DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY, 2009
Say My Name Africa
Say My Name Africa uses film and photography to document female vocalists and MCs living in the African cities of Luanda, Angola, Abidjan, Ivory Coast and Johannesburg, South Africa. It portrays young and ambitious women trying to survive, raising families and pursuing their musical dreams in lands ravished by poverty and war, and cultures dominated by male traditions. The portraits shed light on the ways these women overcome adversity by pioneering new music styles and powerful lyrics. Through their work they address a multitude of issues, from economic conditions to HIV prevention, equal rights and motherhood to education and identity.
“Female Kuduru artists have been more accepted by the jet set, while the men have been branded criminals. We’re not all into crime, but you need the attitude to survive these streets.”
—Fofando
When you meet Fofando, you will meet Luanda’s first female Kuduru MC and an acclaimed pioneer of Kuduru music. Kuduru’s intense mix of hard beats and loud Portuguese rhymes, accompanied by a fast and sensual hip-swinging dance, can be found all over the streets of Luanda. Fofando is like many women from Rangel, the ghetto of Luanda: she’s a tough and outspoken scantily dressed, vixen. She has no education or money to speak of, but she’s armed with plenty of attitude and style. Despite the dominance of men in Kuduru, she holds her own ground. Many women in Rangel followed in her steps to become female MC’s. They call themselves ‘Kuduristats’.
“The relationship between me and my daughter will be different… I will be a friend, a mother. I will hit her when needed. She will finish school.”
—Geta Agressiva
Gata started off as a hiphop singer years ago, it’s her way out of the ghetto. She tries very hard to get paid gigs, get recorded and get herself a hit song; she drinks a lot, shouts and adopts an attitude as she struggles to be taken seriously. She hustles everyone for whatever she thinks she can get. At the same time, Gata is mom to a beautiful girl who went back to evening school determined to obtain a diploma in order to broaden her opportunities.
“All I can do is make songs and tell women they have rights. Tell them that as long as they don’t show a desire for changes, nobody will give them the opportunity to change.”
—Priss-K
Priss-K has had a career as a singer since young age. Now she has grown into a beautiful independent woman, who is outspoken, likes a challenge and controls her own career in Africa and beyond. This is unusual; normally producers control the music, the artist’s image and the money. Priss-K is determined to do it her own way: “I am my own producer, so you have to talk to no one but me.”
“I want to succeed with what i do, because of my music, because of my rhymes, because of the sweat on my forehead — not the sweat on my ass.”
—Nash
Nash charms you with her smile and surprises you with her firm handshake. She is an independent young woman who spreads here name in English whenever she can. She raps in French, but mixes her rhymes with a local ghetto dialect, that gives her street credibility. Nash loves everything hip hop: the music, the style, the attitude, the sneakers. She is 27 years old but has no children, a rare thing at this age in Africa.
“Now that I’m a mother and have a nice and easy daughter, I feel lucky. Sometimes, it feels as if she understands that i am a musician.”
—Nayo Crazy
Nayo Crazy records her music in a small studio where she delivers free flows of tough shouting over rough beats. The volume that this small, skinny woman can produce is astounding. She realizes there’s no money in music and knows you are only as big as your last track. But when she performs, her energetic form of expression demands, and gets, attention and respect.
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam.
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam.
- Photography
- Nirit Peled
- Picture Editor
- Dave Hemmingway
- Reserach
- Yehudi vd Pol, Jumanne Thomas
- Production
- Mamamess
- Supported By
- NCDO
