Senegalese hip hop is a form of
hip hop that originated in
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
in the early 1980s. When
hip hop first hit the scene in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, it went from merely being a fad, to a more social and political movement. Amongst the most influential leaders of this movement were artists from the country of Senegal. With the modernization of the country, and the rise in media, the youth of Senegal were able to embrace a new form of expression.
One of the main reasons why hip hop has become preeminent in Senegal is due to its mixture of sound and culture. "Senegal's hip hop scene is distinctive and its artist extremely talented. The country has a history of strong musical traditions..."
Moreover, hip hop has not only become an aspect of life for the Senegalese people, but more importantly has translated to a way of life, gathering influence from the
musical expression Musical expression is the art of playing or singing with a personal response to the music.
At a practical level, this means making appropriate use of dynamics (music), dynamics, Musical phrasing, phrasing, timbre and Articulation (music), articulat ...
prior to its rise in Senegal, and understanding their past as it pertains heavily to its socially present state within music.
Colonization of Senegal
To understand Senegal's popularity as a mixture of different sounds is understanding Senegal's history of colonization. Modern Senegal is made up of an ethnically diverse group of people. "The largest of the city include the
Wolof
Wolof or Wollof may refer to:
* Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania
* Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania
* The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...
(44% of the population),
Fulani
The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...
and
Tukulor
__NOTOC__
The Tukulor people ( ar, توكولور), also called Toucouleur or Haalpulaar, are a West African ethnic group native to Futa Tooro region of Senegal. There are smaller communities in Mali and Mauritania. The Toucouleur were Islamized ...
(24%),
Serer (15%),
Diola
The Jola or Diola (endonym: Ajamat) are an ethnic group found in Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. Most Jola live in small villages scattered throughout Senegal, especially in the Lower Casamance region. The main dialect of the Jola langu ...
(5%) and,
Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to:
Media
* ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957
* ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel
* ''Mandingo (play)'', a play by Jack Kir ...
(4%)." During the 9th century the Tukulor settled in the
Senegal River Valley
,french: Fleuve Sénégal)
, name_etymology =
, image = Senegal River Saint Louis.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Fishermen on the bank of the Senegal River estuary at the outskirts of Saint-Louis, Senegal ...
and resided there until the
14th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was a century lasting from 1 January 1301 ( MCCCI), to 31 December 1400 ( MCD). It is estimated that the century witnessed the death of more than 45 million lives from political and n ...
. Within their rein, into the mid 11th century they converted to
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. The
Mali Empire
The Mali Empire ( Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or Manden; ar, مالي, Māl ...
expanded during the 14th century, and in the 15th century, the Wolf established the
Jolof Empire Jolof (french: Djolof or ') may refer to either of
* Jolof Empire, a West African successor state to the Mali Empire in modern Senegal from the 14th to 16th centuries
* Kingdom of Jolof, a rump survival of the earlier empire from the 16th to the 19t ...
in Senegal. The Portuguese settlers set up trading spaces for access to resources, but by the 17th century, the city was rid of the Portuguese by the Dutch and the French. The French resided there until 1895 when Senegal was established as a French colony.
In the early 1960s Senegal became an
autonomous republic
An autonomous republic is a type of administrative division similar to a province or state. A significant number of autonomous republics can be found within the successor states of the Soviet Union, but the majority are located within Russia. Man ...
within the French community. Hence forward, the estate went through several forms of political oppression and reconstruction until finally
Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade (born 29 May 1926)
Encyclopedia of the Nations. Retrieved February 28, ...
was
elected president in March 2000 and the
Senegalese Democratic Party
The Senegalese Democratic Party (french: Parti démocratique sénégalais) is a political party in Senegal. The party considers itself a liberal party and is a member of the Liberal International. Abdoulaye Wade, who was President of Senegal from ...
had finally won, bringing peace and improvement to the land.
"The development of modern music dates back to the musical traditions established by '
griots
A griot (; ; Manding: jali or jeli (in N'Ko: , ''djeli'' or ''djéli'' in French spelling); Serer: kevel or kewel / okawul; Wolof: gewel) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician.
The griot is a repos ...
' in the days of the Mali-Songhay empires."
It can be noted that the first form of musical expression made in Senegal date back to the 14th century in the forms of griots.
History of griots
Prior to the wide spread of hip hop in Senegal, traditional music was transcended through pre-ordained griots. The term
griot
A griot (; ; Manding: jali or jeli (in N'Ko: , ''djeli'' or ''djéli'' in French spelling); Serer: kevel or kewel / okawul; Wolof: gewel) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician.
The griot is a repos ...
