A’salfo, the leader of Magic System, during a concert in Abidjan, in April 2019. SIA KAMBOU / AFP
Each sporting competition has its own anthem, official or not. And in this area, Ivorian artists are popular. Remember the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the heady pace of Magic in the Air, from Magic System, which accompanied the French team; then Bring the cup home, the Vegedream, during the following World Cup. It was therefore natural that local musicians were responsible for the soundtrack of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), organized by Ivory Coast since Saturday January 13.
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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has bet big on music by ordering a six-track EP from Universal, entitled AFCON 2023which brings together some of the stars of the moment, like Vegedream – him again –, invited for a duet with another French rapper of Ivorian origin, Kaaris.
But it was Magic System that was responsible for composing the official CAN anthem. Out came the title I wish (which means “welcome” in several Akan languages), featuring Nigerian singer Yemi Alade and Egyptian rapper Mohamed Ramadan. An unsurprising choice, since the zouglou group remains the biggest Ivorian seller of music internationally and maintains excellent relations with the authorities.
I wish doesn’t disorient fans. Its composition takes up all the codes of the previous successes of the group led by A’salfo. « It is very clear that the two titles [Akwaba et Magic in the Air] look the same and that Magic System is no longer really renewed, recognizes anthropologist Léo Montaz, specialist in the Ivorian music industry. But in their defense, the “stadium tracks” are all similar: a martial rhythm, a repetitive synth melody and a simple song to remember, which will praise national unity and victory. »
An unexpected success
But this magic recipe is not infallible, as shown by the unexpected success of a piece of “ivory rap” mixed with coupé-décalé that no one saw coming: Hammer blow. The title is almost as widely distributed asI wish in stadiums and widely preferred to the official anthem in the maquis (popular restaurants where matches are broadcast) and on social networks.
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Behind this Hammer blow is Tam Sir, a producer who has worked with artists Didi B and Kerozen. For the occasion, he brought together a range of emerging artists: Team Paiya, Ste Milano, Renard Barakissa, Tazeboy and PSK. Far from the traditional stadium anthem, the song was initially intended to “excite” nightclubs. The rhythm is fast, the lyrics are as difficult to understand as they are catchy, and the song is accompanied by a choreography that is easy to imitate: the thrusts of the kidneys punctuate the “hammer blow”.
Supporters were quick to prefer this supercharged hit to the more classic Magic System song and to perform the dance steps in unison in the stands, including during the CAN opening ceremony on January 13. “ Where Tam Sir had a hollow nose, Esteem Léo Montaz, it’s by releasing the song well before the others [le 8 décembre, alors que la compilation officielle AFCON 2023 est sortie le 21 décembre]. By focusing on a piece of ivory and coupe-décalé rap, 100% Ivorian, which brings together several young artists in vogue, it gives a sound in the spirit of the times – which Magic System is no longer, it must be. admit. »
Another recent success, albeit more modest, is the hybrid piece The CAN is with us, from the second major zouglou group, rival of Magic System, Yodé & Siro. The duo joined forces for the occasion with a rapper close to coupé-décalé, Abomé Léléfant, and collected 1.5 million views on YouTube in a little over a week.
Featuring rappers Fior 2 Bior and Lil Jay Bingerack, CAN 2024 heat up, released on January 6, reached almost a million views. For comparison, the least popular track from the official EP, the track amapiano We are determined, by Nobantu Vilakazi and Phantom Steeze, barely topped out at 15,000 views.
Around fifteen unofficial anthems have thus come out of the hands of Ivorian or diaspora artists: the reggaeman Alpha Blondy has his own, the coupé-décalé singer Serge Beynaud too, while the French rapper of Ivorian origin Le Juiice has announced on his social networks the upcoming release of a song for the CAN.
How to explain such enthusiasm? The first driving force is political: Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé launched an official call on December 8 for the mobilization of Ivorian artists, bombarded for the occasion “ambassadors of the event”. « I ask you to release songs, declared the head of government, and to raise awareness among your brothers and sisters so that they take the CAN into their own hands. »
Money and prestige
With this in mind, the CAN Organizing Committee (Cocan) has undertaken to directly involve cultural actors in the organization of CAN villages, where supporters can gather to follow the matches on giant screens. For example, we find the A’salfo production company, responsible for the sound system, while the former star Monique Séka is the godmother of two villages.
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For artists, the event is also an opportunity to produce a piece capable of quickly gaining popularity, and therefore bringing in money and prestige. « All artists are trying to ride the CAN wave, summarizes Léo Montaz. There are concerts every match day all over the country, nightclubs invite artists all over the place, fan zones organize their own concerts… Releasing a CAN song that works is the guarantee of land juicy contracts and tour all over the country. »
2024-01-17 20:00:09
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