Are we really ever collective?

The Fader Issue 52

This month, The Fader has gone and done something that other magazines have only attempted, but failed at in pretty serious ways. Representing the African continent as the centre of hipster appropriation–from indie prep school musicians (“Upper West Side Soweto”) to the roots of bloghouse–with much more depth than can ever be copied. Vanity Fair’s July issue claiming “we are all African” is a best forgotten attempt at insight into the continent. Despite the gratuitous inclusion of a few African writers and attempt to bring awareness to the Dark continent along pictures of Hollywood saviors, the glossy couldn’t be saved by good intentions or high fashion.

The Fader’s special issue, though a little late if anything, illustrates not only the explosiveness of the various African music scenes, are but the diversity in the music as well. Using art to burst stereotypes is always my number one– don’t you dare roll your eyes and picture a glossy full of long dreads and hand drums; think of something much more dynamic, new, but still full of head-on body movement.

Until more recently, my knowledge of music from the continent was limited to French West African celebrities who’ve made it big in the diaspora (Amadou et Mariam, Youssou N’dour), and who have an older generation appeal–fans of Manu Chau perhaps–versus club jockeys who may listen to Diplo or Justice. This issue challenges that of course by showing us the cross over from Nigeria to Britain’s underground Garage clubs, o rthe burning up of floors in Joburg’s townships. It’s a side we rarely see (aside from the previously applauded Awesome Tapes Blog). “On danse comme on veut-we dance how we like”, as my Ouagadougouan friends would say, pretty much captures the spirit.

Like many others, In 2005 I watched Tsotsi which was my first introduction to the South African township phenomenon of Kwaito. How could something so raw, so expressive, so aggressive, so mixed be so good? It’s just one type of the hyperactivity of hypermixes in exchange across continents.

The Fader’s 52nd issue is a brave repertoire of Hiplife scenes from Accra to Soweto Kwaito clubs, to Malawian producers, to it’s transport in the diaspora. These vibrancy of talents and rooted musical thrashes are only beginning to get some well-deserved attention outside of bohemian idealizers (or those stuck on immortalizing the djembe alone without it’s variations). Undoubteldy, this music has been an influence for centuries, but it means something when a teenage girl from Cote D’Ivoire who’s diabolic Coupe Decale moves on YouTube lands the attention of MTV hip-hop video producing execs.

So what does all of this mean now that The Fader has jumped on the bandwagon? Could it be that the new breed of mixing is bound to be captured for mass reproduction and hipster-boundary line-trendy overplay land? At least this is style with substance and a penetrating sound core as authentic and original as they come.