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The Hip Hop AfricanA blog and podcast on Hip Hop in Africa Author: Msia Kibona Clark
The podcast is the longest-running podcast on African Hip Hop culture. It features discussions on African Hip Hop music & culture from around the continent and the Diaspora. The podcast is produced in the Department of African Studies at Howard University. You can access the podcast at www.hiphopafrican.com and on all major podcast platforms. Language: en-us Genres: Music, Music Commentary, Music Interviews Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Ep 102: Simon of Y’en a Marre on Hip Hop, Activism, & the New Senegalese
Episode 3
Monday, 3 November, 2025
In this episode, we talk with Simon, rapper and co-founder of Y’en a Marre, the Senegalese movement that turned hip hop into a force for political change. Simon reflects on the group’s impact during the 2011 elections, their call for a “New Type of Senegalese,” and his new project Rapping History, which uses hip hop to decolonize education and reclaim African narratives. “We realized the fight was not only political — it was also about changing mentality.” Simon Simon discusses his early introduction to hip hop and political awareness through Public Enemy and The Roots, the creation of Y’en a Marre and their role in mobilizing youth during Senegal’s 2011 elections, the idea of the “New Type of Senegalese (NTS)” — reshaping national consciousness. He also discusses government backlash, arrests, and personal risk in political hip hop activism “Patriotism is not just voting; it’s wearing, eating, and building African.” Simon