, also known as gewel, can be defined as, "… traditional praise-singer,
musician
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...
, social go-between, counselors, or
dancer
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoi ...
and
acrobat
Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro ...
,"
These individuals were born into, "endogamous, professionally specialized group often referred to as a 'caste'."
Their position in Senegal society was that of much importance for griots were also known for their abilities as oral specialist who, "…had to guarantee not only the survival of their people as a culturally and historically defined group, but also the social status of the nobles they were attached to."
Griots were culturally responsible for knowing their genealogies in speaking and in song, to recite for the nobles. Though they were not considered "
upper-class
Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is gen ...
", they were given
food
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...
,
clothing
Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...
,
jewellery
Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry (U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a wester ...
, land and
slave
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
s for their work." While they could attain high individual status through their work and their social behaviors, their social status as a group was low. They depended economically on the nobles who paid them for their services, they could not attain positions of political power, and they were not allowed to bear arms…"
Understanding their role in society is understanding the importance of expression in Senegal. As historians, entertainers, and musicians, griots were influential in many ceremonies, such as
wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
s,
funeral
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
s, births, religious parades, and
politics
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
, for they used song and speech to recite important information with the usage of praise songs.
Praise song
These praise songs continue to be widely sung, and often express political and religious awareness. Below is an example of a praise song with both political and historical meaning song by a modern-day female artist, Khar M'Baye Maadiaga from the gewel background.
Democracy, democracy,
yes, yes, democracy.
Yes, yes the country wonders
What did you go through, for the land to become meek?
Yes, you went the ightway, Diouf;
he passed through deliberation,
and by speaking at the right moment.
Yes. What makes a man is courage and seriousness.
Seventeen parties, all in a jumble.
They are shouting, but you keep your dignity.
They are shouting, but you keep your calmness.
It is by calmness that you can rule a country.
But those who came to you also have their merit.
They too hold their country in esteem.
As far as democracy is concerned, Senegal is a model country.
Mbagnik Yacine Baba
Massine Yancie Baba
Caroline Yacine Baba…
Oh Abdou… Madiatou Badara and Mawado
Ndiaye Diouf your father at Guet-Ndar.
So, Elisabeth,
a good wife has to be like you:
Modern griots and modern music
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, there was a rise in the night club scene where more diverse forms of music began to be played by foreigners. Coincidentally enough, Senegal became very much interested in the new form of fashion. However, this allowed non-griots the opportunity to capture persons which was once the job of the griots. While there was much competition between the two, modern day griots used their positions as a way to incorporate modern day music.
While in modern-day Senegal, griots can be placed in three categories. "Those who have decided to refrain from practicing their hereditary profession and have taken up some other occupation; those who continue to perform, without innovation, and those who have managed to find or create a new kind of occupation that still seems to fit the traditional griots' ethos adapting the art of their
ancestor
An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder or a forebear, is a parent or (recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from whom ...
s to modern requirements and possibilities."
The griot's position in society, most relevant to modern day music, are those who use their song and dance as a new kind of occupation while still practicing the traditional legacies of past griots. These individuals are still highly respected for their responsibilities, and have also become incorporated in popular music culture. "Praise songs, far from being superseded, have instead become incorporated into popular music..."
Today, "griots have found new meaning for old customs, and new functions for old skills,"
Although they originated from a caste which held no political power, modern griots still hold much power and status and are better off in life than modern families.
Rappers as "modern-day griots"
As detailed in Patricia Tang's article ''The Rapper as Modern Griot: Reclaiming Ancient Traditions'', over the years, both Senegalese and American rappers have labeled themselves "modern-day griots". Many disagree with this assertion because there is such a great contrast between griots and
rapper
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
s, and the roles they play within society. Griots are musicians or entertainers hired by royalty, or the upper-class, to songs of praise. The subject matter of these songs usually consists of admiration for nobles, but can also include commentary on
social issue
A social issue is a problem that affects many people within a society. It is a group of common problems in present-day society and ones that many people strive to solve. It is often the consequence of factors extending beyond an individual's cont ...
s. However, according to Tang, "although these songs sometimes have moral or didactic messages regarding
social behavior
Social behavior is behavior among two or more organisms within the same species, and encompasses any behavior in which one member affects the other. This is due to an interaction among those members. Social behavior can be seen as similar to an ...
, they rarely speak out against specific individuals or institutions." Contrastingly, rappers do not sing praise songs for the upper-class, and they do not sing for money; though they are paid artists, rappers perform their music to convey an important message or because it is their passion. More significantly, rappers, especially those in Senegal, "openly critique politicians and the government." Their songs address important societal issues, spread awareness, and "demand and effect change."
