Tsira da Amincin Allah su tabbata gare mu gaba daya
Since young Muhsin has suddenly become shy (and he used to be such a a chatterbox too!), I thought I will close this thread by updating forumites about the M2M concert. I conceptualized and produced it -- and as such I don't think I can give a fair account -- that is why I had wanted Muhsin's review, as that might be more objective than mine. In the absence of his review, I am going to give a mechanical report of the concert (not what the punters say or do!).
The Mecca 2 Medina concert was tagged
Rap Across Cultural Borders (RACB). It was based on the wake-up call given by the success of the Kukuma Rap, and it was the next level in empowering local performance artistes in northern Nigeria. This time, with an international, British, flavor. That flavor was provided by Mecca 2 Medina (M2M), a group of three British Muslims who preach Da’awah (call to God) through hip-hop nasheed (a capella lyrics). The group had visited Nigeria and gave two performances in 2005 at the BC Kano to an enthusiastic reception. The increasing high profile of Hausa hip-hop makes it possible to consider the possibilities of inviting M2M back to Nigeria for collaborative performances with local hip-hop artistes.
The usual format of holding performances at the British Council, Kano, however, was revisited and this time around a series of concert performances was conceived as being held in Jos, Kaduna and Kano. The planning for these series of concerts meant traveling to Jos to sound out local hip-hop artistes whose musical fare will blend with M2M’s Islamic calls to peace and multicultural unity. With this collaboration with M2M, the entire concept of the concerts assumed a wider dimension and the particular expectations of the visit of M2M to Nigeria were, among others,
To poster greater understanding of contemporary youth musical cultures in the U.K. and northern Nigeria
Enable exploration of possible networks to facilitate musical exchange between musicians across the borders
Create situations and contexts for exchange of skills and training in musical production to promote appreciation of the individual cultures[/li][/list]
These expectations are to be realised through a series of concert performances as well as interactive sessions between local hip-hop musicians and members of M2M. Due to logistics and tight schedule – M2M had only 10 days in Nigeria – the interactive sessions were held only in Kano.
The concerts were scheduled for 10th (Jos), 12th (Kaduna) and 17th (Kano) February. The interactive sessions were took place on Thursday 15th February, while M2M held an open day for members of the public and journalists on Saturday 17th February to enlighten members of the Kano community about their brand of hip-hop and how successful it was in multicultural Britain.
In Jos the support act was a combination of two artistes – Living Scroll, Malomen & G-vibes. In Kaduna local support artiste, Buzun Kaduna, provided the support act with additional supported provided by Dan Hausa (both from Edo State!) In Kano, Billy-O and Shaba were to provide the support; although Shaba did not take to the stage because his daughter was scalded with hot water and had to be rushed to the hospital about two hours to the concert; nevertheless, X-Man Sarari (“Corruption”), another local rapper, took the stage and supported Billy-O’s finishing performance.
Next up was Arewa providing a scintillating performance, which included new songs they had composed for the event. They were followed by Mecca 2 Medina who started their slots a capella, followed later by a backup CD of drumming with which they used to conclude their set. This was followed by a question and answer session during which M2M interacted more with their audience and provided more insights into their music and their approach to using music to further improve multicultural relations.
Sheikh Rabi’u Usman Baba (left) and Rakim (M2M) in Hausa gown – Rappin’ All Over the World!
The finale was the Kukuma Hip-Hop with Arewa providing backing music to M2M’s lyrics to songs sung both in Hausa and English. The effect was as eclectic as it was innovative. In one song, Ya Rasulillah (on the Prophet Muhammad), sections of the lyrics were sung in Hausa, Cockney English and Patwa (patois – Jamaican Creole). This was certainly giving new meaning to the phrase, World Music! Most significantly, in the last song, Ka Yi Rawa (you have danced), Rakim (M2M’s front man) invited various people to join him on the stage to give it the old bop! One of those who joined was a respected poet Sheikh Rabi’u Usman Baba – showing clearly how music became the message, even if in mutually exclusive languages.
Rap concert punters at the British Council, Kano
A series of successes were recorded by this visit of M2M -- including a record deal with Arewa that will hopefully see the release of a true Kukuma Rap towards the end of the year. The tracks have been laid down in the studio, all that remains is the production of the CD label. The marketing will be done by Center for Hausa Cultural Studies (of which I am stepping down as the Chairman, but remaining onboard!). M2M also recorded some tracks with Rabi'u Usman Baba, and PEACE a duo of young Islamic hip-hoppers (which included Nazir Ahmed and Umar Gombe, the latter probably best known as Hausa video film star).
Another success was the rising profile of Arewa -- now rappers are eager to jam with them, and this is very encouraging because it brings prominence to the traditional music sector. While strongly appreciative of modern music and its forms among the Hausa, nevertheless the Center for Hausa Cultural Studies would wish to revive the spirit of acoustic traditional Hausa music as part of our cultural heritage which we can export to the world.
I have started thinking about the NEXT round of concerts. Our concerts, since last year, have a tag – Empowering Local Traditional Performing Artistes. I am thinking about a
Dueling Banjo (does anyone remember the Burt Reynold's film,
Deliverance, about a funny-looking kid (who is my age now, by the way!) strumming a banjo, while being echoed by the acoustic guitar of one of the characters?) type of concert – running up a gurmi, kuntigi against kukuma! We are also thinking of getting an all-girl band (musicians, vocalists, the lot!).
I will, insha Allah, be going to Morocco in August to be part of an international conference on Music in the World of Islam – that should provide new ideas for more, possibly collaborative concerts! So watch this space
.
