Biography
Formed as one of Senegal’s earliest rap and hip-hop acts, Positive Black Soul grew out of a partnership between Didier Sourou Awadi, previously active in Didier Awadi’s Syndicate, and Doug E. Tee—born Amadou Barry and once part of the King MCs. Their music pairs the driving pulse of traditional Senegalese instruments—percussion, kora, and balafon—with pointed political rhymes and DJ-style toasting delivered chiefly in Wolof, while their stage presence favors a sleek, contemporary style over customary dress or folkloric themes.
Nineteen ninety-two marked a decisive shift. After generating strong interest with their set at the Dakar French Cultural Center’s festival Dakar 92: Mbalax, Jazz, and Rap, the duo was asked to open French rap star MC Solaar’s first Dakar show that October. Solaar was sufficiently struck by the performance to book them as support for his subsequent French dates. In 1993 they issued a self-produced cassette album financed by the French Cultural Center in Dakar, then spent the following year touring England, Switzerland, and France.
Back in Senegal, the pair was invited to improvise with a traditional chorus on the track “Swing Yela” from Baaba Maal’s album Firin’ in Fouta. They recorded their debut album, Salaam, soon afterward, with Boom Bass of La Funk Mob handling several tracks and Raw Stylus producing the remainder. In 1997 they played 130 concerts across Europe and North America.
Nineteen ninety-two marked a decisive shift. After generating strong interest with their set at the Dakar French Cultural Center’s festival Dakar 92: Mbalax, Jazz, and Rap, the duo was asked to open French rap star MC Solaar’s first Dakar show that October. Solaar was sufficiently struck by the performance to book them as support for his subsequent French dates. In 1993 they issued a self-produced cassette album financed by the French Cultural Center in Dakar, then spent the following year touring England, Switzerland, and France.
Back in Senegal, the pair was invited to improvise with a traditional chorus on the track “Swing Yela” from Baaba Maal’s album Firin’ in Fouta. They recorded their debut album, Salaam, soon afterward, with Boom Bass of La Funk Mob handling several tracks and Raw Stylus producing the remainder. In 1997 they played 130 concerts across Europe and North America.