Yes We Can

Today, Nigeria celebrates 50 years of independence. To mark the occasion,* we bring you Nigerian-British rapper JJC’s collaboration with Ghanaian-British rapper Sway, and their remix of a song that Sean recently characterized as “hip hop meets twentieth century black Atlantic identity politics.

It’s been a big year for such politics in Africa, what with the 2010 World Cup and 17 of the continent’s countries marking 50 years of independence. And it seems “Yes We Can” is being taken up as the new mantra, whether it’s coming from JJC and Sway or from the great Congolese (Brazza)-French group, Bisso na Bisso, here with “Show Ce Soir”—aka Yes We Can (Version rap Congolais). This song is about a year old, but for more recent offerings from both Congos, check out these awesome suggestions from AIAC reader Laura Kupe.

Of course, not everyone is finding reason to partake in these celebrations. And so, for our Francophone readers (do we have any?), we bring you this clip from Ivoirian comic Gbi de Fer’s “Heure de Vérité” (Hour of Truth). In it, he asks what exactly Côte d’Ivoire has to celebrate (hunger? unemployment? war?) and wonders, among other things, how those who don’t have electricity are supposed to watch the extravagant 50th anniversary ceremony. He calls instead for commemoration and a national hour of reflection—literally, “mourning”—for Ivoirians to take stock of where their country is. Real talk, or as some would say, c’est ça qui est la vérité?

You be the judge.

*Also recommended is this round-up of eight Nigerian writers’ thoughts on Nigeria’s 50 years of independence, including some from our friend Teju Cole.