While hip-hop from Africa’s Ivory Coast hasn’t necessarily penetrated the mainstream music world yet, there is a growing scene in the country that is distinct for its interesting fusion with native genres, languages and vernaculars. But within this, there’s also clear experimentation taking place, resulting in artists choosing to use the raw authenticity of their voices to place emphasis on both everyday struggles and wider cultural defiance. Based in the Angré neighbourhood in Abidjan, the country’s largest city, Nida, Block Dog & African Diplomat are an excellent example of this, with their new Black Label EP pointing to the potential in their local scene. Released on Psyhope, an independent cooperative music label based in the south of France, the EP offers a small window into a lesser-known but conceivably burgeoning hip-hop scene.
Black Label begins with ‘Far Quest’, a track that eases the listener into the atmospheric lo-fi tenor at the heart of the three artists’ creative practice. It opens with the sounds of strings on a warped cassette tape, the nostalgic melody repeating as Nida and Block Dog’s laid-back French language rap enters, the pair taking turns to deliver their uncompromising verses. This continues neatly with ‘Antiquité’, the track’s glitchy vocal backdrop sitting in opposition to the steady flow of the rapping, adding weight to each syllable and inflection.
By contrast ‘La Compagnie’ feels more urgent, African Diplomat’s beats anchoring Nida and Block Dog’s nimble movements. Likewise, lead single ‘Biabou 2’ leans into the political and socially conscious nature of the trio’s music, the track opening with lyrics roughly translating to “Conscious falsification of history, they transform lies into truth, every evening on the news I hear about Congo, Palestine, I swear the game is rigged…” Even without translating the lyrics, the tone and the tenacity of the beats and the rapping accentuates the track’s overall feeling of resistance and injustice.
The musical backdrop in ‘Défavoriser’ is subtle but still impactful, while the sudden switch to the sprightly arpeggio-like melody on following track ‘Terre Natale’ provides an expectant feel as fellow Abidjan rapper SAINTRUAND adds some contrast with his vocals. Bonus track ‘Drapeau’ (and its remix by Bordel 500) has a more discernible hook, highlighting the EP’s range across only eight tracks, from ambient to anthemic. Ultimately, Black Label offers a bite-sized introduction to the region’s contemporary hip-hop scene, encouraging a further deep-dive into its bold and innovative possibilities.
