2006年VOA标准英语-Senegal's Rap Artists' Despair Over 2007 Electi

By Rose Skelton
Dakar
04 August 2006

In the West African nation of Senegal, rap music has often been synonymous with freedom of speech. But many rappers are now afraid to express themselves because of threats of attacks from political and religious parties for writing critical lyrics¹.

--------

At the top of a tower block in one of Dakar's tightly packed neighborhoods, a rapper/disc jockey known as Xuman broadcasts his daily radio show on a local radio station.

During a break for the news, the chart-topping dreadlocked rapper reminisces about events during the year 2000, when rap singers, sensing that Senegal's youth were tired of the Socialist² party that had ruled the country for four decades, encouraged young people to vote for change.

"In the election time in 2000, we have maybe 5,000 rappers and half of them were rapping, 'this system must go.' So everybody was ready for revolution, a new system," he said. "They were telling the people, you want things to change? If you really want things to change, make a change. Go and vote, there is no other way."

For rappers like Xuman, the 2000 election was considered a triumph. The Socialist Party was voted out and the current president, Abdoulaye Wade³, and his Senegalese Democratic party were voted in.

But despite the change in leadership, the last two years have seen a rise in violence against outspoken⁴ journalists, political activists⁵ and musicians in Senegal.

In May this year, a journalist was beaten by followers⁶ of a powerful marabout, or Muslim spiritual leader, for questioning his political influence.

In 2003, a French journalist was expelled from the country, accused of biased⁷ coverage⁸ of the rebellion-hit south.

Rappers have also been subjected to threats and violent attacks from the supporters of powerful religious or political figures.

Government officials have repeatedly denied democracy or freedom of speech is under threat in Senegal.

Still, rapper and radio personality Xuman talks about his fears under the new government.

"The difference between this system and the last is that now, people can beat you if you insult Wade, you will never get your video on the TV, on the radio, because the TV is for Wade. So rappers are singing about it but they are afraid, even if they cannot kill you, they are going do it to your family," he said.

Another of Senegal's top rap artists, Didier Awadi, sings about the problems facing ordinary people in Africa, and the failure of the president to do anything about them.

From his rooftop studio in Dakar, Awadi describes the despair he feels at the turn politics has taken in the last six years.

"For me things are getting worse, democracy is getting worse, there is no democracy anymore. For this new power, if you are not with them, you are against them," he said. "They are here because democracy worked, they have freedom of speech, today they are in power. So they must let this natural law rule. Senegal is used to this kind of thing, we need to talk, we need to express ourselves, but don't put us in jail because we don't like you."

With presidential elections looming⁹ in Senegal, some rap artists say they do not know if Dakar's rappers are ready to once more stand up for what they believe in.

But Awadi says he has sensed a renewed purpose within the rap movement in recent weeks. He says rappers seem to be more conscious of what he sees is a sense of despair among young Africans.

Awadi says rap music and its artists proved in the past to be an influential¹⁰ political force, and will be so again.

1 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

2 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

3 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

4 outspoken   

adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的

参考例句：

• He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。
• She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

7 biased   

a.有偏见的

参考例句：

• a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校
• The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。

8 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

9 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

10 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。