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Global Hit (Audio)
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PRI's The World, Global Hit (Audio) >>
Daara J are hardly newcomers to the hip-hop scene in Dakar. They're not even new to the global hip-hop nation. But the trio that's been around for ten years has reached a new level of respect.
In Senegal, the thirty-something rappers are now the elder statesmen of the genre. And worldwide, they're touring and selling albums, like their latest entitled Boomerang.
In some ways it's amazing that Daara J is doing so well internationally. The band's rhymes are a mix of French and Wolof, understood primarily by only French and Senegalese.
In their tune "Paris Dakar," they sing of the chilliness of France and the earthiness of Senegal. They rap that Dakar is more boubou than bling bling, referring to the regal frocks of damask cloth worn by Senegalese men.
Daara J also comments on how in Senegal they don't give kisses a la francaise. But where's the warmth in Paris? No one on the commuter trains there even speak to each other go the words.
A lot of the appeal can be understood just through the music. But to really understand Daara J - a lot of Senegalese hip hop for that matter - you must first establish the context of the music. So says the group's spokesman, Faada Freddy.
Faada Freddy: In Senegal we have a very different vision to the American scene. In Senegal for example, some importance is given to the rapper according to the importance of his message. If people identify themselves to your message, then you can not be a star, but you can be like a true representative of the nation. That's why we don't cultivate no stardom in Senegal. Each rapper is doing his best just to be the most conscious as possible.
Consciousness among Senegalese rappers reached its peak four years ago, during the presidential election.
Faada Freddy: During the last elections, the rappers themselves went on tour, on camping, just like all the presidential candidates just to remind people of their duties. I think this is a conscious way to take part in your society.
Marco Werman: Do you think you made a change? Did you make a difference?
Faada Freddy: Of course, you know, it's still confirmed that rap played a main role to overthrow the last regime and settle this new one.
During the 2000 election, Daara J wasn't just out touring Senegal to remind their countrymen of their civic duty to vote.
They and other rap groups in Senegal supported Abdoulaye Wade, the opposition candidate, over what Faada Freddy refers to as the previous regime of President Abdou Diouf.
Senegal is in fact one of the model democracies in Africa.
It's a bit disingenuous to refer to the administration of former president Abdou Diouf as a regime. But the freedom young Senegalese enjoy means that they can be the proxy voice for less fortunate kids elsewhere on the continent. And that's certainly the case with a track like "Babylone."
In Babylone, Daara J addresses the contradictions of trying to make democracy grow in Africa. Democracy, they sing, gives permission to the rich and the aristocracy to do what they've always done: get richer and ignore the have nots.
Faada Freddy says his group can't help but write songs about these topics.
Faada Freddy: We livin' in a poor country with power race, corruption, poverty, disease, you know a good amount of people have AIDS and stuff like that. So we can not afford like American youth to talk about bling bling and our selfish problems.
Not that Daara J takes to the stage to hold re-education meetings on how to change the world. This is hip-hop after all.
Daara J is equally about the beat as well the message.
For The World, I'm Marco Werman. 12/10/04 >> go there
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