Abdel Ouedraogo, promoter of Africa in New York – RFI Musique

Arriving in america a little bit over twenty years in the past, the entrepreneur and jack-of-all-trades Abdel Ouedraogo has grow to be, by laborious work and self-sacrifice, one of the crucial necessary gamers within the analysis and African identification. artists in New York, by its Harlem phases and golf equipment, which are a magnet for a whole bunch of people that love sounds from the continent evening after evening. For the native of Burkina Faso, his want to advertise Africa, its artists and its music has been the principle cause for his ambitions, and he doesn’t intend to cease there, regardless of the success of every of his ventures. Image.

Success {and professional} achievement can change folks, make them neglect the place they got here from. Nevertheless it’s fully totally different for Abdel Ouedraogo, a Burkinabe entrepreneur primarily based in New York who, with two of town’s most well-known African music scenes, Shrine and Sylvana, in addition to a number of different profitable companies and round 100 staff, all the time carrying his nation. , his continent in his coronary heart. ” I’m removed from house, however I’m proud to be African and Burkinabe, as all the time » he laughed, “ it is my engine. My abiding want to advertise Africa by music on this aspect of the Atlantic drives all my initiatives ».

However earlier than he achieved this success, Abdel Ouedraogo needed to combat, and consider in himself, in order that his initiatives now enable him to be thought-about a key determine within the promotion of African music in New York, and being a necessary character of Harlem. . ” I began in New York by washing dishes in a restaurant, as a result of I had no associates or alternatives to make a residing from music once I arrived in america in 2001 ” he remembers, moved to look again on his first steps in Uncle Sam’s nation.” I had come two or 3 times within the earlier years, with my group Oulaba, for whom I performed the djembe, and I fell in love with town. I needed to return right here it doesn’t matter what! ».

The musician took odd jobs to make ends meet, and some months later he received a job as a safety guard at a membership in southern Manhattan, Piano, a mecca of the rock scene. “ I met stars like Johnny Depp and Edward Norton, however I did not even know who these folks had been! » he laughed, “ however throughout this time I discovered a little bit extra in regards to the New York evening life world, about learn how to construct a community on this metropolis, and that made me need to begin alone. “. “Uncooked” data acquired, which provides to what has already gathered within the nation, the place Ouedraogo was very lively in organizing musical occasions, but in addition in ‘ encouraging artists of every kind.

In 2006, he determined to arrange a competition within the coronary heart of Harlem, the African Music Pageant, which was very profitable. Then, a yr later, together with his financial savings, he opened his first live performance venue, Shrine, which remains to be in crucial space of ​​town for the African-American neighborhood. ” At some point, this place was supplied to me, that was the place Malcolm X and his kin held their conferences and arranged the motion. It is a historic place within the metropolis, and I jumped on the probability! » he laughed, “ and I made a decision to open this exhibition house to African artists, as a tribute to one among my idols Feeling The place. The journey was launched, and I felt that one thing massive was to be finished for African music in New York. “.

In 2008, Barack Obama grew to become president and all of Harlem was completely satisfied. The place might be a spot for spontaneous celebration, and the Burkinabè is overcoming this second of historical past that provides a giant impression to his theater. ” It was unbelievable! We had been packed, folks had been parading on the street, and we had been dancing all evening » he remembers, ” it was a turning level, a place to begin for the place, which grew to become the Mecca of the neighborhood and town from that very second ».

Requirements for African music

Ouedraogo’s title is on everybody’s lips and members of town’s African diaspora, round 180,000 folks, lastly have a spot the place their music might be heard, the place artists from the playground each night. ” That is the essence of the Church, from the very starting » he specifies, “ to have African artists who come instantly from the continent or dwell in america, and provides them a platform on which they’ll make their music, and promote their productions – division. That, to me, is value all of the gold on this planet, it has been the mission of Mohan because it was opened, even when right this moment, we additionally give alternatives to teams and folks – artwork from Jazz or different genres outcome right here, as a result of the mix of genres can be a fantastic factor to create ».

Open each night from 6pm to 4am, Shrine is among the metropolis’s musical heartlands, however Ouedraogo continues its momentum, opening in 2012, a little bit additional south of Harlem, in ” SoHa” (editor’s notice: South Harlem) extra bourgeois-bohemian, Sylvanasa brand new venue the place a number of high African DJs from the east coast of the nation, corresponding to DJ Birane (Senegal), DJ Dakar (Senegal) will make the group dance, in addition to a number of native artists who will ‘providing music from Africa, but in addition from the remainder of the world.

« Africa connects us all, and nothing provides me extra pleasure than seeing folks from totally different origins dancing, singing, having enjoyable with sounds from the continent, however I’m additionally for our areas to permit different genres to specific themselves, corresponding to salsa, Latin music, which additionally has a powerful connection to Africa “, he explains.

The music entrepreneur is lively on a regular basis, and he is among the privileged witnesses of the current explosion of African music in america, which he noticed the primary spark that he noticed in additional than fifteen years again, in Harlem. ” Aside from particular lovers of the style, not many individuals listened to the sounds of Africa, however when theafrobeat they began to pay attention a little bit extra, a giant wave was beginning and going over the entire nation » he explains.

However the motion should be a part of the long run, and speak in confidence to different species from the continent, and Ouedraogo intends to proceed pushing for this, as a philosophy of life, a everlasting tribute to Africa. ” We’re at an distinctive degree for music on the continent, and we should proceed the pattern. I humbly attempt to make a contribution, however it’s also the work of the diaspora and all of the African communities that dwell right here, but in addition on the opposite aspect of the Ocean West. The mission by no means stops! » he laughed.