Though not my first time hearing Ivorian rap, Rodéla, by Sindika feat. Didi B has made a great introduction to my official exploration of Ivorian Hip Hop. I listen to a good amount of music in French, including hip-hop, but the majority of that music is from France. After listening to Rodéla a couple of times, I was interested to learn more about what gives Ivorian rap its own flavor. Very little digging led me to Maïmouna, a unique blend of the drill beats of the US and UK and the more melodic dance rhythms of Coupé Décalé. Coupé Décalé originated in Côte d’Ivoire in the early 2000s, with upbeat danceable club bops and flamboyant performances. The genre had a major cultural influence, with DJs creating and popularizing slang words and fashion. Maïmouna maintains the upbeat feel, but strongly features the heavy drill bass, forming a confident and hype sound. Rodéla is truly a “feel yourself” song. I can especially feel the vibe of Coupé Décalé in the beginning, almost as if I can imagine a Coupé Décalé beat coming in after the intro. What follows is a spoken buildup and a confident drill rap, much like the drill music I am more familiar with.
Sonically, Rodéla is a pump-up song with undoubtedly great vibes, especially in the rap and adlibs, but after a few more listens, I remembered that I don’t even speak French. What are they saying? And what is Rodéla? A quick Google Translate revealed that the lyrics do not stray from the confident energy of the beat and vocals. Sindika and Didi B mostly talk about being better than these lame guys. The song starts with “Juliette wants me to be her Romeo. Not my fault, I’m experienced,” and a few lines later, Didi B says, “You can’t surprise us anymore, we’re experienced. Yeah, they’ve got no real grit, only fake posturing.” The chorus repeats this sentiment, rapping, “What are you saying? We know now. Who are you trying to show anything to? We know now.” As for the title, Rodé is Ivorian slang (Nouchi) for seasoned or street smart. I also found that a rodela could also be a round shield, and I wonder if the slang has any connection to this. I will say, these lyrics are not as vulgar, objectifying, or violent as much of the other rap and drill I listen to regularly, which is a refreshing change. I could see myself working out or getting ready to this song, because even though I don’t understand the lyrics, the overall sound conveys a confident message. I also look forward to listening to more Coupé Décalé. After only listening to a few songs, I’m already a big fan of this subgenre. Overall, I enjoyed Rodéla and have added it to my rotation.