Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Les Escrocs (Mali)

Musiques d'Afrique Musiques du Mali

Les Escrocs (=extorters, thiefs) are an exponent of the youngest generation of rap groups in Mali. They distinguish themselves by using predominantly traditional Malian instruments, such as balafon, n'goni, tamani, djembé and calebash. Consisting of Mamadou Tounkara and Salim Diallo, their music is at the same time rap as well as World Music. They have toured in Mali, in Bénin (where they won a price as révélation du rap africain) and in the Netherlands (2001). In addition, they have been invited to perform at the opening and closing ceremony of the African Nations Cup of football in Bamako in 2002. Until October 2005, the albums of Les Escrocs were not available in the west, but one of their songs, Pirates, features on the CD sampler African Raps released by Trikont Records as well as on Mali Lolo: Stars of Mali, released by the Smithsonian Folkways label. Another song, Kalan can be found on a sampler Couleurs de Bamako released by RFI Musique. Now, a new CD has been released by Naxos World.

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