Journalist at RFI (ex-DW, BBC...), writer, (first book on Bristol's music/art; e-book on African art), I also work on films, as a journalism lecturer, and a contributor to the New Arab, Art UK, etc.
Born in Paris, I was based in Prague, Miami, London, Nairobi (covering East Africa), Bangui, and Bristol, UK. I also travelled to Italy, Haiti, Tunisia, Liberia, Senegal, India, Mexico, Iraq... My passions: Africa, music, arts...
This blog is to share my work and cultural discoveries.
After my guest lecture today on "Decolonising the Everyday", we discussed music videos and post-colonial awareness...
Here is probably one of the most powerful ones ever made:
M.I.A. - 'Borders'
This video reminds me of so many episodes of my journalism journey... In Somalia... in Dadaab, Kenya, one of the largest refugee camps in the world... in Iraq... In Ventimiglia, north of Italy at the border with France... And of course in Calais.
Strangely, as a woman who often had to accept to be told off by men, as a North African, who often had to accept to be silenced in my own country, this video makes me feel empowered. So thanks to MIA.
“To love.
To be loved.
To never forget your own insignificance.
To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you.
To seek joy in the saddest places.
To pursue beauty to its lair.
To never simplify what is complicated
or complicate what is simple.
To respect strength, never power.
Above all, to watch.
To try and understand.
To never look away.
And never, never to forget.”
Who in France did not dance the “Mia” in 1994? The track on the second album of IAM’s Ombre est lumière made this collective of rappers and breakdancers from Marseille — absolute fans of New York rap — known throughout the country. If IAM remains little known to the English-speaking public, it nevertheless reflects the incredible journey of French rap, and the unexpected appearance of Marseille on the cultural map.
“Mia” was a dance explosion but also the chronicle of a city that until then had only made rare appearances on French television, almost always on the nightly news. The song invaded the French media space with a video clip directed by the filmmaker Michel Gondry, who worked at the time with the biggest stars of music, from Björk to Massive Attack.
“In the early 80’s, I remember the parties / Where the atmosphere was hot and the guys would come in / Stan Smith on their feet, looking cold”
rapper Akhenaton, whose real name is Philippe Fragione, intones: “They scanned the room with the three-quarter leather rolled around their arm,” all over a sample of George Benson’s “Give Me the Night”, released in 1980, slowed down and covered with hip-hop pulses.
“This song eludes all known musical references,” wrote Jean-Marie Jacono in the popular music magazine Volume! in 2004. “It’s neither a typical rap song nor a dance song, even if it evokes the parties of the Marseille nightclubs of the 1980s.”
It propelled the rap group — still a relatively underground genre in France in 1993/94 — to the forefront – a first for a group from Marseille. “’Je danse le mia’ was revenge, not only for Marseille, but for the whole of France on Paris,” says music journalist Rebecca Manzoni, of the national radio station France Inter.
But the way was long before leading to this small jewel of French rap...
The origins: a sound exploration from the Planet Mars
To understand this unexpected path, we have to go back to 1985, when the young Philippe Fragione and Eric Mazel join the team of “Vibrationn”, a program created by Philippe Subrini on Radio Sprint. They formed a first group in 1986 called Lively Crew, very inspired by New York rap, which included five members called Akhenaton, DJ Kheops, Nasty Mister Bollocks, MCP One and Studio.
They gave their first concert in March 1986 in the 7th district of Marseille, in a festival of reggae upon the invitation of Massilia Sound System, a group of Occitan expression founded in 1984. The following year, Akhenaton and Kheops left to spend the summer in New York, where they hunted for records. The sounds that inspired them were those of Kool G Rap, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Wutang Clan, Run DMC.
Back in Marseille, Akhenaton and Kheops join Shurik ‘n and Kephren of the group B-Boy Stance and in 1988 take the name IAM, acronym of Imperial AsiaticMan. The group was inspired by Asian and Egyptian mythology and popular cinema. Two other members joined them in 1989: Imhotep and Freeman. All of them, except one, have taken the names of pharaohs: Akhenaton, Cheops, Imhotep and Kephren.
The group toured France, then recorded a first album entitled De La Planète Mars, which was released in March 1991. IAM claimed its Marseille heritage and considered it a "full-scale attack from the planet Mars.” The album went gold a few years after its release.
They also add North African rhythms and instruments.
And their storytelling rap evokes the proximity of the city of Marseille to the African continent.
“Even if the group remains musically very New York,” explains music critic Bertrand Dicale, “it is from the beginning very creative, with reggae influences, a claimed ethnic diversity — it brings together an Italian, a Comorian/Malagasy, an Algerian, Muslims and a ‘Frenchman’. In this, they are deeply Marseillais. But at the same time, the group rejects clichés: with Shurik’n and Akhenaton, you don’t hear local stereotypes about pastis, creeks, sunshine...”
