afrique.q 7/15/02 12:36 PM Page 2 The tree of life that is reggae music in all its forms is deeply spreading its roots back into Afri- ca, idealized, championed and longed for in so many reggae anthems. African dancehall artists may very well represent the most exciting (and least- r e c o g n i z e d ) m o vement happening in dancehall today. Africa is so huge, culturally rich and diverse that it is difficult to generalize about the musical happenings. Yet a recent musical sampling of the continent shows that dancehall is begin- ning to emerge as a powerful African musical form in its own right. FromFrom thethe MotherlandMotherland....Danc....Danc By Lisa Poliak daara-j Coming primarily out of West Africa, artists such as Gambia’s Rebellion D’Recaller, Dancehall Masters and Senegal’s Daara-J, Pee GAMBIA Froiss and V.I.B. are creating their own sounds growing from a fertile musical and cultural Gambia is Africa’s cross-pollination that blends elements of hip- dancehall hot spot. hop, reggae and African rhythms such as Out of Gambia, Rebel- Senegalese mbalax, for instance. Most of lion D’Recaller and these artists have not yet spread their wings Dancehall Masters are on the international scene, especially in the creating music that is U.S., but all have the musical and lyrical skills less rap-influenced to explode globally. Chanting down Babylon, than what is coming these African artists are inspired by their out of Senegal. In Jamaican predecessors while making music Gambia, they’re basi- that is uniquely their own, praising Jah, Allah cally heavier on the and historical spiritual leaders. Hip-hop beats rootsy vibes. Accord- layered with rough-voiced ragga chanting, ing to New York’s DJ smooth rootsy vocals and rapping character- Wow who hails from izes much of African dancehall. Conscious Gambia, reggae has lyrics in French, English and African lan- long been popu- guages such as Wolof and lar there, per- Mandinka, as well as the incor- haps more than poration of traditional African in- in any other struments including the kora African coun- (often called the African harp), try: “Before we xalam (a small, four-stringed gui- had many of our own musicians in Rebellion’s flinty-voiced harmonies over a pound- tar), balaphon (a wooden xylo- Gambia, we listened to reggae. That ing drum ’n’ bass riddim. phone with calabash resonators was our music.” Dancehall Masters’ below each slat), tama (talking Brother Coms names Dennis Brown drum)and sabar drums also con- as his favorite singer and musical SENEGAL tribute to these innovative and inspiration, and their two cassettes, unique sounds. Brotherman (1999) and Masterful In Senegal, dancehall queen Patra met the The ongoing relationship between Creation (2001) reflect this influ- members of Daara-J (Daara-J’s three members, Jamaican artists and the African peo- ence. Brother Coms also speaks of Ndongo D, the rapper, Lord Aladji Man, the rag- ple dates back to Bob Marley, whose the spiritual inspiration that fuels the music ga chanter, and Fadda Freddy) at a Dakar club tremendous influence cannot be overstated. In he creates with partner Daddy Sam, who is while on tour. As Daara-J’s supple-voiced soul recent years Luciano, Sizzla, Buju Banton, Senegalese but now lives in Gambia. “Serigne singer Fadda Freddy tells it, “When we saw Frankie Paul, Patra, Sister Carol, Anthony B and Touba is a great Islamic scholar. We feel we Patra, we wanted to explore the Jamaican Everton Blender, among others, have all per- have to sing about him,” he says, describing music in an African stylee.” After playing some formed in West Africa, and occasional creative songs like “Buga Bamba,” a paean to Islamic of their music for Patra, she suggested a col- collaborations have resulted. Cote d’Ivoire’s spiritual leaders of the Senegambia region. laboration. The result is “Come On Get It,” fea- Tikken Jah Fakoly, who has been turning out (Senegal and Gambia share many fundamental tured on Daara-J’s second release, Xalima roots and culture reggae since the mid ’90s, cultural traits, including the predominance of (BMG France, 1998), a song that gave Patra spiced up his new cd Françafrique (Univer- Islam, because they are essentially one land an opportunity to explore her more soulful sal/Barclay 2002) with some welcome dance- that was divided by the French and British.) songstress side rather than her usual wicked hall flavor thanks to Anthony B and the grand- Rebellion D’Recaller, whose voice sounds un- deejaying. daddy himself, U Roy. A new version of “On A cannily like a young Joseph Hill of Culture, is I spoke to Fadda Freddy while he was in Tout Compris (Mangercratie),” a typical Tikken Gambia’s number-one dj. When Frankie Paul Paris working on the group’s new cd, to be tune protesting political corruption, is far more performed in Gambia in 2000, Rebellion was released by BMG France in January 2003, distinctive with the addition of Anthony B’s fiery invited onstage to duet with this old-school mas- and he describes Daara-J’s sound as “a hip- chanting and trademark “yagga yows!” The ter. His 2001 cassettes Departing From These hop/reggae mix.” The first Senegalese group same goes for “Justice,” previously released on Days Vols. 1 and 2 with a guest appearance from to really explore dancehall, more commonly his Le Caméléon cd but now enhanced with Markie B of V.I.B on the track “Life Is Not A Gam- still called raggamuffin in French-speaking some masterful toasting by U Roy. ble,” blends his throaty, fast-style chanting with countries, Daara-J released their first self- 32 THE BEAT VOL. 21 #4, 2002 afrique.q 7/15/02 12:37 PM Page 3 titled cassette in 1995. The international ver- the speakers of a music kiosk, and so made my “Dancehall makes people shake. It’s such a sion was produced by Mad Professor and re- first African dancehall discovery, Cote strong musical form, people want to infuse it leased on disc in 1997 (Sony/Globe). Posi- d’Ivoire’s Negro Muffin. Their 1997 cassette with their message. The younger generation’s tive Black Soul (PBS), the first group to drop Authentic! lived up to its name (and exclama- mind is so open, they’ve seen so much, they see a rap album in Senegal in the early ’90s, tion point) with nary a weak track. Negro Muf- through bullshit. If you give them some stuff that “opened the rap door” for Senegalese artists, fin was not only Cote d’Ivoire’s first dancehall tickles their minds, they’re more apt to listen to according to Fadda Freddy. “Exodus,” the title group but were truly groundbreaking artists in the music.” track of the group’s most recent release, only the land of Alpha Blondy, but unfortunately its African dancehall, however, is still considered available on cassette in Senegal (though two members, Halasko Deejay and Goody very underground. There are several likely rea- some copies have made it to Harlem), is not Brown have disbanded. sons that dancehall has not emerged faster and simply a homage to Bob Marley as the name more furiously from Africa—the serious problems cehallcehall InnaInna AfricanAfrican Stylee!Stylee! suggests. It delivers a serious message USA for AFRICA about Africans who That African dancehall is starting to infiltrate leave Africa to seek U.S. borders can be seen in aspiring artists like opportunity and Jo Black, born in Cote d’Ivoire to Gambian par- wealth, and how they ents, raised in both countries, and now trying to must then “go back and build up the land make his mark in New York. Black is originating of our ancestors.” As his own sound he calls “Bolomba Stylee,” to Fadda Freddy sees it, signify Bolom, the upcountry of Gambia, as “Europe and America opposed to the capital city of Banjul. He trans- are not going to build lates Bolomba Stylee roughly as “big country up Africa, Africans style” and it combines roots reggae, dancehall have to do it.” and traditional West African rhythms. Black’s The group takes their sound demonstrates his belief that “You gotta tyrant name from the Quranic change the music with the times.” schools in Senegal Tatoos on his back depict his Another artist is South Africa’s Bongo Maffin, island homeland of Cape Verde. where “the youth go to already popular in the U.S., having played numer- develop,” Fadda Freddy ous American venues including Reggae on the explains. “In the group, River 2000. While they do a mix of styles that is of a lack of experienced we say Daara-J really more oriented toward techno-influenced dance producers (cited unanimously by musicians and means the school of life. music and South African kwaito, selected tracks djs); the difficulties of getting funding; and the It is a way of living, a from their cd Bongolution (Sony/Lightyear 2002) paucity of promotion. Equally inhibiting were the manner of thinking.” The get the dancehall vibes flowing, especially pressures put on artists who wanted to experi- group has had such an “Gudoguru.” The group’s propensity for genre- ment with different styles, and were therefore impact on the Senegalese youth culture that bending often defies categorization. perceived as losing their African roots. As Fad- “any place you get good vibrations is called The African diaspora spreads across the da Freddy breaks it down, if Senegalese artists daara these days,” Fadda Freddy says, likening globe, and people involved in the creation and wanted to do reggae or rap in the past, they it to the use of the word “crib” in English, as in emergence of African dancehall are expressing were considered “uprooted” and “lost.” Howev- let’s go chill at the daara.