Africa Is a Country

Independence Day: Côte d’Ivoire

Africa Is a Country Podcast
African Five-a-Side Podcast

Independence Day: Côte d’Ivoire

By
Boima Tucker

Côte d’Ivoire celebrated their 51st year of independence from France yesterday. Music has played a role in national political identity throughout the country’s conflict. I’m sure that it will continue to play a role as the country tries to move on from its recent turmoil.

The Ivory Coast in the 70’s and 80’s had one of West Africa’s strongest recording industries, and became a magnet for musicians, especially from what was then Zaire. Congolese Soukous still has a strong influence on Ivorian popular music today.

In the 80’s Alpha Blondy came on the scene and made the Ivory Coast a Reggae country. Tiken Jah Fakoly continues that tradition today.

But, no other music points to Ivory Coast’s national identity in the world today more than Coupe Decale.

Of course, with the genius of those like DJ Arafat…

and the international appeal of Magic System…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmD7BDEWTA

Zouglou and Coupe Decale have become important touchstones in my own musical life.

I hear Zouglou is making a resurgence after being bumped out a little by the more digitally oriented Coupe Decale. To me, Zouglou is one of the best musics to hear live:

Also, with distinct styles coming out of camps like the Choco Gangster Rap crew (who we talked about here) and CIAfrica, the Ivorian Hip Hop scene is growing strong as well.

Here’s to hoping that this independence can mark a permanent step towards peace and unification in the Côte d’Ivoire.

Further Reading

On Safari

On our year-end publishing break, we reflect on how 2024’s contradictions reveal a fractured world grappling with inequality, digital activism, and the blurred lines between action and spectacle.

Rebuilding Algeria’s oceans

Grassroots activists and marine scientists in Algeria are building artificial reefs to restore biodiversity and sustain fishing communities, but scaling up requires more than passion—it needs institutional support and political will.

Ibaaku’s space race

Through Afro-futurist soundscapes blending tradition and innovation, Ibaaku’s new album, ‘Joola Jazz,’ reshapes Dakar’s cultural rhythm and challenges the legacy of Négritude.

An allegiance to abusers

This weekend, Chris Brown will perform two sold-out concerts in South Africa. His relationship to the country reveals the twisted dynamic between a black American artist with a track record of violence and a country happy to receive him.

Shell’s exit scam

Shell’s so-called divestment from Nigeria’s Niger Delta is a calculated move to evade accountability, leaving behind both environmental and economic devastation.

Africa’s sibling rivalry

Nigeria and South Africa have a fraught relationship marked by xenophobia, economic competition, and cultural exchange. The Nigerian Scam are joined by Khanya Mtshali to discuss the dynamics shaping these tensions on the AIAC podcast.

The price of power

Ghana’s election has brought another handover between the country’s two main parties. Yet behind the scenes lies a flawed system where wealth can buy political office.

Beats of defiance

From the streets of Khartoum to exile abroad, Sudanese hip-hop artists have turned music into a powerful tool for protest, resilience, and the preservation of collective memory.