A à K - L à Z

Lakalé Posse
Members: Lony Bony, Big Was, Alou T, Khouya K
Songs: 'Kids' with Jimmy Mbaye

Leer Gui posse
Members: Cisko, Mac J, Blackson
Album: Diock (1999)

Les Freres de l'Ombre
Members: Shin, VelociRash-tor, Lord Cheick,Rozo , Chancellier Perfect
Tracks: Mortel Rap Kombat

MC Lida
Solo
Tape: Douma doyal mukk (1995?), Nuni neen (1998)

Ndiaf-a-ngara
Members: Laman Junior, Kumah Daman, Daddy Carfa
Albums: Ayoo (1999)



Only First Way
Members: Dou K, Dou G, Dieyna, Soda




Peace and peace
Members: Ely, Naby
Albums: Diam ak Diam (1999)

Pee Froiss
Members: Kool Koc VI, Bibson, Khouman, Gee Bass
Cassette: Wala wala bok? (1996), Affair Bou Graw (1997)

In Senegal, Pee Froiss is almost as well known as Positive Black Soul. They worked together on the first album of Pee Froiss, called 'Wala wala bok' and released in august 1996 on cassette in Dakar. The cassette includes a remix of the title track featuring PBS. Pee Froiss used to be one of the few Dakar Posses with a female rapper. Sister Joyce could sing as well. She is now with Ouza, a well known longtime singer who is currently into poppy soul.



Pic: Sista Joyce

The 2nd album Affair Bou Graw was an interesting affair which showed a more mature Pee Froiss, with a good balance of tight rap and soulful vocals. Like most Senegalese groups, Pee Froiss is not just into rapping but singing plays an equally important role in the music. They also have one of the better dj's in Dakar, Gee Bass. Pee Froiss toured Europe in 1997.

In September 99 we witnessed the release of the 3rd Pee Froiss album. After a silence of 2 years, 'Ah Simm' came out. On our arrival in Dakar the town was plastered full of posters announcing the release and the 'première concert'.
We spoke to the group about their music, and the release of their new album, and recorded the conversation. You can listen in realaudio at our interviews section.

Petit Frère compilations
Albums: Petit Frere 1 (1997), Petit Frere 2 (1997)

   

Positive Black Soul
Members: Doug-E Tee, Didier 'dj' Awadi
Cassettes: Boul Fale (1994), Boul Bes (1995), Salaam (1996), Daw Thiow (1996), Fo Deuk (1997), Senerap-Freestyle no 1 (1997), New York-Paris-Dakar (1997), Wakh Feign (1998)
Compact discs: Salaam (1996), Fodeuk (with David Murray, 1997)

The men from Sicap Amitie, Dakar have been the first African Hip Hop crew to attain international succes with their 1996 album 'Salam' which was released by Mango records. Their subsequent tour through West-Africa, Europe, America and beyond has given them a lot of credit and the status of ambassadors of West-African Hip Hop. The group has been together since 1989 when Doug-E Tee and Awadi met after their original -rival- crews split up. It was the song 'Boul Fale' (a Wolof word meaning 'don't worry'), appearing on their first cassette, that got them well-known among Senegalese youth.

One year later, a remix-album featuring alternative versions of 'Boul Fale' appeared with guest-appearances of fellow rappers MC Leader and Pee Froiss, also starring the famous singer Omar Pene. From then on it was clear that Hip Hop in Senegal was not going to lead an underground existence as it has in so many other countries. A few concerts in France and Belgium made the international record business aware of the groups capacities, and with the help of French (Senegal-born) rapper MC Solaar PBS signed to Mango (Island) label. More recent developments have been the cooperation of PBS with other Senegalese musicians (mbalax-group Dieuf Dieul, Hamet Maal who is the brother of Baaba Maal and the living legend of Senegalese percussion Doudou Ndiaye Rose) and American trumpettist David Murray, who used to perform with Miles Davis.

Reason for this unusual gathering was the project Fo Deuk ('Cest ou chez toi') which aimed to bring urban youth worldwide together by cultural exchange. For the purpose, PBS and these musicians performed on stage in New York, Paris and Dakar in early 1996. Next they went to do some recordings which finally have been released on cd. Then came the cooperation with KRS-One, Supernatural (both from US), RAS, MC Claver and RAS from Ivory Coast (which see) on their album 'New York-Paris-Dakar. Many songs were taken from Daw Thiow which came out first, and then given a remix which in most cases did nothing good as Dwa Thiow was a superb production. In 1998 PBS spend much of their time touring all around the world, going to America, Europe and other places.

The Wakh Feign 'hors series' tape came out to celebrate their ninth birthday. Its cover design closely resembles 'Boul bes', the second-ever PBS tape, but the tracks are a world apart. The newly recorded 'Wouyouma' appeals to both pop listeners and the real hiphop heads, with its soulful & catchy chorus and tight rhyming. Other tracks are left-overs of earlier recording sessions and indeed resemble the style that PBS came up with earlier. Now there's one track on this album that has some of the best recording artists in Senegalese rap put together on tape: 'Wakh free' features Da Brains, Peace & Peace, Melokan, Kantiolis, Yat Fu, Pee Froiss, Xelmi Jo and Boul-n-Bai.

Don't forget to listen to some of their music at the Rumba-Kali sounds page, and watch the realvideo broadcast of the concert that they gave in Montreux in 1998.

