on rap concerts in niamey...

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the rappers here rap about aids, education, not marrying girls off at a young age and how appalling the politics are. i don't know if that's what they normally rap about, but for the rap competition happening all this week entrants must rap on any of those subjects.
they rap in french or zarma or hausa
the crowd loved almost everyone, except a group of three who couldn't really keep a rythm or hold a tune.
we knew a kid inadvertanly and cheered when he came on stage, he had a lot of fans and he was really good. his second song was about the horrors of c-sections for girls who have babies too young, as far as i could tell from my translating buddy.
there was a mixture of clothes; lots of western influence; g-unit shirts, baggy pants and bling but some of the groups wore more traditional stuff too; wodabbe necklace/pouch things, tuareg pants-baggy and black with white embroidery
one group had a guy with short dreads and people were yelling "busta ryhmes!" at him
someone definitely yelled 'fo shizzle' randomly too, but it took a long time to register with all of us; english from any but our mouths is foreign

the MCs were a funny pair
not only were they speaking french with intermittent "yo yo yos" but one guy fit the rap standard with a big white shirt slightly tucked into his big jeans and a white baseball hat cocked to the side. but the other guy was wearing nice black slacks, pressed, a fitted collared shirt and tan leather dress shoes
he yelled "tappezlesmains" a lot (clap your hands)

everyone is judged on two songs and at the end of the week there will be the final round and the winners will tour niger with their bumpin' messages of the future and condom use.

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Comments

[katie plumb]

heyhey
hi lil, i love you!! it sounds like you are having an amazing time, your stories are fun. i am in salvador, brazil right now- it is sooo beautiful! miss ya, katie