Two young artists represent Mali at the 37th edition of the RFI Discovery Award: M’bouillé Koité and Ami Yèrèwolo. An amazon of rap and a griot that makes his fans thrill. Since 2004, after Idrissa Soumaoro, a Malian artist hasn’t win the prize.
The 10 finalists of the 2017 edition of the RFI Discovery Award are now known. Since 1981, this award has highlighted young African talented artists. Among its winners are some of the great musicians, including Tiken Jah Fakoly, Rokia Traoré, Didier Awadi, and Amadou and Mariam. This year, Mali has two standard bearers, Ami Yérèwolo and M’bouillé Koité.
Born Ami Daniogo, the rapper from Boulkassoumbougou, a popular neighborhood of Bamako, is best known for being a great slayer of discrimination against women in the hip-hop microcosm in Mali, where she has been playing for more than 7 years. Joined by Sahelien.com, she made no secret of her desire to win the prize «to make young women understand that one can realize one’s dream». In 2014, she released her album Naissance, which she said portends the birth of the female rap in Mali. Another prowess of this rap amazon, with the oscillating style between rap and trap, is the organization of the contest «Le Mali a des rappeuses», to allow talented girls wanting rap to make themselves known.
If Ami Yèrèwolo is a great rap lady, M’bouillé Koité also is not however small. The pieces of this young griot make fury, as much for the lyrics as for the devilish notes of Kora, which stick well with his voice loaded with a magic force. In Mogo Kan, now on all radios in Bamako, he warns against the «hear sayings», the oldest media in Malian society.
These two young artists will defend the colors of Mali and will be subject, with the 8 other finalists, to the vote of the jury chaired this year by the singer of French R & B, Singuila, after the vote of the public which will stop the October 29. RFI awards the prize-winner a tour in Africa, a concert in Paris and 10 000 Euros.
The 10 finalists 2017
- Ayôdélé – Benin • OMG – Senegal
- Willy Baby – Togo • Prince Mo – Togo
- M’bouillé Koité – Mali • Sarro – Senegal
- Lab’l – Cameroon • SO-S Def – Guinea
- Hans Nayna – Mauritius • Ami Yerewolo – Mali