“No anger can justify my discrepancy in language. You who listen to me, I owe respect to you. And using certain words means missing them for those who take the time to listen to you. I humbly apologize for my behavior. » On January 12, 2023, on his Facebook account, Nitdoff published an apology message to his more than 250 thousand subscribers.
Just minutes earlier, with cap screwed onto his head and silver chains around his neck, the demonstrative rapper had just shouted his anger at his country's dysfunctions in a half-hour live video. “Mafiosos”, “thieves”, “son of…”, flowery rhymes and insults flew around, in Wolof and French. The exasperated artist castigated the Senegalese government and President Macky Sall, accused of casting doubt on his willingness, or not, to run for a third term. In a tense political climate, 13 months before the presidential elections, this cry from the heart of Senegalese rap monument circulated on the web. And it reached the Public Ministry, which ordered the opening of an investigation.
In sight
Six days later, on January 18, Nitdoff was detained by Dakar Urban Security at his home in the Nord Foire district. He is being sued for “spreading false news, contempt of court and threatening to kill”. While in police custody, the artist takes responsibility and makes it clear: “If I have to talk to the President, I will. I'm not afraid of him. Those who support the third term must be put out of harm's way. » Placed under arrest warrant on January 24th pending trial, he has not left the Rebeuss pre-trial detention center since then, he has Dakar.
“At first we thought he would only spend two weeks there, teasing each other,” admits Shaem Diop, his manager since 2018. “Then we understood that the objective was to silence him permanently. » For this longtime friend, “the arrest was not a surprise. “Nit” was in the spotlight. He has always been the target of politics and I have a thousand stories of shows where we were unfairly blocked. »
© FacebookNitdoff
Most recent example? The twelfth edition of Show of the Year, the biggest hip-hop event in Senegal, created in 2009 by Nitdoff himself. A ten-hour concert open to beginner MCs, which got into the habit of ending early in the morning. On December 16, the eve of the event that brings together around 10 thousand spectators every year at the Iba-Mar-Diop stadium, the mayor of Dakar canceled the party for “security reasons”. Despite Galsen's support from all of hip-hop, “this decision with political overtones caused a lot of damage to Nit”, recalls Shaem Diop.
His 50 Cent style, charisma, and rumors about him being in prison helped legitimize his street reward and make him the first bad boy of Senegalese rap
A success that continued in 2007. From Paris, a certain Nitdoff – “Nit” for “sensible person” and “doff” for “crazy” in Wolof – launched the title “Kalashnikov”. “An explosion in a busy landscape of Senegalese hip-hop”, recalls Serigne Seye, researcher of urban cultures at Cheikh-Anta-Diop University. “This unknown clashes with the entire scene at the time with very clear references and attacks against those who dynamic mbalax in rap. » A “fuck you” from MC Jean Gab'1 with a Senegalese touch that highlights this muscular rapper. An even more striking snub because Nitdoff “is not a boy from Dakar or its suburbs, he comes from Louga, a city traditionally known for its mbalax dance”, continues the academic.
Prison box
Born on July 31, 1984 in Louga, in the North West, Mor Talla Guèye “became the first regional rapper to explode”. An achievement for this music enthusiast, who fell into rap with his group BMG in the 1990s. Given the few prospects that presented themselves in Senegal, he was exiled in Paris, where his father lived, in the early 2000s, determined to launch a album. In France, the Senegalese navigates between problems – even going to prison – and artistic encounters. In 2006, the one with Mao Prod will change your life. Real name Mao Sidibé, this Senegalese producer is also trying to break into music. “I loved his energy, and we have the same references in Cainri hip-hop – from Just Blaze to French hardcore sounds – and already demands for Africa. »
Launched towards their dream of success, the duo releases their first album M'Bede Bi (“the street” in Wolof) in 2007, for which Roc de Louga was elected rap revelation of the year in the country of Teranga. A title that he celebrates by walking with his gold chains, his Timberlands and his bandana during a walk through the suburbs of Dakar, then through the region, “where his militant gangsta rap seduces the youth”, analyzes Serigne Seye. “His 50 Cent style, his charisma and the rumors about him being in prison helped legitimize her street reward and make him the first bad boy of Senegalese rap. »
A tough rapper whose reception will be polished to the rhythm of his political commitments. In 2012, affected by current events in Senegal, he became a supporter of the popular movement Y'en a marre and decided to return to Dakar. “Mor Talla fights against everything he considers unfair and is ready to take all the risks”, testifies Mao Sidibé. “During the 2012 protests, for example, I saw him alone defending a woman who was being attacked by five or six criminals. In addition to the aggression, we did a disservice to the cause. » Nitdoff also doesn't hesitate to criticize another of Galsen's rap heavyweights, Canabasse, who asks not to take to the streets.
Public complicity with Ousmane Sonko
“His committed stances are greatly appreciated by members of the traditionally anti-establishment hip-hop movement, and he becomes a spokesperson for the aspirations and struggles of Senegalese youth,” explains Serigne Seye. Mainly because its influence goes beyond the stage of organizing actions during the ndogou (breaking the fast) or donations sent to orphanages. An activism that continued in music, in 2016, with a double album, King of Africa – tribute to the heroes of the continent –, which achieved phenomenal success, illustrated by two sold-out concerts in 48 hours, at the Grand Théâtre national in Dakar, then at the Iba-Mar-Diop stadium.
© FacebookNitdoff
At the same time, an ambitious young politician, Ousmane Sonko, became known in the Senegalese opposition. “Even though he never wanted to follow a politician, Nitdoff saw his arrival as good news because they naturally met in their fights against corruption, poverty and democracy”, maintains Shaem Diop. Furthermore, it was Ousmane Sonko who joined Nitdoff, not the other way around. » Public complicity and increasingly frontal attacks against the president – “Macky kills us, Macky tortures us” in the song “C'la dictatorship” released in 2022 – which, for many, would be the reason for his arrest. “If you campaign for Pastef [parti des Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour l'éthique, le travail et la fraternité], you know what awaits you…”, says a former member of the Y'en a marre movement who prefers to remain anonymous. “In our country, several hundred supporters decided to arrest Nitdoff due to his political affiliation. »
In recent months, you have had a succession of demonstrations of support from rappers (Xuman, Fou Malade, Docta Wear) and fans, for whom the arrest of a monument to the movement is experienced as an attack. On February 15, well before he had a turbulent few months, presidential candidate Ousmane Sonko participated in an import march to the tune of “Free Nitdoff!” » Since then, the political opponent has been convicted twice, saw his party dissolved and began a hunger strike to denounce his situation on July 30, before being arrested the following day. He was followed by many sympathetic prisoners, including one Mor Talla Guèye, whose requests for provisional release were rejected for eight months. “It's very difficult for him, but especially for his family, including his three children, with whom he can no longer communicate”, confides his manager. People have known about your loyalty and commitment to freedom of expression for over fifteen years. He won't change. That's it Nitdoff…”
