Bubblegum Club

Tag: Senegalese

  • MHD is the French Rapper You Need to Know About

    MHD is the French Rapper You Need to Know About

    Do you ever worry that there’s so much dope shit out there in the world, that you’ll never get to experience it all? I do. We are in a golden age where art is more accessible than ever, but due to sheer volume of what’s created, I feel like I’m always playing catch-up.

    Like, how the fuck did I now know about MHD? Why am I only now discovering this 23-year-old rapper who has been racking up millions upon millions of plays over the last 3 years? Why didn’t any of you tell me?

    Oh, you didn’t know about him either? Ok, you’re forgiven, but let me fill you in on what I know. MHD is a French rapper of Guinean and Senegalese descent and his Afro-Trap series of raps and videos has catapulted him to fame in France and earned him plenty of love in French speaking African countries. With over 164 million views on his Afro-Trap 7 video, it’s safe to say the chap has resonated with a few people. Don’t parly voo France, hey? Don’t worry, the video has subtitles so you can get a lesson in French and learn about Le Puissance (The Power) whilst you’re at it.

    And it’s not like he’s a one hit wonder either. Every single music video on his Youtube is in the millions of views, and the cat has only been on the scene since 2015. It makes some local rappers’ brags seem rather silly. With a stripped down approach to videos, thumping infectious beats, and a don’t-give-a-fuck cadence, MHD’s career has skyrocketed.

    MHD has strong African roots which he pays homage to in his music. He’s already collaborated with African icons like Fally Ipupa and Angelique Kidjo, and even has a song about Cameroonian football legend Roger Milla, which lead to him swinging his hips in celebration along with the Cameroonian football team as part of a promotional video for PUMA.

    If you have an hour and a bit spare, take a deep dive into this young rapper’s Youtube catalogue and be stoked that there’s still so much dope art left to be discovered.

     

  • Vincent Michéa // celebrating black consciousness with the use of photomontage and pop art

    The artist within Vincent Michéa emerged when he moved from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal in 1986. Dakar, which has been called “the Paris of West Africa”, became heavily influenced by the Negritude movement after the nation obtained independence from France. Negritude was a black consciousness movement that aimed to counterbalance European colonial thinking by asserting pride in African cultural values. Paris became a meeting point for the African intellectuals that started the Negritude movement. The French educational system alienated them from their heritage so they united in the creation of a contemporary African identity through literature and politics. Senegal’s sovereignty was an organic moment for Negritude’s framework to permeate and heavily influence the physical and cultural architecture of the surrounds.

    Just once glimpse at Michéa’s works and it is obvious how deeply he was moved by the cultural rhythm that Paris and Dakar share. As Michéa said, “I paint the things that surround me, close to me, the within my sight: point of view in existential surroundings, consciously lived in but also consciously experienced.”

    After training as a graphic designer at the university of graphic arts and interior architecture (ESAG) in Paris, Michéa’s intent was to practice in Dakar. A year later and he had his first exhibition at the National Gallery of Senegal. Following this exhibition, Michéa assisted renowned graphic artist and photographer, Roman Cieślewicz for four years. Cieślewicz encouraged Michéa to pursue his career as a painter.

    Michéa’s works are riddled by Pop Art and feature the vibrant colours and hard edges of traditional West African textiles. He makes use of Ben-Day dots like Roy Lichtenstein in order to make his figures stand out from their surroundings. His works contain large areas of flat, unmoderated colour reminiscent of Ed Ruscha and early David Hockney and takes images of celebrities, like Andy Warhol.

    Michéa also makes use of photomontage. “I cut, I slick, I make incisions, I snip, I slash, I hack off, behead, I dismember…A table, scissors, some glue and images in shambles – Voila! The arsenal of a photomontage artist…Conceiving and manually producing photomontages with simple and common tools is a meaningful act that allows create sensitive images, charged with extreme tensions.”

    The glorification of Dakar’s past and the city’s contemporary allure is evident in all Michéa’s works and his closeness to the place, the people and the history may attribute to the effectiveness in which he captures the Senegalese. Despite his use of multimedia and his white gaze, Michéa manages to celebrate black consciousness and leave the vibrancy of blackness intact.