Do anglophones really have a place in the national hip-hop scene? From XLM Squad to Nabil 4Real, we actually had some hope. As usual we succeeded to slopping ourselves and our music into obscurity. Yessir, no one cares about Anglophone hiphop music. If you hear an anglophone tune on radio, know it is the product of heavy lobbying and a few bottles…. of Castel.
Ok, lemme ask a question.
Y’all anglophone performers out there, answer me sincerely y’all; what is the difference between your music and Nigerian music?
LOCK YA MOP!!! Difference no dey!!
Lemme throw this to y’all emcees; what’s the difference between your music and American hiphop?
SHUTUP YA MOP!!! Difference no dey!!!
It is a pity that some how we (anglophones) almost always tactfully place ourselves in a minority position.. Always looking for someone to blame or someone to beg from. YESSIR, I SAID IT!
It is funny now that I think of it. Back in school when Krotal, Koppo, Bantu Posi and others were making baby-steps toward the national scene, we used to laugh at them. you know, that kind; “Na who dem to this eh?” We endlessly critisized them for trying to encorporate African elements in their performances.
The guys from XLM Squad on the other hand were our hereos. Cameroonian Stars par-exellence: rode in big ass cars, wore glittering jewellery. But they couldn’t stand the rigorous test of time.We’re they now?
smh chai. only BOUBOUMTCHA!! lmao
But hiphop is changing now. Everybody is trying to be original. Nigerians have branded their own typa Urban music: Afro-Pop. That’s what P-Square, D-Banj, J-Martins and Dr. Sid do. South Africans have Kwaito. With the likes of Black Coffee and JR doing their thing.
Then our francophone brothers have called theirs: Le RapMboa (or whether na the name that o? *shrugs*). And we can go on and on. Let’s be honest, our (anglophone) R&B either sounds Nigerian or American. No originality. Not to even talk bout our rap music. Guys actually talk bout 45mm guns and coke (cocaine) in their raps. *blank stare*
YOU DON EVER SEE GUN??…..Salaudpard
Last week, while working on my radio show, I was lucky to have a sneak peak of Buea-based rapper, Kay‘s Album. and I was wowed. If I’m not mistaken, it’ll be called PIONNAIRE and it’ll be dropping sometime in 2011. From the production to delivery was straight Cameroonian. I am not easily impressed but this got me nodding. And I was like: this is answering my questions on what the future of anglophone hip-hop has to look like. It’s amazing how in each song you could identify a couple of instruments that remind you of your childood visits to your village And his flow was very easy to relate to. Talking bout things that made laugh. Without them loosing their hiphop instrumental backbone. A hybrid is born.
It is impressive how good anglophone rappers are. You need to step into a studio or some room in Buea and see guys kicking cyphers and you’ll be like: di mendem di really do weti for di pays?
The future is bright people. We just need to more creative and acknowledge our environment. Make music people can relate to. Make music we can relate to. Be original. Adapt you music to your environment.
Back to your notepads now. Write good music.
😉
I like this article. it reminds me of how some of these anglophones say things which are not of their life style. How can you rap about your cars and chicks, meanwhile i see you every morning in the quartier store fighting to buy garri?
I also had an avant gout of the PIONNAIRE and it was sui generis, one of it’s kind.
The question is a legitimate one, but if you think about it for a minute, anglophone artists in the hip hop and RnB domains are facing an identity crisis. Do we run with the Nigerians, the Americans or do we follow the francophones?
The only foreign music hot in Kamer right now is the Naija movement and given that Nigerians are our bros from another mother, it’s logical that our anglo artists would buck the trend as it is the safest thing to do. So don’t be too hard on them, they need to start from somewhere and hopefully with time our Anglophone hip hop will have its own personality and identity. (reminder: Afro pop as the Nigerians call it is a beautiful fusion of Jamaican dancehall, American RnB/Hip hop and elements of West African High Life (Afro Beat) music).
Don’t forget that Kamer Anglophone music as a whole is insignificant in the Cameroonian music landscape, so it’s safe
the thing is we are always looking for da safest thing to do thus we take very little or no risks thus we gain very little or no recognition even from our home town(Buea). See how Njhoreur(Mbanu Tiger) and Roggy Stentor(franchophone rapper-Dla) took da risk of starting da Hip Makossa, despite da many criticisms from melomen and women they ended up dancing to de tune nd today many are coping dat rythme. “learn fo bear risk” make ur own stuff nd u’ll one day b lyk nigerians, South Africans….. Although we from B-town must also learn to appreciate our home artists, if not even the francophones will nt value them
hi guys
i just read what u said abt anglophone hip hop and 2 b honest with ya, am really impressed and ya know we anglophones dont really have a place in da hip hop scene here in kamer. 4 sure u might asked me why i say so.
yes
no collaboration.
guys keep it up and you can get it twisted at my block on my space.
we can work 2gether if you feel am better of in lyrics and style.
http://www.myspace.com/mrwillyb
Hey guys i aint used to the commentin or so bt one thing remains true if we aint got born originality alongside solid musicality,openmindedness just to name a few,we headin no where.i havnt grown wit da anglophones bt all i know is we ar the best so far but all thesame we ar our own devils.im kickin it in da most outstandin kamerhiphop tv show bt i rarely reciev hollas from my own english folks.dats so weird.anyway peace y’all!