Changing Cities: Climate, Youth, and Land Markets in Urban Areas
ing concerts, campaigns, and festivals around themes addressing the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria. Most notably, mbalax star Youssou Ndour has put his name on what has become a national multisectoral campaign called Xeex Sibbiru within Malaria No More’s Senegal Surround Sound program (Ndiaye 2011).10 Since 2009, Senegal Surround Sound has incorporated the influence of all sectors of society—including entertainment, faith, government, business, and sports—to spread awareness about the disease and its prevention (Ndiaye 2011). One project in particular, the Concours de Chant, or song competition, has attracted large audiences and engaged musicians from all over the country in the fight against malaria, and has increasingly integrated the influence of rappers. The 2011 finals, which were held in Rufisque, drew a crowd of over 25,000 spectators, and among the nine finalists, three groups/artists defined their music as “hiphop.” Contestants were all required to pass a quiz about malaria, spend three days with health workers learning about the disease, and submit an original song to qualify in the regional semifinals of the competition. The hip-hop group representing Saint-Louis at the finale performed its original track containing a direct, clear message in the lyrical refrain: Xeex sibbiru, xeex lii koy joxee Bey ci say wéeyu tànk laa koy doré Nu ñepp joxee loxo nu boolé sunu doolé Xeex sibbiru xeex lii koy joxee Na ko tambaali sa biir kër, nu dox daaje Jëlé ci ndox bu bon ak bu salté Xeex sibbiru xeex lii koy joxee11 (Saint-Louis Soldiers 2011) The inclusion of hip-hop artists in these types of festivals and national initiatives serves to engage a population that directly relates to the lifestyle represented by the culture and spreads a message of healthy living through voices of people to whom disadvantaged urban youth tend to 10 “Xeex Sibbiru” means “Fight Malaria” (Wolof). 11 This verse can be translated as “Fight malaria. Fight its causes. The movement starts with you. Everyone should lend a hand for the movement to gain strength. Fight malaria. Fight its causes. We can all start within our own households and meet in the middle. Start by getting rid of bad and dirty water. Fight malaria. Fight its causes” (Wolof). | 48 |