Rap'adio
Members: Lady Sinai, .....
Tracks: Rang bi dematoul (on Senerap freestyles no. 1), Xolal sa bok
Albums: Ku weet xam sa bop (1998)

Despite the fact that these rappers were invited by Positive Black Soul to join in at the first Senerap Freestyle compilation tape, they have now started a serious stride with the forementioned. The good thing is that it looks like here's one of those phenomenons in hip hop that some people mistake for a sign of the downfall of the culture, but which in fact is where it all started out with: COMPETITION! The argument is like this: Nioul te rapadio want the old generation to make way for the new school of Senegalese rappers. Now PBS haven't yet celebrated their 10th anniversary so they will still want to be in the game for the next years to come... To be continued.

Saf Sapli
All-female group from Guédiawaye...

Sama Flavor
Members: Tonton Mac,....
Album: Doormu daanu (Discover records, France 1999)

   

Tonton Mac (see pic) from Sunu Flavor has now gone on with this new group. Sama Flavor have signed a contract with French label Discover.They have a 5-year view in which cd's should be released on the international market, and singles will be dropped prior to every album. The first 10-track cd is out now. An international tour is also planned. Tracks on the cd include a cover of 'No woman no cry' from Bob Marley, 'Histoires sans fin', 'Mentalités africaines', and the old Pee Froiss songs 'Nel fess' and 'Sali'.

Sektion K-As
Members: Loko Loko, Sedidunlay, Wiggydaz, Roots Boy
Albums: Sektion K-As (1999)

Senerap: freestyle no 1 (compilation)

A fresh compilation which shows the healthy state of Senegalese rap, in fact of the whole music business down there at the moment, is the cassette 'Senerap: Freestyle no 1' which was released in Dakar in February 1997. This compilation was the first ever to bring together some of more than 100 Senegalese rap groups that have started to do their thing in the last two years. Featured are some of the most well-known crews that have already shown their talent: PBS, Sunu Flavor, Pee Froiss... Others are not that well known but will be soon. The concept of the album is rather unique because it shows a dedication to one of the oldest surviving elements of Hip Hop culture: freestyle. Recent world tours have given PBS and Pee Froiss a lot of experience performing but also more insight into Hip Hop culture. After using the skills of French deejays Abdul and Cut Killer while on tour, PBS realised that they would have to teach the Senegalese deejays how to cut, scratch and backspin, so they brought Abdel to Dakar to do some workshops. This time they are hitting us with the freestyle flow. Rather than making new beats they chose to pick some US Hip Hop instrumentals. The ten groups (most are from Dakar, only Siki Saka are from Thies) stated that this album will be of great importance for the upliftment of Senegalese Hip Hop. PBS promised that soon a second compilation can be expected, featuring new groups from various regions of the country.

Senerap volume 2 (compilation)

Early June 1998, the second volume of this groundbreaking initiative dropped on the local market. The production by PBS meant to create opportunities for new groups to sort an album, and after 'no 1' indeed two groups - 'Boul n Bai' and Da Brains - have come out with a cassette. Now there's a new tape which apart from well-known PBS, Pee Froiss, Da Brains and Boul n Bai, features some 9 more tracks by Merguiklan, Kanthiolis, Slam Revolution, Domou Capsi, Mediklan, Peace & Peace, Xelmijo, Meloklan - all from Dakar. Also there's three groups named Yutom, Digital, and Wulaba from Ziguinchor. This time all tracks have been mixed in a non-stop sequence. It's dope... The tracks we like most are the one by old school group Kanthiolis, and the Wolof sung r&b track by Peace & Peace which uses that Usher hit. If you go to Dakar, go get it!!

Siggi Fippu Members: Maxi, Gnul Laoji, Cool Meta, Gnul G
Cassette: Khosluman (1996)

Sunu Flavor
Members: Doctor Mac, Tonton Mac, Sugar Flavor, Salt Flavor, dj Matar
Cassette: B i/e boor (1995), Nel Fes (1997), Togne (1998)

Sunu Flavor 'since 1993, until 1998' released four albums before splitting up. They got a lot of exposure in the media after their first release B/e Boor which was recorded in the studio of Youssou n'Dour. They worked with the Guinean group Kill Point on the album 'Foreboma' and played their part in doing the rap compilation series 'Petites Freres'. In early 1998 they toured Senegal and even Morocco in what was called the 'Togne Tour'.

There's another album by Tonton Mac on his own, entitled 'Saloum Ghetto'. Tonton went all the way to Paris to promote the album on tv and radio. There he announced that he was to release a compact disc in 1999. Next thing we heard was that they broke up, and Tonton continued with a new group of his own 'Sama Flavor'. He is also active as a producer.

Tim Timol
Members:Sister Yakim Thikita, Alioune Guisse, Father Mounty
Album: Diarama (1999)

Tonton Mac
Album: Saloum Ghetto (1998)

V.I.B.
Album: Surgit des decombres (1999); track: 'Stop Violence' (on Boul-n-Bai's 'Mama Africa' album); cd-single 'In a air' (1999)
Members: Tee Lion, Daddy Maky, Henti P, Soundjata





A

Xarnu-Bi Members: Thiat, Rimos, Tofo, Fufa, Xuma

Yat-Fu
Album: Fenku (1998)