BENNY BEATS
Listen to Benny and Noah shoot the breeze about African Hip-Hop and Nomadic Wax. Also a good 1 hour of Benny selecting choice African Hip-Hop cuts from Senegal, Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa.
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - NOMADIC SOUNDS - WBAI with TOUBAB KREWE
TOUBAB KREWE BACK NOMADIC SOUNDS!!
Nomadic Sounds is a series of music specials bringing you the best of the world's undiscovered and underground sounds from around the Globe. At Nomadic Sounds, we will be celebrating the latest in music of the 'Global Diaspora'- from African Hip-Hop to South Asian Bhangra and everything in between. Nomadic Sounds is dedicated to presenting you with talent from all over the world with both live performances and discussions with the artists. Nomadic Sounds radio is thrilled to welcome back the kings of Malian influenced "Afro-cowboy-ninja-surf" music: Toubab Krewe! Listen to them play a rare acoustic set live on: Nomadic Sounds - WBAI 99.5 FM or www.wbai.org Friday - December 30th - 11 am sharp! Also - listen to the WHOLE show to win a pair of tickets to see them live at The Blue Note on New Years eve. If you miss the show - never fear - as always, we keep our website fresh with the latest Podcasts here. Big up to our co-producer Leanne Stahnke Engineer - Dred Scott Keyes Co-Host - Kadijah Fofannah Pollock And guests Toubab Krewe. Special Thanks to Keur u N'Deye for the amazing food! More about Toubab Krewe here: Wielding their unique, Malian influenced "Afro-cowboy-ninja-surf" music, Toubab Krewe has been making waves throughout the country since their formation less than a year ago, attracting enthusiastic crowds to their live shows at major venues that have included the Bonnaroo Music Festival, SOBs in NYC, The Tribeca Rock Club in NYC The Black Repertory Theater in Providence, RI, the Orange Peel in Asheville, NC, the Northeast Kingdom Music Festival in Vermont and the All Good Music Festival in West Virginia. Their energetic live shows and recently released self-titled debut album have earned the band praise from such noteworthy publications as the New York Times, Global Rhythm and Afropop Worldwide.New York Times... If you like what you've heard and you'd like more radio specials like this - OR - if you are a musician and you think would be a good match for NOMADIC SOUNDS radio, please hit us up at: nomadicsoundsradio@gmail.com Next on deck.. Bhangra/South Asian Hip-Hop Special featuring: DJ Rekka, Dave Sharma and Chee Malobar To download the Podcast for NOMADIC SOUNDS click here! |
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PODCAST - NOMADIC SOUNDS with CHOSAN, LF AND EL GAMBINA
NOMADIC SOUNDS ON THE RADIO
We are thrilled to announce that Nomadic Wax is hitting the airwaves in full effect this Friday, December 9th with the launch of NOMADIC SOUNDS radio on WBAI! Nomadic Sounds is a series of music specials bringing you the best of the world's undiscovered and underground sounds from around the Globe. At Nomadic Sounds, we will be celebrating the latest in music of the 'Global Diaspora'- from African Hip-Hop to South Asian Bhangra and everything in between. Nomadic Sounds is dedicated to presenting you with talent from all over the world with both live performances and discussions with the artists. For the first of this series we invited musician, hip-hop activist and US Hip-Hop Ambassador - Toni Blackman to co-host the show featuring MCs Chosan, LF & DJ Laylo and El Gambina into the studio for some live performances and conversation. The result will be aired live this Friday Nov 9th at 11 am! Tune in at 99.5 FM or stream it live at http://www.wbai.org. If you miss the show - never fear - as always, we keep our website fresh with the latest Podcasts. Big up to our co-producer Leanne Stahnke Engineer - Dred Scott Keyes Co-Host - Toni Blackman And guests Chosan, LF, Laylo and El Gambina! Plus Jay Smooth for the tech hook-up skills! Also - special thanks to World Up!, IHX and H2O! If you like what you've heard and you'd like more radio specials like this - OR - if you are a musician and you think would be a good match for NOMADIC SOUNDS radio, please hit us up at: nomadicsoundsradio@gmail.com Next on deck.. Toubab Krewe - Dec 29th Bhangra/South Asian Hip-Hop Special featuring: DJ Rekka, Dave Sharma and Chee Malobar To download the Podcast for NOMADIC SOUNDS click here! |
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PODCAST - Radio Oxygen - Dakar Senegal
Benny Beats throws it down in Wolof with the legendary DJ Pape Gueye!
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - Radio Temoin - Dakar Senegal
Benny Beats once again kicks it in Wolof at Senegal's top Hip-Hop radio station!
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - Rob Weiseberg at WFMU - Jersey City NJ
Check out Benny and Shiffai on Jan 4th 2003 talking about hip-hop, politics and Shiff's album!
To listen click here!. |
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PODCAST - WFCR - BENNY BEATS
Nomadic Wax founder Benny Beats on the air with WFCR's Kari Njiiri.
Check Benny Beats on the air with WFCR's Kaari Njiiri To listen click here!. |
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PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCES
Nomadic Wax founder Ben Herson has been a featured speaker music industry conferences, festivals and universities world-wide. Herson is also the host of Nomadic Sounds - a radio series on WBAI dedicated to presenting undiscovered and underground sounds from around the globe..
