On Sunday our group made our way down very rugged and goat filled roads into the slums of Pikine to check out the organization Africulturban. Africulturban was the brainchild of Senegalese hip-hop artist Matador, who is a big name in Dakar. We met with Matador and his hardworking, passionate, and innovative staff. He's put quite the dream team together. As we interviewed the guys, I was hit by their extraordinary energy for their jobs at Afroculturban, which was refreshing.
As far as groups working collectively to address issues in the community goes, this organization stood out to me and quickly became a personal favorite in all of our research. Maybe it's because my students (and I) are so into hip-hop and I'm always trying to get them to listen to hip-hop with more substance. Maybe it's because I was moved by meeting people who were not rapping about money and sex; they would rather focus on empowering the youth through challenging the status quo with their music, especially Matador. And get this... they are big names. Everyone knows who Matador is.
Where hip-hop started in the United States as a way to fight back, now the four biggest manufacturers of hip-hop in the United States are headed by white males. What does that say about the hip-hop in the U.S. now? Amadou Fall Ba, the saavy business manager of Africulturban said it well, "It used to be handcuffs. Now it's gold. Senegalese hip-hop is political hip-hop. Not bling-bling hip-hop."
The programs they run for the youth of Pikine are about getting them to ask questions and tell their story through hip-hop. They bring in artists to perform for free and also have a recording studio. If a kid wants to come in and record... it's cool. But he or she had better make sure they are focusing on something deeper than the "bling-bling" or they can't use the facilities. Ablaye Ndiaye, another hardworking member of the team expressed it in a way that made me want to pump my fist in the air: "The youth are the mouths for people who don't have mouths. We might not be rich, but we have everything because we have our minds." Pretty powerful stuff that my students need to hear.
I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with all of this info. After visiting, my mind was flooded with so many ideas... How can we start a sister program? Would it ever be possible to bring a group of kids to Pikine for a two week cultural experience? Can my students Skype with the kids in Pikine? How are we going to translate the language of these songs for the students? Ahhhhhhhh. Great visit. It made me want to get into my classroom. I can't believe I just typed that.
I've got to go before I start lesson planning. Does having my picture with Matador up my coolness factor?
Peace and love,
Jen, or "Jennifer" as I've been calling myself here... jen means "fish" in Wolof. Plus when people say "Jennifer" with an Senegalese French accent it is probably the best way I've ever heard my name spoken.
For more information... Click here to read more involved blog about Senegalese hip-hop and Matador.
View the trailer for Democracy in Dakar to learn more about the work the guys are involved in.
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