Four Dashingly Graffi Artists

By L. Norwan

Graffi is locally used to refer to indigenes of the Western Grassfields of Cameroon administratively known as the North West region. It is a region known for its assorted traditional rhymes and rhythms. This music is today consumed far and wide and a fraction of the younger generation of artist have been doing a lot lately to make this music available to us. The foundation had been laid for them by pioneers like Francis Dom, John Menan, Chris Njowe and Afo-a-Kom who took a commercial turn to traditional music. In addition to their natural love for their
culture was the commercial bonus that came with it. They tried as best as they could to stay connected to pure traditional music. Over the years, the commercial drive has increased and artists have to struggle with making their music appealing and at the same time trying not to drift too far away from its essence. The generation that followed these legends added a modern twist to their music but stayed loyal to the main flavours of the music and the cultural aspects that underlie it (dance, costume, instruments etc.). The younger generation is faced with the task of appropriating other cultural/musical influences to suit their context and reality.  This necessitates some recycling of folk music and some blending of cultures. Richard Kings, Chilli Wawaye, Kikoh and Roqzen Finila form part of this group of artists. What these four artists have in common is that they believe that making such music is their way of embracing their identity and celebrating their roots.

Richard Kings

Richard Kings is one of the finest music artists the North West region of Cameroon and even Cameroon has had. He is a prolific performer who has lit the hearts of many around the world with his soulful folk music often referred to as contemporary music. His fusion of soul and folk music serves as an emblem of the Grassfields and particularly that of Nso.  In his music, you find the soul of a Nso man and the resonance of his voice takes you on a musical journey to a treasure chest of culture. The huge message inscribed on his genre and on his outlook on music is that culture is an integral part of identity. His Lamnso lyrics, ethnic sounds and colourful Toghu clothes have enforced this message.

 
He has performed all across Cameroon and has contributed his own quota to socio cultural initiatives in Cameroon. This multi-talented artist of international status has made the music of the Grassfields travel the world using several platforms. For instance, he has performed at the General Assembly of the United Nations more than once and at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 2014 Convention in Las Vegas.

Amongst other achievements, Kings has been awarded Best Contemporary World Music Performer 2014 from the Seattle Town Hall and another for Best Folk Song Singer for Grass Field Records based in Holland. Together with Charlotte Dipanda, he performed the theme song for the female Africa Cup of Nations 2016.

Richard Kings with fans

His three albums, Melody Agora (2003), Triple Heritage (2006) and Light Shine (2016) and singles, have remained faithful to his signature style in relation to content and form. Informing, educating and entertaining have been his ultimate goal. 

Chilli Wawaye

Chilli Wawaye had a well-developed artistic vision from inception. The frame of her vision is found in the objectives of her foundation (Colourful Dream Foundation). Her music is basically Nso inspired – folk music that has been given a new flavour. Her 2014 debut album titled My Heritage signalled and captured her journey to her roots through song, dance, language, and costume. Her fusion of Njang, in the generic sense of the word, and Afro Pop is one in which she allows the folk influence to get the upper hand more often than not.  She has labelled this brand “Urban Njang”. 

Her modernization of traditional music links the old and the new thus permitting the music to appeal to a wide range of people and at the same time reserving a comfortable spot for Nso folk music on the music market. This blend is also reflected in her costumes which are generally modernized traditional attire or a blend of traditional and modern outfits using signature fabrics from the North West region. She embraces her cultural identity through art and her foundation seeks to expand this embrace. 

                               Cillih Wawaye playing a drum

Her achievements and her representation of the Nso people through her appropriation of the Nso culture have earned her the recognition of the Fon of Nso and have also earned her the title of ambassador of the Nso culture. As the ambassador of the Nso people and the North West people, she has performed at different levels and on different platforms. The most notable of them being  music and cultural festivals like the Pan African Festival in Washington DC (2016), the Ngonso Cultural Festival in Kumbo (2017) and the Rentrée Culturelle et Artistique Nationale  (RECAN)  organized by the Ministry of Arts and Culture which took place in Ebolowa (2017).



 Kikoh

Kikoh, the guy whom I call the “juju dance master” because of his introduction of juju dance to hip hop is blessed to come from two culturally rich tribes that are still strong holds of indigenous culture. He is a native of the land of Mkong Moteh (Oku) and the land of Afo-A-Kom (Kom) - a double blessing that he exploits generously in his music.  His Mukum and Ngrimba are two phenomenal artworks fashioned by a “back to my roots” concept and polished by a vision to tap from his roots and make his roots the foundation of his identity. He describes this brand of music as Zotrap; a new brand created by Dj Sangtum which in essence is a Sangtum-Kikoh fusion.

 Kikoh with juju dance crew

The use of traditional instruments and melodies in his songs is remarkable. The sounds of the conga, xylophone, drums, for instance cannot be missed and a series of stage props he uses are artefacts that display a rich cultural heritage. His folkloric hip hop pays attention to visual and auditory details and this have contributed a lot to the originality and uniqueness of his brand of music. In his own words, this is what he has to say about his style and vision:

…I’m proud of where I come from … I really want to impact as much as I can on music. The audience, they say, is essential for business but, I really want to leave a footprint with my own kind of flow.

 Roqzen Finila

This Gumption Music artist, whose greatest asset is his ability to indigenise his songs with the use of his mother tongue, is a native of Nso. He effortlessly spits out mouthfuls of Lamnso lyrics with a lot of elegance. Woso, produced in 2015 is the song that opened doors for him. His performance of the song in 2016 (10th edition of Industry Night) in Buea left an impression on renowned Cameroonian artist Wax Dey. This was followed by the endorsement of Nigeria’s MI Abaga who got carried away by his attitude, smooth flow and most importantly, the beauty of his Lamnso lyrics. It is thanks to this song that his label got to know him.

Eye Mass’ Vitavi which features Neglect Buri and Roqzen is a fine mix of indigenous influences (traditional sounds and rhythms) beefed up by their mother tongue. Language is the main tool he uses to localize hip hop. The song Wir Nso done with Neglect Buri and the cover of Alpha Better Record’s Qu’est ce qui n’a pas Marché all get a local feel thanks to hallmark Lamnso lyrics.

These artists have initiated a new trend that speaks volumes. When one puts together these dashing Graffi progeny, it is impossible not to breathe in the rich whiff of culture they exude. In their individual uniqueness, they shoulder the responsibility of packaging their culture in art for posterity.