FEATURED APPERANCES: Featured Presenter – Trinity College International Hip-Hop festival – 2006 – Hartford, CT Freatured Presenter – Harvard University Pan-African Unity Conference - 2006 – Boston, MA Freatured Presenter – Lehman University Hip-Hop Conference - 2005 – NYC, NY Guest Lecturer – Hampshire College - 2005 – Amherst, MA Moderator - IMC 2005 – “Exploring Global Hip-Hop” – Philadelphia, PA Panelist - Lincoln Center “Africa/America Symposium 2005” – NYC, NY Keynote Speaker – Fordham University – 2005 – Bronx, NY Featured Presenter - Virginia Music Conference - 2005 – Richmond, VA Guest Lecturer – MIT – Ethnomusicology Lecture - 2005 - Boston, MA Featured Presenter - UCLA - Center for African Studies Conference - 2005 - Los Angeles, CA Featured Presenter - WORLD MUSIC EXPO - 2004 – Essen, Germany Panelist - College Music Journal (CMJ Marathon) - 2004 NYC, NY Featured Speaker - IMC 2004 – “Exploring Global Hip-Hop” - Philadelphia, PA Featured Presenter - National Political Hip-Hop Conference - 2004- Newark, NJ RADIO APPEARENCES: Host- New York Public Radio – Nomadic Sounds “Bhangra Special” – WBAI, - 2006 Host- New York Public Radio – Nomadic Sounds “Live with Toubab Krewe” – WBAI, - 2006 Host- New York Public Radio – Nomadic Sounds “Global Hip-Hop Special” – WBAI, - 2005 Co-Host – New York Public Radio – Live with Toubab Krewe – WBAI, NY - 2005 Featured Guest - National Public Radio – The Leonard Lopate Show – WNYC, NY – 2005 Featured Guest - New York Public Radio – The Morning Show – WBAI, NY – 2005 Featured Guest - New York Public Radio – Coffee Breaks and Villains – WFMU – 2005 Featured Guest - South African National Radio –Lee Kasumba – YFM - 2005 Featured Guest - Norwegian Public Radio – Jungeltelegrafen with Arne Berg - 2004 Featured Guest - New York Public Radio - Transpacific Sound Paradise – WFMU – 2004 Featured Guest - South African National Radio –Lee Kasumba – YFM - 2004 Featured Guest - New York Public Radio – Rise Up Radio – WBAI – 2004 Featured Guest - Senegal National Radio – Radio Oxygen with Pape Gueye – 2003 Featured Guest - Senegal National Radio – Radio Temoin with KT – Dakar – 2003 Featured Guest - Senegal National Radio – Radio Nostalgie with Coco Jean – 2003 Featured Guest - Senegal National Radio – Radio Temoin – Dakar – 2003 |
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VIDEO - Ben and Omzo Making a Beat
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Amazons practice in the studio
The Amazons were a couple of very cool young ladies who had recently formed. Nice melodies - and some good ideas. I'm going to pass this acapella over to my boy Funkdisaster and see if he can do his magic with it for the Remix of Dakar..
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - B-Boy Session
Some dope B-Boy action documented by Christina Choe!
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Ballana 1
When I first started travelling to Dakar - I remember seeeing Ballana in the Bokk U Guiss Guiss crew. I think he was 15 at the time but looked like he was 10! When I can back a few years later - I couldn't believe how old he looked. And sounded dope too. Here he is live and direct.
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Ballana 2
Here he is again kicking it with his vocal scratching style..
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Benny introduces Tigrim Bi at Bidew Bi
Want to see a slighly bearded Benny Beats try and kick it in Wolof and introduce the legendary Tigrim Bi at their night at Bidew Bi? Watch and LAUGH!
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Bilal raps on Geble Night in Blue
Check out this footage of Bilal kicking it on Geble Night in Blue (to be featured on African Underground: Depths of Dakar!)
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Fatim in the studio
Fatim is one of my favorite MCs in Dakar - hands down. One of the coolest people to work with too. Humble, talented and down to earth. Her track Real Woman will be on Depths of Dakar as well..
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Freddy on the mic
This cat named Freddy (prob not his real name) came by the studio on one of my very first days on my 2003 trip. He basically got the track together and in 24 hours was ready to rock. This one will most likley be on the Remix of Dakar record.
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Keyti kicks it inna playback style
Check the Keyti kick it playback style at the Parcells 8 hours of Rap showcase..
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - The Mighty Awadi live and direct
Check the mighty DJ Awadi kick it Parcells 8 hours of Rap showcase..
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Tigrim Bi live and direct
Tigrim Bi live and direct at Bidew Bi!
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Tigrim Bi rips it up
I think Tigrim Bi is one of THE most energetic and enthusiastic groups on the planet. If you could sythesize their sheer energy into some sort of marketable form you could solve most of the energy problems of tthe world. Watch this video and you'll see what I'm talking about. Keep in mind - this was the first time I even met these cats..
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Tigrim Bi rips it up 2
And they don't stop....
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Tigrim Bi rips it up 3
.... and it keeps going..
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Tigrim Bi rips it up 4
.... and going! See what I'm talking about?!
To watch the video clip click here!. |
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VIDEO - Senegal Session 2003 - Yella tears it up
Yella was one of the rappers that was in Sul Suli for years. Now Sul Suli is not more but and and the crew keep it tight.
Watch Yella flow on the "Geble Night in Blue" joint on African Underground: Depths of Dakar.. To watch the video clip click here!. |