Ami Yerewolo (b. 1991) is the first female Manindka rapper from Mali. Hailing from the southwestern town of Mahina, she left for Bamako to pursue a career in music. She eventually joined up with artists Yeli Fuzzo and Fanga Fing. In 2014, she marked her debut with the album “Naissance (Birth)”, and has since remained a prolific force in Mali’s rap scene, creating a space for female hip-hop artists to perform. Through integrating a diverse array of Malian instruments into her music, including the “kora harp, the ngoni, and the yebara”, she remains deeply rooted in her culture, embodying a fusion of heritage and contemporary expression. Additionally, the often political topics of her works place the music directly within the conversations of the country, such as in 2020’s “Lettre Ouverte (Open Letter)”.
Her 2022 single “Dégagez (Get Lost)” is an anthem calling for the liberty of Mali. The hook of the song goes “libérer, libérer, libérer mon pays, libérer, libérer, libérer mon Mali (Liberate, liberate, liberate my country. Liberate, liberate, liberate my Mali)”. Ami Yerewolo’s music serves as a platform for advocating the freedom of Mali, challenged by colonial histories, radical religious factions, and military coups. As a female rapper, her role is both precarious and influential, amplifying voices amidst societal turmoil and asserting her unique perspective. This can be seen in her other activism, such as the establishment of spaces to have “a community of sisters emancipating themselves”* which furthers the onus she undertakes to create an opportunity for other women to develop their artistic voice. Via the advocacy of a free Mali, and her effort to trailblaze as a female artist, her impact on Bamako’s hip-hop has been, and likely will continue to be, a major source of inspiration for the next generation of the country’s female rappers.
*https://culturescapes.ch/en/theme/sahara/ami-yerewolo