"Aiwa"

Emmanuel Jal is a young Sudanese rapper with a story to tell.  A Christian from the south, he went to Ethiopia to be educated after his mother’s death, but like so many Sudanese orphans, was recruited to fight in the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), and found himself a child warrior in horrific desert battles for four years.  He eventually fled the war, risking life in a deadly trek.  His luck began to change when he was smuggled out to in 1993 by controversial activist, Emma McCune, just months before her death.  As a teenager, Jal recorded gospel music in Kenya, and was successful.  But his real moment came a few years ago when he started rapping with his group the Reborn Warriors. 

This set of 10 songs is a remarkable collaboration with a Sudanese musician who could not be more different from Jal.  Abdel Gadir Salim is elderly, from the north, Muslim, and part of the musical establishment in Khartoum .  Artistically speaking, this record has a lot to overcome.  It is heavily laden with high concept and symbolic gesture.  Furthermore, the two artists were never actually in the studio together, and the music was pieced together from recording sessions in Nairobi in London .  Amazingly, the music sounds fresh and engaging, from the uniquely stylish sing-song rap of “Aiwa” to Salim classics like “Hadiya,” into which Jal has inserted a modern vocal touch. 

The two singers’ voices have a similar character, clear, strong, never overstated or exaggerated—in short, cool.  Salim writes great, easy hooks, and despite some classical instrumentation—oud, and Arabic percussion—his music is definitely pop.  pop music despite classic instrumentation.  “Elengwen” builds on a bouncy, appealing groove and features the unusual tonal quality and playful cadence of Jal’s rap.  “Gamaerina,” “Lemon Bara,” and “Ya Salam” update classic 12/8 songs from Salim’s repertoire, which has roots in the music of desert nomads.  It is wonderful the way the two artists venture onto each others’ musical turf, as on “Baai,” a hip-hop number with prominent out and derbouka and sweet vocals—even a little rap—from Salim.  

Ceasefire is both a moving and successful collaboration between Sudanese artists with deep concern and keen vision for their troubled country, and also a landmark release in African hip hop. 

Contributed by: Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org