From US to Gambia: Rap meets Afro hip-hop

 

Part of the activities he would embark upon are conducting music lessons in hip hop and drama to students from various high schools across the Greater Banjul Area and performing at a show to be hosted at Palma Rima Beach Hotel.

Baba Israel has since started to lecture in selected schools follwoign a press conference at the American Embassy on Kairaba Avenue where he spoke with journalists on his mission to The Gambia. On Thursday at the Gambia Senior Secondary School, Baba Israel engaged students of Gambia Senior Secondary School and St. Augustine’s Senior Secondary School among other schools.

Speaking, Baba Israel traced the history of hip hop to the 1970s and that it was influenced from root music from Jamaica. However, he said that as it could be said without contradiction that Jamaicans are Africans in Diaspora, then rap influences originate from Africa. Hip hop is part of America’s culture, especially for the black Americans and it represents graphics, art, dance and style. According to him the influence of music like Reggae, Blues and Jazz came from the African Diasporas. He also taught the students on the importance of rhymes, pointing also to the importance of live band, voice, beatbox and machine drums in music.

After the lectures, various students expressed delight over the engagement, describing the lectures as a motivation to them to venture into music, especially hip hop with the conviction that it is an African culture and therefore need to be promoted by Africans. Ousman Saine, a student of Gambia Senior Secondary School said he had learnt a lot during the lectures and the lectures had really motivated him to venture into music as a career. He observed the need for Gambians to promote their artistes as he also called on musicians to venture more into hip hop as it is part of their culture. He also called on established musicians to help upcoming artists realize their talent and pave way for them to achieve their dreams of becoming professional musicians.

Modou Boye, a student of St. Augustine’s Senior Secondary School also admitted that he learnt a lot during the lesson, adding that it will guide him a lot if one day he has the desire to venture into music, though he presently has no plans of becoming a musician. He also encouraged his colleagues who want to venture into music to learn a lot, make research and read in order to become distinguished. He also thanked the US Embassy for the laudable initiative of bringing an American artist to share best practices and knowledge with Gambian musicians and also for offering free lectures to students of various schools in the country at no cost. He also described Baba Israel as a talented musician and a comedian.  

On Tuesday 27th April, 2010, Baba Israel also had a lecture with students of West Africa International School as part of activities. Students of the school were also opportuned to post various questions to the US hip hop artiste and comedian.

The visiting artiste is also expected to play at a musical show organized by the US Embassy on Saturday. The show is scheduled to take place at the Palma Rima beach hotel and it is going to be free of charge to the public. Baba will be on the day appearing on stage with various Gambian artistes, particularly those engaged in Afro hip hop.   

Baba Israel is an American citizen and a renowned hip hop artist, a comedian, poet and beat boxer who has toured across the United States, Europe, South America, Asia and the South Pacific. He had featured in series of television programmes on the world’s most popular televisions like MTV. He had also been featured in films and hip hop clips. In addition to his musical endeavour, Baba is an accomplished theatre artist and is active in his community, conducting workshops and assemblies at schools through Open Thought Arts and bringing theatre to underrepresented communities through playback New York City Theatre Company, which he co-founded. He holds an MFA in interdisciplinary arts, uniting his passions for hip hop and theatre.