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| Title: | Popular music and political change in Côte d'Ivoire: the divergent dynamics of 'zouglou' and reggae |
| Author: | Schumann, Anne |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Periodical: | Journal of African Media Studies |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Pages: | 117-133 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | Ivory Coast - Côte d'Ivoire |
| Subjects: | popular music politics |
| Abstract: | In Côte d'Ivoire, popular music genres such as reggae and zouglou have served as a domain for the articulation of ideas about politicians, corruption, citizenship, national history and identity. This paper specifically analyses the divergent dynamics of reggae and zouglou. Reggae, in Côte d'Ivoire as in its country of origin Jamaica, has characteristically been associated with commentary on sociopolitical issues. Zouglou emerged in the 1990s in the context of the student demonstrations for political liberalization and, along with reggae, served as a platform for criticism of prevailing social and political conditions. Ivorian popular music has consequently been associated with the return to multiparty politics. It has also been very outspoken against divisive political rhetoric such as Ivoirité. However, after the outbreak of open conflict in 2002, new themes have emerged in zouglou. In compilations that have been termed 'patriotic albums' many well-known artists have aligned themselves with the government and the Alliance of Young Patriots, depicting a partial, 'southern' portrayal of the conflict. Thus ideological positions in Ivorian music have varied over time and across genres, and a category such as protest music is ill-suited to fully capture its dimensions. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract] |
