Each Wednesday, The World Africa presents three new musical products from or inspired by the continent. This week, urban music is in the spotlight with effective collaborations between rappers and singers.
«Ready», by Serge Ibaka, Diamond Platnumz & Mohombi
Born in 1989 in Brazzaville (Congo), Serge Ibaka is better known for his talents as a basketball player with the Spanish team or the Los Angeles Clippers than for his talents as a singer. For almost a year, however, he has proposed an original project, called “Art”, for which he surrounds himself with artists of urban music.
After releasing three tracks with the French Ninho, Tayc and Guy2Bezbar, here he is turning to Africa by appearing alongside the Tanzanian star Diamond Platnumz and the Swedish-Congolese Mohombi (DRC). Unveiled in early December, their song Ready (“Ready” in Swahili) is ideal for raising the temperature.
« Yow Lay Nobaat », de Jahman X-Press (feat. Dip Doundou Guiss)
By discovering photos of Jahman X-Press – Abdou Lahad Thioun in civil status -, bottle in hand or on the lips, accompanied by punchlines like slogans, the Senegalese at first believed that Abiyo was the name of a new brand of mineral water.
It was actually a marketing strategy of the singer to announce his first solo album – Abiyo, therefore, from the nickname he gave to his grandmother – released in mid-November after a series of singles since 2019. On the title Yow Lay Nobaat, the native of Diourbel invites Dip Doundou Guiss, one of the most prominent figures of “galsen” rap, to sing about love. Refreshing.
« Stamina », the Samditquoi (feat. Nai-Jah)
Finally, in France too, rap and afropop can go hand in hand. The proof with the song Stamina, released in early November, on which rapper Samditquoi invites singer of Nigerian origin Nai-Jah. If the first poses in French, the second uses pidgin, a mixture of English and local dialects.
Accompanied by his brother, the beatmaker El Manu, and influenced in particular by a nine-month stay in Cape Verde, Samditquoi intends to wear “The legacy of Afro-rap precursors, such as Mokobé and Bisso Na Bisso”. For this song, it is more in the wake of the stars of the « naija music » what are Burna Boy or Wizkid.
Find all the musical favorites of the editorial staff in the playlist YouTube from World Africa.