As I was continuing to explore the musical talent Senegal has to offer, I stumbled across this gem. This song, Dungeen daj, was written and performed by Senegalese artist Dip Doundou Guiss. What piqued my interest is that it is performed in Wolof, a language I had not really heard music in up until I enrolled in this class. On first listen, I was captivated by the mix of different elements in the song. The drumming patterns used throughout drive the forceful beat of the song, bridging the traditional with contemporary beats that are similar to American trap beats. Additionally, there are stringed instruments in the song and synths that create the melody, conveying a moody and intense undertone due to it being in a minor key. His masterful and dynamic flow gives the song its grit and keeps your attention. It was an interesting song to listen to and experience hearing that mix of the traditional and the contemporary, especially the American trap beat influences.

Naturally, I wanted to understand the song more, so I scoured the internet for the lyrics and what they mean. Although there is no English translation of the lyrics available, I translated them using a Wolof to English translator. After reading the lyrics, some major themes of the song became clear. He talks about the hustle and hard work it took to achieve his success in the music industry, and also leaves a message of encouragement for the audience, that their hard work will pay off eventually. He also speaks about a theme heavily covered in class: authenticity. For example, he states,

“Tojago sa koñ nga ne town bi nga time (You’re stopping yourself in the city you’re in right now)/Du pour publicu navetane bi my n**** (han) (Never for the naive public, my n****)/Tacc temps, bokkuñu jëmmukaay manak ñi (Weigh time, the slaves of fake power)/Est-ce que danga teggale ndam yi ba fi (Do y’all even count your thoughts properly?)/Bu dul ci kaw fan nga may xaar dinga ma gis? (Or are you just waiting to see what the crowd wants?)

This excerpt from the song shows how he is telling his audience to trust their inner voice and create from a place that is authentic, rather than from worrying about perception or following trends for quick popularity. Many artists struggle with the self-doubt of whether or not they should stay true to what they want to create as they fear it may not sell as well as following a trend. He advocates for people to stay true to themselves in order to succeed because the right audience will always find them. He uses the rest of the song to relay this message and to further encourage his listeners.

In conclusion, this song is a great introspection and reflection of the struggle many artists have when finding their footing in the industry, especially as it pertains perseverance, hard work, and staying true to oneself.

Written by Mia Keitt