Didier Awadi
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Didier Awadi is a
Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 井仆井內丐中五 (Senegaali); Arabic: 塈堻媞塈 ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''R矇ewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 井仆不丐仆不五 ...
ese
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 ...
and a significant figure in Francophone West African hip hop. As a founding member of
Positive Black Soul Positive Black Soul (also known as PBS) is a hip hop group based in Dakar, Senegal, one of the first such collectives in the country. Founded in 1989, the group is composed of Didier Sourou Awadi (alias DJ Awadi) and Amadou Barry (alias Doug E. ...
(PBS) with Duggy Tee, Awadi toured around the world contributing to the international popularity of
Hip Hop Galsen Following an historical process of appropriation of American popular music by Senegal,For e.g. Jazz as well as Latin American music such as salsa or pachanga were popular in Senegalese cities from the 1940s and until recently. Hip hop music, hip ho ...
. Awadi works as a solo artist, accompanied by his crew PBS Radikal. He participates in the
Senegalese Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 井仆井內丐中五 (Senegaali); Arabic: 塈堻媞塈 ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''R矇ewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 井仆不丐仆不五 ...
music industry through his label, recording studio, and rehearsal space, Studio Sankara. Awadi offers a conscious and revolutionary style of music strengthened by articulated and rooted messages. His motivation and inspiration is grounded in the Burkinab矇 revolutionary
Thomas Sankara Thomas Isidore No禱l Sankara (; 21 December 1949 15 October 1987) was a Burkinab矇 military officer, MarxistLeninist revolutionary, and Pan-Africanist, who served as President of Burkina Faso from his coup in 1983 to his deposition and ...
's phrase: ''"Let's dare to invent our future!"''


Biography

Born on August 11, 1969 in
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
,
Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 井仆井內丐中五 (Senegaali); Arabic: 塈堻媞塈 ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''R矇ewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 井仆不丐仆不五 ...
, Awadi is of
Beninese Benin ( , ; french: B矇nin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: R矇publique du B矇nin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
and
Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...
an descent. In 1984, while hip hop was slowly emerging on the
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
scene, Awadi created the group Syndikat. In 1989, he formed Positive Black Soul with fellow hip hop musician Duggy Tee with the desire of promoting a positive image of Africa. In 1992, PBS was chosen by the French rapper with Senegalese origins,
MC Solaar Claude M'Barali, professionally known as MC Solaar (; born 5 March 1969), is a French rapper of Senegalese and Chadian origin. He is one of France's most famous and influential hip hop artists. Some consider him the best French rapper of all t ...
, to be the first part of his show touring throughout
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. With a growing popularity, they recorded in 1994 their first track "Boul Faale," ("Don't worry") in which they denounced the corruption of the local political system. This track became part of their first album, "Salaam" released in 1995 after a European tour and signed under the label, Island Records. Over the next fourteen years, PBS had multiple international collaborations (KRS-One, Mc Solaar, Princess Erika, K-Mel, Kimani Marley, etc.) and toured worldwide while releasing K7 and CD in Senegal and internationally. Throughout his career, as member of PBS and later as a solo artist, Awadi articulated a militant and critical discourse in favour of a brighter pan-African future. In 2001, the two members of PBS decided to start a solo careers. A year later, Awadi released his first solo album, Kaddu Gor ("Word of Honour") which received the Radio France Internationale (RFI) World Music Award in 2003. After announcing the formation of his new crew, PBS-Radikal with Baay Sooley, Carlou D, and Noumounda Cissoko, Awadi signed with
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
. In 2005, he released his second solo album, Un Autre Monde est Possible (Another World is Possible) in which he called for the emergence of a better society based on equity, fairness, justice, and freedom. In 2006, he released Sunugaal, a plea for the development of Senegal and against illegal immigration. In October 2007, Awadi presented his upcoming project, Presidents of Africa on the
Bataclan (theatre) The Bataclan () is a theatre located at 50 Boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, France. Designed in 1864 by the architect Charles Duval, its name refers to '' Ba-ta-clan'', an operetta by Jacques Offenbach. Since the early 1 ...
stage in Paris, with artists from all over the continent. This fourth album was released in April 2010. In 1998, Awadi began contributing to Dakar's musical industry with the creation of his first home studio, "Taf-Taf Production" ("quickly" in Wolof - but "well-done" as Awadi stresses) and the first rental of his PA system. In 2001, he produced a one-hour TV show mirroring the local hip hop culture, "Senerap". In 2003, he created a festival dedicated to the hip hop culture, "Senerap International". That same year, "Taf-Taf Production" became "Studio Sankara", a more formal and professional music production structure actively producing advertising spots. In 2009, as a joint initiative with music professionals and hip hop artists, Awadi organized the first edition of "72H Hip Hop", a three-day event celebrating
Hip Hop Galsen Following an historical process of appropriation of American popular music by Senegal,For e.g. Jazz as well as Latin American music such as salsa or pachanga were popular in Senegalese cities from the 1940s and until recently. Hip hop music, hip ho ...
through workshops, conferences, performances, and exhibitions.


