When looking for a song this time around, I aimed to find female rappers to capture a wider range of artistry, perspectives, and topics. I found this in the artist Nabashu. Nabashu is a rapper from Senegal who has unapologetic lyrics and an impressively fast style of rapping. She is one of the pioneers of female representation in the Senegalese rap scene. She often uses her art as a vehicle to speak on domestic issues and to promote women’s empowerment.
In this song, called “Migration”, Nabashu divulges her thoughts on Senegalese migration. Based on online translation, she states:
“Lingay bagn fi”
→ What you don’t like here
…
“Kone nak total tho sa gokh”
→ So then, take good care of your neighborhood.
…
“M’y Sister sokhla nagn la”
→ My sisters, we need you.
“M’y brother sokhla nagn la”
→ My brothers, we need you.
“Amana lingay dèmé foufou bothi define dara”
→ Where you’re going, there’s nothing certain for you, nothing is really defined for you there.
“Dina am mouthi am barkeé kounek meun thi khadj”
→ There will be hunger and there will be blessing; anyone can get lost on that path.
“Tanguita lamb deug la meti na linga da thi”
→ The sun is scorching, the journey is truly hard, it really hurts what you’re going through.
“Togal thi sa rew moy li gueun pourquoi tu pars”
→ Staying in your own country is what’s better, so why are you leaving?
“liguey lagniou kham lagniou gueum pourquoi tu pars”
→ Work is what we know, what we believe in, so why are you leaving?
As seen in this excerpt, she is advocating against migration. For context, many Senegalese leave the country every year for surrounding countries in Africa, as well as Latin America and Europe (mainly France) in a bid to escape poverty, limited economic opportunities, and political turmoil. She explains that leaving Senegal does nothing to fix the problems that cause the desire to leave. She believes deeply in the power of the people to make Senegal a better place and that it is possible if everyone organizes under that common goal, rather than leaving and allowing other countries to profit from their work. Nabashu is using this song as a call to action for people to not only take pride in their homeland and make it better, but also to understand that the act of migrating to another country is a big risk, as it doesn’t guarantee an escape from the problems (such as poverty, job insecurity, etc.) that they face in their home country. She sees staying in Senegal as a “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t” circumstance.
I can completely understand where Nabashu is coming from in her lyrics. In my view, I think it is not only important, but your duty as a citizen of your home country to demand that it do better for you when your needs aren’t met. (Can you tell I’m a poli-sci major?) I also understand that while that is the ideal situation, these are systemic issues that will most likely not be solved in a timely manner, especially when the country is recovering from political turmoil and a brush with democratic backsliding in just the previous year. In that case, I can understand that people are tired of their circumstances and simply don’t have the time, patience, or resources to fix them. I also think that people should always have the right to self- determination, and if they feel they should leave a situation they see will benefit them more in the long run, that is their choice. I appreciate how this song made me think of these dueling factors and intricacies that are often associated with migration.
When speaking of the music of the song, I must admit it was not my cup of tea. While I very much appreciate the depth of the lyrics, I am not much of a fan of the piano melody used throughout the song. It was a melodic, moody song that set the tone for the lyrics. I think the piano, as well as the beat, was a bit tinny-sounding and not impactful enough, which made me feel that it didn’t correspond with the message well. The music did not really grab or keep my attention when I heard it as a result of that. Additionally, I felt that when they layered her voice for the chorus, the sound-mixing was a bit unbalanced and dissonant. In comparison with other songs in her discography, this one was my least favorite sonically. Her other songs certainly showcase her range as a rapper far better, especially her skills with speed and flow.
Overall, Nabashu is a wonderful lyricist, and I appreciated how her message made me think more of the migration experience, especially from the perspective of someone who does not want to leave their home country and wants to see it do better. I think this song is very timely, as many countries, including our own, are having a reckoning with how we should deal with immigration and migration politically and socially.