The Hip Hop African

Togo based rapper Elom 20ce held the final concert dedicated to his sophomore album Amewuga which translates to ‘A person is more valuable than material things’ at the La Case Des Daltons in Lome. The concert saw fans come to experience the often politically and spiritually charged rapper in an intimate setting.

The concert which was a dedication to political prisoners both living and dead had as the backdrop to the stage a large graffiti inkling bearing the names of some Black leaders and political prisoners. The names included: Meme Cecile Fatiman; Nana W.E.B. Dubois; Nana Marcus Garvey; Kuku Tavio Amorin n.k.

The show opened with Elom’s classic Vodoo Sakpata off his debut album. The rapper clad in a sheet covering his entire body evoked the Yoruba masquerade Egungun. This, he appeared on stage with for his opening act. What grabbed my attention here was a caged pigeon which was also set on the stage. Elom later freed the pigeon from its cage where it flew and sat on a line above at the event space for the duration of the entire show. In a later conversation with the rapper, he mentioned the act was to symbolise the freeing of political prisoners and to bring blessings. He went on to perform other classics including Amewuga, Egungun and Afrika iz da Present with his live band made of a trumpeter, a drummer and a dj who also doubled as his backing vocalists.

Elom 20ce’s engagement with the crowd which was characterized by frequent interludes by way of conversations with the audience goes to show that he is not just a rapper but a teacher, a brother, a friend and a comrade. Amewuga: The Last Concert was a worthwhile experience which shows that politically charged rap is indeed very much alive and appreciated in Togo at the very least.