Rap music takes center stage at the 2023 edition of the Anoumabo (Femua) Urban Music Festival, kicking off on April 25th in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. In recent years, a local variant of rap known as “ivory rap” has gained immense popularity in the country, surpassing the declining coupé-décalé genre.
The fifteenth edition of the Anoumabo (Femua) Urban Music Festival, under the direction of A’Salfo, the leader of the Magic System group, has become a must-attend event in the Ivorian music scene. This year, rap takes the spotlight with performances by renowned artists such as Didi B, Booba, KS Bloom, and Congolese artist Alesh.
In the past five years, ivory rap, led by its two iconic figures Didi B and Suspect 95, has experienced explosive growth, dominating other genres in terms of influence and production dynamics. Didi B, in particular, has gained significant traction with his solo career since 2020, with his album “History” becoming the most listened to on the Boomplay platform in 2022, along with his hit song “Tala”.
For high school students in the Cocody district, ivory rap is a phenomenon championed by Didi B and Suspect 95. One student remarked, “When you listen to Didi B, you know Didi B is the best. When you listen to Suspect, you think Suspect is the best. So, there’s a competition between the two.”
The rise of ivory rap has led many to proclaim it as the golden age of rap music in Côte d’Ivoire, surpassing the waning popularity of coupé-décalé. The 2023 Anoumabo (Femua) Urban Music Festival serves as a platform to celebrate the dominance of rap in the Ivorian music landscape, showcasing the genre’s influence and vitality.