Sub-Saharan African Music (Traditional vs Modern)
The continent of Africa is viewed as a poor nation that is lagging behind. Most of these ideas stem from what is shown to us through mainstream media and what is taught in schools. Images of Africans suffering and behaving in unusual ways are often portrayed on our screens. If I were to ask the general population about what comes to mind when they think about Africa? The common answers would be poverty, lions, jungles, and maybe monkeys. Although these answers are not wrong, they do not accurately represent the continent of Africa. These images and thoughts about the unknown world are ingrained in the minds of many individuals, which results in stereotypes and misconceptions. It is rare to see a positive portrayal of the African continent. The images shown on our screens and textbooks are one sided and do not reveal the entire truth.
The truth is that Africa is the second most populous continent in the world. Over 1.2 billion people live in this nation. As a result, Africa is extremely diverse and is a melting pot. In fact, there are 54 different countries in Africa. Within these countries are thousands of languages, cultures, beliefs, foods, and ways of life. Two people could be from the continent of Africa and live in two totally different worlds due to the vast differences between cultures. The music videos will serve as a medium to show variety in the continent of Africa, more specifically sub-Saharan Africa. The videos below will show the differences between the traditional and modern music of various cultures.
Nigeria
Traditional- Aye Davido
Davido is a popular artist in Nigeria. His music has been popular in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria is the most populated country in the African continent with over 180 million people. Moreover, Nigeria has a growing economy and is rapidly developing. The video titled “Aye” has over 43 million views and shows the cultural aspect of Nigerian life.
Modern- Fall by Davido
The music video “Fall” is also by the artist Davido. I chose this video to show the contrast between his traditional and modern Nigerian music. The song “Fall” was also successful beyond the borders of Nigeria.You can sometimes even hear it when cruising down New York City and Philadelphia. This video has over 38 million views.
Senegal
Traditional Akon- Khalice ft. Youssou N’dour
Senegal is located in West Africa and has 12.8 million people. The official language in Senegal is French. The tallest statue in the continent of Africa is referred to as the “African Renaissance Monument”. This statue is located in Senegal and is 160 feet tall. Some of the scenes of the video are taken at the monument. The video above is a mixture of Wolof and French. In the video are two popular artists Youssou N’dour and Akon. Akon is a popular rapper in America, but is originally from Senegal. Moreover, Youssou Ndour is a well known singer in Senegal and has been singing for many decades. This video portrays a different side of Akon and also exemplifies a traditional Senegalese music video.
Modern- Dip Doundou Guiss Feat. Nailah- One Night
This is an example of a modern Senegalese music video. This video was taken in Senegal. It shows a different side of Senegal. It also highlights the beautiful scenery that is present in Senegal. Dip Doundou Guiss is a new popular artist who attracts the young population. Although the official language in Senegal is French, this particular video is a mixture of English and Wolof which is the native language in Senegal.
Traditional-Viviane N’dour- Kuumu Neexul
Below is another traditional music video from Senegal. Viviane is a Senegalese icon and rarely does traditional videos. In fact, towards the end of the video she switches her appearance to a more modern Senegalese look. The language spoken in the video is Wolof, which is the native language of Senegal.
Modern- Viviane No Stress
The video above is also from the artist Viviane. This video was taken in Senegal. Although, it is extremely hard to understand the language the video was chosen to show the beautiful scenery in Senegal compared to other traditional videos. Senegal has become a tourist attraction over the years. This video shows the diversity within the African continent and reveals that Africa is not simply filled with huts, but that there is infrastructure. Moreover, this video also portrays Senegalese fashion.
Togo
Traditional-Toofan- Gweta
Toofan is a group from Togo. Togo is also located in West Africa. The official language is French. Although many of Togo residents live in poverty, this video serves to show a different perspective of Togo. This traditional video has a great beat and is often played at parties. The video has some English words throughout. However, the language being spoken is French.
Modern-Toofan- TERÉ TERÉ
This video is also from the group Toofan. It serves as a modern Togolese music video. The languages spoken in the video are French, English, and a Togolese language.
The videos above are from Senegal, Nigeria, and Togo. All three of these countries are different from each other. They have many different cultures, languages, dishes, and so much more. The videos above do not represent all 54 countries in the continent of Africa. These videos represent their respective countries. As stated above, the African continent is extremely diverse and as a result, portraying all cultures and lifestyles is complex. The videos serve to show a different side of West Africa.
I hope you enjoyed and learned something new!