Yet, aside from all these differences, there are specific reasons why rappers today call themselves "modern-day griots". According to rapper, Awadi, this designation of "modern-day griots" is for one reason only: "what we rappers have continued to do, what we have taken from the griots, is from the journalistic side. A journalist engaged in his society." But at the same time, being labeled a griot has other connotations, and it all boils down to musical "authenticity". Griots come from long lineages of griots, the role of griot being passed down generation to generation. Griots thus have history, and this lineage, this great past, is connected with the idea of authenticity, therefore, when rappers assume the name "modern-day griot", they are given part of that history, and their art forms then become more "authentic". For U.S. rappers, it takes a step further because not only are they connecting themselves to the "authenticity" of griots, they are also becoming a part of the
history of Africa
The history of Africa begins with the emergence of hominids, archaic humans and — around 300–250,000 years ago—anatomically modern humans (''Homo sapiens''), in East Africa, and continues unbroken into the present as a patchwork of d ...
, which has a much greater cultural history and thus an even greater form of authenticity. For rappers, history has become a legitimizing force, but such a focus on the past also has its consequences. Though giving historical prestige to rappers today, by romanticizing Africa in this way, giving so much emphasis on its history, has placed the continent in the past, almost ignoring its contemporary musical growth.
[Tang, Patricia. “The Rapper as Modern Griot: Reclaiming Ancient Traditions.” ''Hip Hop Africa: New African Music in a Globalizing World'', Indiana University Press, 2012, pp. 79–91.]
What sets aside the music of Senegal apart from many other place is its use of instruments. The most widely used instrument that the Senegalese use is the
drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
. Also, of importance is the language that these artists rap and sing in. Being that Senegal was colonized by the French is why we see some people develop their sound and rap entirely in French. Others choose to rap in Wolof, or English. "Wolof is the most widely spoken language of northern Senegal and it has rich and ancient musical culture performed by hereditary musicians (gewel)."
Not to mention the fact that there sound is a collection from previous cultures and music styles infused in the Hip Hop culture. These are just some of the features you will only find in Senegalese Hip Hop.
Underground hip hop
Of relevance is the powerful
underground hip hop that takes place in Senegal. "While mainstream artist address important social and political issues, it is the underground rap artists in Senegal that go the furthest. Some have even addressed the
taboo
A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
subject of the country's marabouts* and the power and political influence they hold in the country."
Now while it may take more time for this artist to be heard by everyone, their music still holds much influential power as these artist take political stances and addresses the issue they are facing. Discouraging enough, though Senegal can be praised for its ecstatic hip hop scene, sadly enough the solo female artist has no place in Hip Hop in Senegal. Though there are a number of female artists within the
mbalax
Mbalax (or mbalakh) is the national popular dance music of Senegal and the Gambia. In the 1970s, mbalax emerged as the distinctive sound of postcolonial Senegal. Derived from a fusion of indigenous Wolof sabar drumming with popular music principa ...
music scene, these women are generally a part of a group, and to this day there has not been a release of a solo female rap album. "The only female rap artist to have made an impact on the Senegelese rap scene is ALIF, the country's first all-female rap group."
With the strides Senegal is making as a modernized country, only time will tell before the first female solo album is released and praised for its political context, and social advocating for change.
Social change through music
It was started by Baay Bia who spent more than 10 years using his talent to make people aware about protecting the Senegalese environment. Senegalese hip hop is all about education. Some Senegalese artists use their fame as ways to bring empowerment and social change to the continent of Africa. Senegalese singer-guitarist
Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal ( ff, 𞤄𞤢𞥄𞤦𞤢 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤, italics=no, born 13 June 1953) is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several al ...
is highly acclaimed for his music stardom on a global level, however his contributions as youth emissary for the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
has earned him more acclaim in the pursuit for
social justice
Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fu ...
. "For Maal, the solution isn't throwing money at the crises, it is holding governments accountable."
Maal knows the ample amount of resources and technology here in America and feels that if we could just spot light these areas, then maybe governments would straighten up.
There is a solo female artist who had released an album, her name is
Sister Fa
Sister Fa (real name Fatou Diatta, born 1982 in Dakar, Senegal) is a Senegalese rapper and anti-female genital mutilation (FGM) activist.
Career
Diatta began her career as a rapper in 2000, when she made her first demo tape. The following year, ...
, but that album did not have so much effect in Senegalese Hip Hop market. She was also the wife of Studio Yes' owner. She is living now in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and is about to come back to release her second album.
References
External links
Senegalese Hip Hop
{{DEFAULTSORT:Senegalese Hip Hop
Hip hop