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What is tasso?
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Metro, What is tasso? >>
Even though they're an entire continent away. Senegalese rappers Daara J perform hip-hop music that's much more in tune with the genre's original spirit than the work of most American MCs today. The leaders of Senegal's burgeoning hip-hop scene sing a socially and politically charged form of Sene-rap called "tasso," an ancient rhythmic poetry tradition. The group brings their global sound to Lincoln Center this summer for the Africa America concert.
How and when did you discover hip-hop in Senegal?
We were in school and rap music was just coming from America and France and we got really inspired and charmed by that music and we began to sing along to the tracks. A lot of times, we didn't understand what was said with the rough American slang. So we tried to make some freestyles and rap in our own language.
How did you connect rap music with tasso?
Tasso was actually used before slavery. When we heard hip-hop for the first time, we tried to analyze it and compare it to the traditional music. What we found was that hip-hop music is similar to our traditional political music called tasso.
Considering that rap is largely perceived as American, did it take a while to win over Senegalese fans to your sound?
In the beginning it was very difficult. It wasn't accepted by the audience because I think somehow there was some kind of negative approach to hip-hop music, you know, gansta rap. People though that we were trying to copy what we used to see on TV.
What's the biggest difference between hip-hop in America and Africa?
American realities are different to ours. In Senegal, people refer to hip-hop music to solve their problems in life and lift their spirits to a higher-level consciousness. Our ideal is different from American music. We don't talk about the bling bling or gangsta stuff. Our problem is poverty, we try to find solutions. Find a way to pull people out of their misery.
-Dorothy Robinson 06/17/05
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