“White people are putting the ideas in your head” – The response can be rough, when a Senegalese artist raps about women’s rights
Finnish artist Paleface on the duo: “Eve Crazy and Mar Yo are connected to the roots of the traditions of Senegal and Finland in a fresh way.” PHOTO: ABASS SOW
Oksana Chelysheva
Published 12.09.2024 1:32
On August 13, Eve Crazy (born Awa Sané), and Mar Yo (Marjo Smolander) took the Espan Lava stage in Helsinki. Senegalese rapper and Finnish folk musician performed as part of the official Etno-Espa2024 program.
In their music, the duet combined French, English, Finnish and Wolof, one of the local languages in Senegal. Eve’s powerful, emotional voice resonated against the gentle backdrop of Mar Yo’s kantele.
Many of their lyrics dealt with women’s rights and their status in society. Like in a song called “Jigéen ñi”, which means women in Wolof.
“They say a woman has to speak softly and be obedient. A woman who rebels creates problems to the community… We are tired of the second role.”
Stereotypes-shattering encounter: “We just started to sing together”
The two musicians from different continents met in January 2021 in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Mar Yo, who had visited Senegal already in 2006 to study West African folklore, admits that at the time she fostered some stereotypes. One related to the role of women in Senegalese society.
“In Senegal family matters are dealt with only within the family. There is certain silence about certain issues, like the way women are treated by family members.”
The stereotype was shattered when she met “Genji Hip Hop” association.
“Genji,” meaning “woman” in Wolof, represents women who dared to challenge the male-dominated society. Today, the collective brings together over 70 female artists.
“It was remarkable. I met women brave enough to openly address the most pressing issues in their lives.”
Eve Crazy was part of this association. The two women started to talk and realized that they had much in common.
“We are both divorced from Senegalese husbands, we are both single parents and female musicians,” Mar Yo says.
“We just started to sing together. Women like Eve gave me motivation to join their fight for their rights.”
Senegalese hip hop as influential force
Senegal is a multilingual society, with most of the local languages still not codified. Oral storytelling has been the way of passing history and culture from one generation to another.
When hip hop arrived in Senegal during the 1980s, it started to build on that tradition. The Senegalese saw rappers as heirs of “griots”, traditional travelling poets, musicians and storytellers.
“Rap has always been the voice of the disadvantaged,” Eve says.
“Its evolution in Senegal has been different than in places like the USA. There are no luxury cars or golden chains in our videos.”
One thing Senegalese rap has in common with most of the hip hop scene is that it is male dominated. That’s what young Senegalese female rappers, Eve Crazy among them, have started to challenge.
Eve, who originally comes from Casamance, an area in southern Senegal, was introduced to hip hop by her elder brother, who is also today a well-known musician.
Her parents did not obstruct her aspiration to pursue a career in music.
Eve’s life took a different turn after marriage. Her husband’s family did not approve of her stage life. The style of clothes wasn’t seen as proper, evening gigs were out of question. Eve´s powerful call on women to stand up for their rights was resented most of all. It ended in divorce.
White and black musician still get a different response
When asked, how it feels to be a white singer in Africa, Mar Yo smiles. She says that she has not gotten any kind of negative feedback from the public in Senegal.
“I keep saying, ‘do not see a white woman in me. Look at me as a human being’”.
Eve’s experiences are different.
“If a Senegalese woman starts talking about her rights, people tell her that ‘these white people’ have put their ideas into your head. It is the side effect of the colonial history.”
“There are always those in the audience who want me to start saying that men are good whatever they do. But I know what I am saying and why I am saying it.”
In May 2024 the duet released their new album both in Senegal and Finland. During the summer they have toured in Finland and played in several Finnish folk music festivals.
“There are a lot more opportunities to be on stage in Finland,” Eve Crazy admits.
The duo tells that they have gotten a lot of positive feedback. For example, well known Finnish hip hop artist Paleface described the combination of kantele and West African rap as explosive.
However, for Mar Yo, the most inspiring feedback came from a Senegalese producer, who simply said: “You are destined to sing together.”
Currently Eve Crazy and Mar Yo are looking forward to new projects. The distance between Finland and Senegal is not an obstacle for them.
“We are thinking of a new album accompanied by a book about the culture of Senegal.”