When in search of a tune this time round, I aimed to search out feminine rappers to seize a wider vary of artistry, views, and matters. I discovered this within the artist Nabashu. Nabashu is a rapper from Senegal who has unapologetic lyrics and an impressively quick model of rapping. She is likely one of the pioneers of feminine illustration within the Senegalese rap scene. She typically makes use of her artwork as a automobile to talk on home points and to advertise girls’s empowerment.
On this tune, known as “Migration”, Nabashu divulges her ideas on Senegalese migration. Primarily based on on-line translation, she states:
“Lingay bagn fi”
→ What you don’t like right here
…
“Kone nak complete tho sa gokh”
→ So then, take excellent care of your neighborhood.
…
“M’y Sister sokhla nagn la”
→ My sisters, we want you.
“M’y brother sokhla nagn la”
→ My brothers, we want you.
“Amana lingay dèmé foufou bothi outline dara”
→ The place you’re going, there’s nothing sure for you, nothing is admittedly outlined for you there.
“Dina am mouthi am barkeé kounek meun thi khadj”
→ There will probably be starvation and there will probably be blessing; anybody can get misplaced on that path.
“Tanguita lamb deug la meti na linga da thi”
→ The solar is scorching, the journey is actually onerous, it actually hurts what you’re going via.
“Togal thi sa rew moy li gueun pourquoi tu pars”
→ Staying in your individual nation is what’s higher, so why are you leaving?
“liguey lagniou kham lagniou gueum pourquoi tu pars”
→ Work is what we all know, what we imagine in, so why are you leaving?
As seen on this excerpt, she is advocating in opposition to migration. For context, many Senegalese depart the nation yearly for surrounding nations in Africa, in addition to Latin America and Europe (primarily France) in a bid to flee poverty, restricted financial alternatives, and political turmoil. She explains that leaving Senegal does nothing to repair the issues that trigger the will to depart. She believes deeply within the energy of the folks to make Senegal a greater place and that it’s potential if everybody organizes beneath that widespread purpose, reasonably than leaving and permitting different nations to revenue from their work. Nabashu is utilizing this tune as a name to motion for folks to not solely take satisfaction of their homeland and make it higher, but additionally to know that the act of migrating to a different nation is an enormous threat, because it doesn’t assure an escape from the issues (reminiscent of poverty, job insecurity, and so on.) that they face of their house nation. She sees staying in Senegal as a “the satan you already know is best than the satan you don’t” circumstance.
I can utterly perceive the place Nabashu is coming from in her lyrics. In my opinion, I feel it’s not solely vital, however your obligation as a citizen of your house nation to demand that it do higher for you when your wants aren’t met. (Are you able to inform I’m a poli-sci main?) I additionally perceive that whereas that’s the ideally suited scenario, these are systemic points that may probably not be solved in a well timed method, particularly when the nation is recovering from political turmoil and a brush with democratic backsliding in simply the earlier 12 months. In that case, I can perceive that persons are bored with their circumstances and easily don’t have the time, endurance, or assets to repair them. I additionally assume that folks ought to at all times have the precise to self- dedication, and in the event that they really feel they need to depart a scenario they see will profit them extra in the long term, that’s their alternative. I respect how this tune made me consider these dueling components and intricacies which can be typically related to migration.
When talking of the music of the tune, I have to admit it was not my cup of tea. Whereas I very a lot respect the depth of the lyrics, I’m not a lot of a fan of the piano melody used all through the tune. It was a melodic, moody tune that set the tone for the lyrics. I feel the piano, in addition to the beat, was a bit tinny-sounding and never impactful sufficient, which made me really feel that it didn’t correspond with the message effectively. The music didn’t actually seize or maintain my consideration once I heard it because of that. Moreover, I felt that once they layered her voice for the refrain, the sound-mixing was a bit unbalanced and dissonant. Compared with different songs in her discography, this one was my least favourite sonically. Her different songs actually showcase her vary as a rapper much better, particularly her expertise with velocity and move.
Total, Nabashu is an excellent lyricist, and I appreciated how her message made me assume extra of the migration expertise, particularly from the angle of somebody who doesn’t need to depart their house nation and needs to see it do higher. I feel this tune may be very well timed, as many nations, together with our personal, are having a reckoning with how we must always take care of immigration and migration politically and socially.