Discography

PBS cassettes released in Senegal between 1994 and 2001: * Boul Fal矇 * Boul Fal矇 Bou Bess * Daw Thiow * Fo Deuk * New York / Paris / Dakar * Wakh Feign * R矇volution 2000 PBS CD released internationally between 1995 and 2001: * 1995 Salaam * 1997 New York / Paris / Dakar (released in Europe in 2003 only) * 2001 Run Cool Awadi solo albums from 2002 up to nowadays: * 2002 Kaddu Gor * 2005 Un Autre Monde est Possible * 2006 Sunugaal (released in Europe in 2009) * 2010 Presidents of Africa * 23 Avril 2018- Made in Africa


Distinctions / Affiliations

* 2003 RFI World music award * 2004 Best African rapper Tamani Awards (Mali) * 2005 Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres France and Senegal *
AURA (United Artists for African Rap) United Artists for African Rap (, AURA) is a collective of 17 Hip hop music, hip hop artists (plus one griot) coming from ten different countries in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal an ...
member and actor in the first West African hip hop musical comedy show The Extraordinary Stories of Poto-Poto Children in which he represents the soldier-child


Filmography

Awadi was the subject of a film by director Yanick L矇tourneau, Canada, 2012 Distributed by National Film Board of Canada, WINNER - Critic's Choice Award - RIDM Festival Montreal 2011
United States of Africa


See also

*
Hip Hop Galsen Following an historical process of appropriation of American popular music by Senegal,For e.g. Jazz as well as Latin American music such as salsa or pachanga were popular in Senegalese cities from the 1940s and until recently. Hip hop music, hip ho ...
*
Positive Black Soul Positive Black Soul (also known as PBS) is a hip hop group based in Dakar, Senegal, one of the first such collectives in the country. Founded in 1989, the group is composed of Didier Sourou Awadi (alias DJ Awadi) and Amadou Barry (alias Doug E. ...
(PBS) *
AURA (United Artists for African Rap) United Artists for African Rap (, AURA) is a collective of 17 Hip hop music, hip hop artists (plus one griot) coming from ten different countries in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal an ...
*
Senegalese hip hop Senegalese hip hop is a form of hip hop that originated in Senegal in the early 1980s. When hip hop first hit the scene in Africa, it went from merely being a fad, to a more social and political movement. Amongst the most influential leaders of ...
*
Music of Senegal Senegal's music is best known abroad due to the popularity of mbalax, a development of conservative music from different ethnic groups and '' sabar'' drumming popularized internationally by Youssou N'Dour. Senegalese Musical Instruments List * ...
*
African hip hop Hip hop music has been popular in Africa since the early 1980s due to widespread African American influence. In 1985, hip hop reached Senegal, a French-speaking country in West Africa. Some of the first Senegalese rappers were M.C. Lida, M.C. Sol ...


References


External links


Studio Sankara official websiteDidier Awadi, Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Awadi, Didier French rappers Living people Musicians from Dakar Sankarists Senegalese hip hop musicians 1969 births