Malian Artist Responses
Cultural Response From Malian Musician Rokia Traore
Born in 1974, Rokia Traore is a Malian singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She grew up in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group. In reaction to the Malian refugee crisis, as well as to the current refugee crises worldwide, Traore, the title track from her new album “Ne So”, addresses the disparaging effects of the worldwide crisis.
In the end of the music video for the title track from her album, Traore states (in French):
“At the end of 2014, 59.5 million people were displaced from their homes due to world conflicts. This record number has not stopped growing in 2015.”
Watch Traore’s “Ne So” Music Video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq0gyj0cmo8
Baba Sissoko and DJ Khalab, “Bognya”
Baba Sissoko is a Malian musician who is critically acclaimed for playing the talking drum. In a recently released song entitled “Bognya” -produced by Italian producer DJ Khalab- disparages the Malian refugee crisis:
Watch the music video for “Bognya” here: