Racines

Rapper Passi has done it. This Paris based African musicin has been able to fuse traditional African music that we are accustomed to such as the Zairean lingala music and combined it with the new Hip Hop beat to produce some very club danceable tunes. I would highly recommend this one.

Pourqoui est-ce que ce groupe n'est pas connu partout le monde entier? C'est un vrai mystere..

This album is a work of poetry. A wondrous, magical thing, one that will entrance and enchant you, making you glad to be alive. I promise you.

The group is a creative collaboration, a "super group" of seven Congolese rappers living in France.

Technically, you could call it hip hop or rap. But it really isn't. Not in its heart. This album has nothing to do with Compton or 8th Mile. No, it's music out of the soul of a happy little village in central Africa; fused with touches of reggae, bossa nova and electronica; with a little Parisian sophistication thrown in. There is little alienation and absolutely no machismo, cynicism or bitterness here. Sadness, defiance and even a little anger? A gimlet yet paradoxically hopeful take on the evil in the world? Sure. But only as a codicil drowning in overwhelming gladness, hope and one hell of a happy bass line.

This is a very political album. The themes concern being Congolese in exile in Paris, but longing for home. They lay it out flat in the first track "L'Union," when they sing: "Moi je viens de Congo.. je ne veux pas mourir en France.. Paris est comme un urban prison.." They come from Congo, they won't rest in France. Paris traps their souls.

The other major themes are the beauty of Africa, the terror of war, and the need for African & Congolese unity. As in especially "L'Union" and "Apres le Guerre."

"L'union: La rassemblement de tout le peuple congolaise" "Stop le guerre, il est inutile de nous battre.."

The corruption of the Congolese government is humorously skewered in "Dans La Peau d'Un Chef."

As are superstition and witchcraft in "Légendes Africaines."

The desperation of exile in Paris is treated in "Le Cul Entre 2 Chaises."

"Amiyo" is a glad little love song: "Amiyo, ton couer est ma maison, mon amour est ton toit, j'ai besoin de toi.."

Tata Nzambé is a hymn to God the Father, which is evidently what the title means in the Congolese.. this song simply rocks. Each of the seven takes turns rapping about their hope & faith, while the bass and drum lines enfold and envelope you, and their female sidekick (I forget her name, but her voice is angelic) shoots harmony all thriough the track and your heart. Sublime.

The title song "Bisso na Bisso" is an repetitive rythmic anthem: "bisso bisso bisso na bisso" - meaning "everyone all together" or "tout ensemble." The video won TV5's video of the year award back around the time the album came out (2000, I think?) It has the guys wandering through a village back in the Congo, among all the goats and kids (human ones, I mean) teeming them, while the village women beat their grain out in time to the song with these great pestles. Not something you'll likely see on MTV or VH1 anytime soon. Great stuff.

Every song here is sublime, most are so joyful that it'll make you wonder why you haven't been to the Congo. Until you remember that niggling civil war, which you've probably never heard about in the first place.. mais c'est pas notre histoire, pas notre lutte, eh? La musique est bonne, et ca suffit.. aucune probleme de conscience ici. Non. Pas de tout.

To lift the sublime opening line from one my favorites, "Bisso Fri:" Chewy chewy choo. Choo.

Chewy chewy choo, Indeed.

An album that should appeal to both hip-hop fans as well as those looking for new upbeat African music. I don't understand French, but as a Hip-Hop fan, I immensely enjoyed the flow (easily as good as Fonky Family I would say), and the beats are varied and interesting. This makes racines an excellent 4 star album in itself, but the way they fuse traditional African rhythms and melodies to create something beyond Hip-Hip, makes it a 5 star album in my reckoning.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews  5.0 out of 5 stars