Female rappers win Morocco's first national hip-hop competition

07/05/2008

Ten hip-hop and breakdance groups from across Morocco competed at the Ouf du Bled music festival Saturday in Casablanca. Female rappers Flow Tigresses and breakdance troupe Anti Boys Crew won the final vote.

By Imane Belhaj for Magharebia in Casablanca – 07/05/08

[oufdubled.com] The "Ouf du Bled" music festival, Morocco's first-ever national hip-hop music and breakdance competition, wrapped up on Saturday (May 3rd) in Casablanca.

The recent "Ouf du Bled" music festival in Casablanca was more than a great showcase of Moroccan hip-hop and rap talent; it was also the first-ever national hip-hop music and breakdance competition. After winning regional contests, ten groups from across the country performed for fans at Cinéma Rialto on Saturday (May 3rd). The audience voted to push female rappers Flow Tigresses and breakdance troupe Anti Boys Crew straight to victory.

Organisers were pleased with the large turnout. Najlaa Naoumi of the contest's judging panel said the national festival attracted nearly 1,000 spectators when about 600 were expected.

The festival was a golden opportunity for talented bands to go up on stage and perform before the Casablanca public, Naoumi said, not to mention offering new talent a chance to meet established bands such as Casa Crew, Fez Clan City and Casa Urban Show.

Event organisers Centaure Agency and "L'boulevard des jeunes musiciens" saw the growing appeal of hip-hop culture to young people and became convinced that the festival would be a success, she explained. In the future, she said, the festival will be the voice of youth through which "they can express whatever goes on in their minds".

Thirty years after the appearance of Nass El Ghiwane, the Moroccan music scene is witnessing a revolution. Young people think hip-hop is about ideas and aspirations as much as it is about art. Most rap and hip-hop artists assert that their message condemns violence and calls for peace, optimism, love of life and the bold expression of youth issues.

One sign that hip-hop could indeed be the musical expression of the future is that male and female artists can compete with each other and be evaluated as equals. The Ouf du Bled competition winner, Flow Tigresses, is made up of four young women between 17 and 20 years of age. Spectator Nadia Safi, who said she is "a passionate fan of rap", voted for Hind, Sofia, Faten and Wahiba because "they could one day represent feminine rap".

Concert headliners Casa Crew, Fez Clan City and Casa Urban Show performed their best-known works and encouraged novices to keep pursuing their goals.

"It is not a question of winning, though we surely wish to. This is more about participating," said Muhamed, whose group Flow Man competed at the festival. "We managed to establish contacts with a number of interested people and organisers of such events. We will definitely have another opportunity to show our talents, which is a great motive to put more effort into this," he told Magharebia.

The festival also included a breakdance competition. Groups showed distinguished talents through complicated moves that dazzled the audience.

"They are true athletes and artists, because their dance moves are really difficult," said 12-year-old Nabil. "What is even more amazing is that they have outdone the original creators of breakdance."

Competitors at Ouf du Bled went through early rounds in their hometowns and provinces across Morocco. The contest field was ultimately narrowed to 6 rap and hip-hop bands and 4 breakdance troupes for the Casablanca event.

Moroccan desert music festival highlights African cultural traditions

15/05/2008

The latest Desert Music Festival in Morocco celebrated the Sahraoui landscape and inter-cultural dialogue.

By Hassan Benmehdi for Magharebia in Casablanca – 15/05/08

[Hassan Benmehdi] The fifth annual Desert Music Festival held May 9-11th in Errachidia gathered international performers, including Angolan ballet troupe Kilandukilu, which combines tradition and modernity.

The fifth annual Desert Music Festival held May 9-11th in the Errachidia region of south-eastern Morocco attracted an international audience and notable performers. Organisers say the annual event works to preserve authentic values, showcase and safeguard African cultural heritage and highlight the magnificent scenery of the Moroccan desert.

"[The festival] brings together tradition and modernity and promotes the tourist potential" of the Sahara, said organising committee member Hassan Bahtati, adding that his year’s desert concert series "drew a sizeable audience from Morocco, Africa, Europe". After five years’ experience, he said, the festival of desert music is beginning to take on an international dimension.

Performers included well-known Moroccan and foreign artists such as Jolf Art (Senegal), Arion (Greece) and others from Algeria, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Chile and Mali.

At the festival’s opening celebrations, the great Chilean guitarist Marcelo de la Puebla said, "It’s an honour for me to take part in a festival which preaches peace and dialogue between cultures."

A good-natured spirit prevailed during the three days of performances. The young audience who turned out in great numbers to attend the various concerts appreciated the quality of the artists and musicians.

"Festivals such as this enable us to be entertained and promote our cultural and artistic heritage to peoples from all around the world," said Lahcen, a young man in his twenties who had come from Arfoud to attend the festival.

His friend Abdellah remarked that young people suffering from unemployment and isolation in the region were excited about the event because it gave them work opportunities, "even if only for a few days".

The festival came at just the right time and provided a welcome respite, agreed Mohamed, a family man from Rissani.

"This is an opportunity for families from the region, who have nowhere else to take their children for a good time, to have a break from their routine," he told Magharebia.

In previous years, the shows were staged as open-air spectacles on the oases of Merzouga, Ksar El Fida, Rissani and Erfoud. For the fifth edition, however, concerts were also held in the cities of Errachidia, Rissani and Meknès to allow a greater number of attendees to see the outstanding performances.

The highlight of the closing night on Sunday (May 11th) was without question when great Moroccan lutenist Haj Younès accompanied the radiant singer Said Charaf.

"I think festivals like this are to be encouraged because they can be a bridging point between different cultures," Younes said.

There was also a captivating performance by traditional ballet troupe Kilandukilu, showcasing how Angolan choreography combines tradition and modernity. Another crowd-pleaser came from "Jazz Moments in a Classic Mood", an Italian group led by composer Mino Laciringola.

Hassan Aourid, Wali of the Meknès-Tafilalet region, told Magharebia that the festival of desert music gains in maturity each year and is becoming an event not to be missed.

"It combines both the magic of the spectacle and the promotion of tourism in Tafilalet, which has inestimable assets," he said.