Whatâs your opinion of Sudanese rap scene? Songs recommendations? And does anyone else watch other rap scene like gulf and north Africa and compare it with Sudanese?
Comments
[deleted] ⢠8 points ⢠2021-06-12
Do you mean that of Sudanese rappers in the diaspora, or the rappers in Sudan? In my mind those are two very different scenes.
If youâre talking about the latter, I think the local rap scene really has yet to turn out anyone I find really impressive. I remember once on this sub I was recommended a particular artist, whose songs I remember liking but seeing that Iâve totally forgot them they mustâve not made that much of an impact on me, and they were revolution songs!
I think itâs the quality of the verses, honestly. While the Sudanese rap scene is succeeding in turning out good-looking music videos (i.e. Maha Jaafarâs Salimmik video, although I understand sheâs not a rapper) theyâre not really taking advantage of the artform and turning out impressive verses, in my mind. I feel the same way about the Sudani Afrobeats scene, which is admittedly much worse than the Sudani rap scene.
Iâm also personally biased towards people who blend local music tradition with international music genres; I think Haaja Amna, which I understand almost no one would consider a rap song, provides a model. Solid lyrics, and while the style of lyric delivery is very much not like international rap, it still makes use of rhythmic rhymed poetry to deliver a high density of lyrics, and itâs largely a critically acclaimed song.
I think the bulk of Sudanese rap, though, is lacking this level of musical creativity or lyrical prowess (from what Iâve seen) and Iâve seen similar complaints about the rap scene in other Arabophone countries, which Iâm admittedly not very engaged with.
This is also probably my personal bias, but I generally find Western-style rap in Arabic really jarring. I donât know why, but to me it seems like theyâre not making use of the languageâs natural rhythm. There are exceptions, though: I like Ayman Mao, a lot. Heâs highly influenced by reggae, and while heâs diaspora I find his Arabic-language rap much more enjoyable than whatâs come out of the local scene so far. Perhaps heâs just a stronger writer than others Iâve listened to.
daemonsabre ⢠5 points ⢠2021-06-13
The only places with a solid rap scene tends to be the Arabic Maghreb but those are geared pretty much for their audience; which I would argue is part of why they succeed. There are other music scenes in Egypt and the Levant that are doing relatively well and individual artists or bands that break out of their countries to regional/international acclaim.
Sudani rappers are still pretty much copy pasting from other rap scenes. Occasionally youâll see a solid bar or a creative flow but the reality is that rap has become an incredibly complex artform and the music scene in Sudan is still rather simplistic.
Talking specifically about rap people arenât pushing or breaking boundaries when sticking to simple rhyme schemes; even when they switch to Arabic they rarely take advantage of the disconnect between western beats and the language. Which brings me to my other point, there is so little fusion of local sounds with those beats, the music could have come out of any half-assed producer in the US; the kind that any rapper can drop a few bars on.
Compare this with Sudanese artists in the diaspora in other genres who tend to be braver when it comes to experimenting.
And this is what it comes down to really; as much as they think of themselves as rebels, rappers in Sudan are as conservative as Sudanese pop artists, theyâre just aping American rap rather than 60âs/70âs Sudan.
Now while I am coming off as harsh; there are definitely signs of life in the scene, Flippter is an example of someone who is clearly aware of his place in the beat and not afraid to break it while using Arabic to create interesting or humorous lyrical punchlines.
Even many of the copy paste rappers will occasionally show life and I think if there was a larger space in the Sudanese mainstream weâd see more rappers creating music aimed for a audience larger than the slice of the young Khartoumite middle class itâs currently aimed at which would hopefully lead to a âSudaneseâ sound and increased competition would force rappers to take more creative risks to stand out.
[deleted] ⢠2 points ⢠2021-06-13
Superb breakdown. I was really looking forward to seeing your thoughts seeing as a while back you voiced your appreciation for the Revolt Cypher as an example of more experimental Sudanese music.
I think I agree with your comments overall - I didnât mention Flippter in my comment since he is diaspora if Iâm not mistaken, but I definitely agree that heâs a step above a lot of the other Sudanese rappers in terms of being more technically competent, with a better command of both English and Arabic and incorporating those with the beat. Plus, his music video for Gorrasa is just trippy as fuck and I love it. Thereâs a lot of humor in his stuff and he seems to be doing more than just aping other rap scenes. Overall, I think the keyword is that Flippter has personality, in contrast to a lot of other rappers who really have none other than âI want to be Americanâ or have incredibly irritating ones (like Dooley).
And this is what it comes down to really; as much as they think of themselves as rebels, rappers in Sudan are as conservative as Sudanese pop artists, theyâre just aping American rap rather than 60âs/70âs Sudan.
