Nomadic Wax Travels to The Depths of Dakar
March 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The compilation African Underground: The Depths of Dakar
furthers Brooklyn label Nomadic Wax’s mission statement of uncovering,
recording, and distributing new talent from Africa, but to catalog the
disc as a mere label sampler would be misleading. Released in
conjunction with the label’s Democracy in Dakar documentary (co-produced with partners Sol Productions), Depths of Dakar acts as both a study of hip-hop’s influence on Senegalese politics and a mouthpiece for the people.
Despite notable media sources, such as the BBC,
upholding it as one of Africa’s model nations, Senegal has experienced
rampant poverty and unemployment within its borders. Thousands risk
their lives every year taking dangerous boat journeys to Spain’s Canary
Islands, seeking better lives. Freedom of speech is, according to many,
becoming a rare commodity, with radio stations and journalists being
harassed and sometimes harmed for their “biased” viewpoints.
Music
is no exception. Hardly the American stuff of bling bling, Senegalese
hip-hop might be seen as a cathartic means for the country’s youth to
express the state of their country–and the dangers that rise with
voicing such opinions.
“Rap music in Senegal is no game,” says Nomadic Wax founder Ben Herson,
who makes periodic trips back to the country seeking new talent. “[The
artists] have been threatened, beaten up, and censored, yet they
continue to speak for the people and get their voice heard. The Democracy in Dakar project is all about providing a platform for people worldwide to hear the story straight from the source.”
With
that in mind, Herson, along with partner-in-crime Dan Cantor, set up
shop in the capital city in 2003 to capture that story. The two
constructed a temporary studio in Dakar and opened its doors to anyone
willing to drop by and pick up a mic. “Keeping things open like this
has allowed me to discover some incredible talent that many in Senegal
had not had the opportunity to discover,” explains Herson. “Rather than
take artists out of their element we bring the studio directly to them,
in an environment they are most comfortable in.”
The result of
such “guerilla-style” recording is a selection of rising stars,
established artists, and unknowns spitting sharp lyrics over tightly
arranged beats that demonstrate both the politics of hip-hop in Senegal
and the country’s rich musical tradition. “We want our audience to get
the clearest picture possible of what these artists are going through,”
says Herson, “and the hardships that rappers in Senegal face to get
their music out.”
Jennifer Marston
Depths of Dakar is out May 15, 2007 on Nomadic Wax.
Listen to Sen Kumpa’s “Niawal,” from the compilation, available now at XLR8R’s Downloads Section.
Tracklisting
1. Sen Kumpa “Niawal”
2. Pato “Keep It Real”
3. Zoo Squad “Fresh Time pt 1”
4. Foumlade “sing With Us feat. Bag Blin D”
5. Nightmare “Geble Night in Blue feat. Yella”
6. Adama “Aduna Bi”
7. Omzo “Goor Yombul”
8. Jojo “All I Want feat. Gofu (Yat Fu)”
9. Zoo Squad “Fresh Time pt 2”
10. Fatim “Real Woman”
11. Tigrim Bi “Hip-Hop”
12. Omzo “Li Guen pt 2”