This morning, I was woken up at 4am by a sad dream...
A person I hardly met a few times in my life, but who seemed and felt extremely dear to me in this dream, worked nearby for hours, ignoring me, busy as a bee... Until suddenly he came over in the room I was in, crashing into my arms, crying and expressing his feelings, utterly betrayed by his surrounding, so fragile and vulnerable. I remember I was thinking of drought, and that he needed me to "water" him, fill him with the liquid of life...
This all felt so real; I suddenly woke up and sat in bed for a while, to calm my emotions. Then decided to put my iPod on and get some music, as I often do when going through insomnia. I was listening to music via the earphone, in silence, as I always do, though the house was for once totally empty that night...
Then I thought about what a dear friend once told me, that all the characters in our dreams are different parts of ourselves...
I had a wonderful day though yesterday, with myself, with a bit of work, with a couple of good news, a Zoom meeting, and later researching articles for a coming project, then walking through our local City farm later in the day, delightfully sunny and in bloom with red, orange and yellow tulips, also buzzy with life, new-born lambs...
But here in the dream spoke the unconscious, I guess.
I'm not going to call my half-stranger to ask if he is ok, I kind of want to but can't.
But I send my best thoughts. To him and all the people currently struggling with feeling of loss or isolation.
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The songs I played that day are by the mighty Nitin Sawhney. From his albums Philtre (2005) and Prophecy (2001).
Here are two songs that spoke loudly this morning.
'Street Gugu' (Prophecy)
I wrote on Twitter:
That sad dream about a half stranger woke me up. My iPod is trying to help. And I realise: how prophetic was that song...? @thenitinsawhney
That's part of the reasons for why I, melissa, am here, in Bristol.
But of course, today's England isn't the England I fell in love with in between 1997 and 2007, when I came to London so often, and listened to Nitin Sawnhey so much. Or even the one of 2009, when I first moved here.
So, can I even stay?
Yet, England, you can tell me as much as you want that I don’t belong here, oh, don’t worry, I know too well!!
I was born in a place that made me 'homeless' from my very first breath.
There will come a time when... I don’t know... Like, I’ll love the world and myself so much that it would not even matter where I am or why.
Not "on the road" anymore, well, global health crisis oblige, but still "on a Journey".
I don't know about you, but I cannot wait for museums, art contres and cinemas to reopen! Here in the UK, many of them should have art on display from next week or very soon after that.
As I'm working on the final addition to my text on African & Caribbean artists whose work has been exhibited at Arnolfini here in Bristol, and as I'm about to write for the Africa Centre's Website, I keep on an eye on contemporary African artists.
This event is finally cancelled by the organisers... Sorry.
Maybe another will take over...
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Hello everyone,
just a head's up as England is slowing reopening this month. I'll be part of this online event in a few days, organised by the People's Republic of Stokes Croft here in Bristol:
Discussion - Influencers: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
A round table discussion on how influencers influence our culture – looking at the pros & cons of a world in which social and cultural influence is formalised and commercialised.
With your phone in your hand you can browse Instagram and other social media and see people like you living a life that may come with the hashtag #ad or #gifted. What is this world? Where did it come from and where is it going?
This open debate will feature influencers, psychologists and others and presents a chance to look at what is working, who it’s working for, and where we all might be heading.
We’ve all had a chance to live in a different world for a year now so let’s debate what we now see and feel about social media influence and influencers, their role going forward, and changes we can see or feel coming down the pipe to a bubble near you.
The discussion will be hosted by photographer and influencer Colin Moody and topics covered will include:
1 – Mental Health
2 – Tiers of Influence (the likes heirarchy)
3 – Social Bubbles (who ar we talking to?)
4 – True Voice vs Sponsored Content (and when the line blurs)
5 – Culture vs PR
The Panel:
Colin Moody – Street photographer, community activist and influencer
Alan Bec – psychologist, cultural commentator, mentor and business owner
Charlie Harding – Social media manager and former food blogger
Melissa Chemam – Writer and freelance journalist
“From a social psychological perspective, there are three elements to being influenced and being influential – Authority, Power & Control. Grasping the significance of these elements as behaviours can and will change your world. I can’t wait to refer to these as a structure throughout our round table discussion, so you can know when you are being influenced and enact your influence for social good”. Alan Bec of Balance Consulting Bristol.
This will be a zoom event, but if we are allowed into the venue we will invite a live audience to enjoy the debate together (all covid guidelines will be followed).
Tickets available now from Headfirst. The suggested donation of £4 will help us keep the School of Activism as accessible & low-cost as possible, £8 will subsidise a ticket for someone else – but no-one turned away through lack of funds!
This event is part of the School of Activism 2.0, a two week programme of workshops, talks and activities brought to you by Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft over the Easter holidays. The workshops are intended to be empowering experiences equipping people with the tools to challenge the status quo, contest power structures and ultimately to change the world.