SO MUCH THIS. This, alongside the music, is what frustrates me most about Sudani rap (and Sudani Afrobeats): the audience seems to push these people as innovative, rebellious, and boundary-breaking when they are really no more any of those things than al-Koral, I feel (perhaps even less - but my rant on al-Koral is for another day).
aimed for a audience larger than the slice of the young Khartoumite middle class itâs currently aimed at
Speaking of audiences, a friend recently showed me a Masalit rap song, and I know Ramey Dawoud has a Nobiin rap verse (Sahara Onatti). It adds to what you were saying about artists in the diaspora being more experimental than the people at home, doing things that legitimately havenât been done before (at least not a lot) whereas the local rap scene is kind of just spinning its wheels, banking on the audience to reel back in pure shock at a Sudanese person rapping.
daemonsabre ⢠4 points ⢠2021-06-13
I think I agree with your comments overall - I didnât mention Flippter in my comment since he is diaspora if Iâm not mistaken,
Heâs one of many Sudanese artists (not just music) that split time between Sudan and another country. A result of a lack of infrastructure and opportunity. Weâre still not creating spaces (recording studios, record deals, broadcast time, galleries etc.) for young Sudanese artists unless they fit the mould set by the older generation. Unfortunately many of the attempts to carve out that space fail in the face of apathy far more than resistance imo. Covid has also killed some of those spaces by strangling their income in 2020 which is unfortunate to say the least.
Revolt Cypher as an example of more experimental Sudanese music.
To be accurate I said some of the verses XD
I still Stan for âب٠د ع؏Ů٠سا٠باŮŘşŮء بŮŮب ŘŤŘ§ŘŞŘ´ŘąŘ Ř§ŮزŮء Ů٠اŮŘşŮءا٠ŘŘŻŘŤ ٠ا ŘŘŻŘŤâ
Quick_Tradition480 ⢠3 points ⢠2021-06-12
Some are really good to be honest. A few are too cringy.
My playlist has at least 10 Sudanese rappers but for sure that comes to an individuals taste.
[deleted] ⢠2 points ⢠2021-06-13
I feel like all Sudanese rappers are either spiritual lyrical miracle Eminem-wannabes or people that try so hard to make Afrobeat but somehow make it unlistenable
[deleted] ⢠1 points ⢠2021-06-12
There are some very good ones and very bad ones. Itâs a mixed bag. Probably the biggest (diaspora) rapper that comes to mind is Bas. I enjoy his music.
[deleted] ⢠1 points ⢠2021-06-13
You know, as famous as Bas is I always have trouble thinking of him as a Sudani rapper. I donât think his music, at least what Iâve heard, shows much connection with Sudan, not linguistically, musically, or even in terms of subject matter.
This is in contrast to say, G-SALIH, whoâs also diaspora, and while he doesnât really rap in Arabic and his music doesnât really show many Sudanese influences, his songs are often specifically about Sudan.
[deleted] ⢠1 points ⢠2021-06-13
If heâs Sudanese, then to me, thatâs a sudani rapper. Some of his projects do mention Sudan; I recommend you take a closer look if you have indeed never heard him mention any connections with Sudan. Not familiar with G-Salih, but if heâs anything like Dooley, Iâll take a hard pass.
[deleted] ⢠1 points ⢠2021-06-13
G-Salih is quite different from Dooley (fuck Dooley), although Iâm not a major fan of him, either.
I donât disagree Bas is a Sudani rapper, I just have trouble thinking of him as one!
Can you recommend me some Bas songs you particularly like? Iâve had trouble navigating his music; the little Iâve listened to hasnât appealed to me so far.
[deleted] ⢠2 points ⢠2021-06-13
I enjoy the song âTribeâ (I donât like overly aggressive rap songs, and I dig the mellow beat); you might find some more songs on that album appealing. If not, what can I say but âdifferent strokesâ!
hashbits ⢠1 points ⢠2021-06-14
His album, Too High to Riot, is really good. Check out the song âLive Forâ. I think a lot of Sudanese people can relate to the opening lines:
Mama told me you were getting sicker
Daily sheâd call me say itâs my name
You were calling, I mean, I was your favorite
I was named after your father, you were the sweetest aunt
Never had kids of your own but you made me your own
Busy on the road, I couldnât make it back home
You couldnât make it that long, Iâll never forgive my self
OvalZealous ⢠1 points ⢠2021-06-13
RoTation and OâD are the only
SudaneseArabic rappers I can listen to without chipping a tooth cringing.
[deleted] ⢠1 points ⢠2021-06-14
ElKhaleefah and Flippter are really good lyricists, I think TooDope did good with the sudanese drill (Lissa), had some decent bars. Soulja and OâD are entertaining to listen to and they occasionally have some nice bars. Thereâs this song called Pablo by Bbnbooda thatâs guaranteed to get stuck in your head, whether you think itâs good or not lol