Film report

DEMOCRACY IN SENEGAL Senegal has a history of poor democracy in Africa where leaders didn’t consider the needs of its citizens. The citizens after they had been oppressed for long decides to express their feelings and since they couldn’t do it directly, they came up with a way that passes their message especially to the fellow citizens. It was the way of music, hip hop music is used to address these political issues.
Hip-hop music started being experimented in Dakar Senegal immediately after its interception in New York. Since hip hop is an English version type of music, it was introduced in the English language. Those who were lucky to have gone to school and had learnt some English later indigenized the music into other languages. It was first produced in the wolof language since wolof was the biggest language group in Senegal.
Since the introduction of the hip hop music, there are over three thousand thriving hip hop groups in Dakar. The groups are trying to deeply express whatever is burning in their hearts. All the groups being that they are using the hip hop music to create awareness of their countries political instability makes the country to be of particular interest in contemporary African hip hop movement. The once imported sound of fighting the power was now something distinctly Senegalese where it was only about democracy in the country.
Senegal’s hip hop culture is grounded both in the local and in the transnational network of music and ideas. It’s hip hop mixes both sound and culture. When Awadi is questioned on the successfulness of hip hop in Senegal, he replies that they have a traditional connection with hip hop; traditional music called, Tulsa or kebetu where you play drums and talk on the beat.
No matter how many hip hop groups are in Senegal, they are seen to address a single issue; politics of their country.
Ndiaya- farafina Mousso; the group says that it must write lyrics that will advance their country.
Gina- Farafina Mousso’s role is to educate , talking about the issues that children, homeless children and orphans face.
The bat-Sen addresses the problem of poverty and unemployment. Senegal is having 50% unemployment level thus, there is a lot of poverty in the country
Jojo Yatfu talks about globalization, colonization manipulation, etc.
In hip life film Democracy in Senegal, the hip hop practitioners deeply exhibits that they were the ones who played the greatest role in the regime change in their country. They were not telling the people on who to vote for because they believed that all politicians in Senegal were the same but they adviced them to vote. The Sen kumpe group is very courageous. the group talks about anything including politics and is limited by nothing.
The groups faces severe problems when reflecting these political issues one being that of The flag of Senegal where the media could not help in the airing of critical messages. The other one being that the groups received threats of being sued. So many people have gone into exile as a result. Bambino was threatened that his house was to be burnt down if he continued talking about the politics. The politicians never wanted to be criticized by the citizens
The rappers changed the country’s regime in the year 2000 when the youth started calling for politics. The youth were rebelling. The rappers made the newly elected president win by 58. 7 votes of the 1. 7 votes cast. Unfortunately the president never did much and their dreams were never achieved.
The character of the hip hop groups teaches us that we should be ready to suffer, a lot of determination and courage is important in order to achieve our goals. They believed that if they left their hopes in the hands of the politicians, then they would never achieve their goals. The country has later achieved their goal after a long period of struggle. The achievement of good democracy in Senegal comes about as a result of the hip hop music.