In a collaborative project the Congolese group Les Mamas du Congo and the French beatmaker RROBIN have joined forces to produce an LP that melanges Congolese lullabies and electronic beats. Their first released track, ‘Boum‘, is an electrified lullaby, sung in Lari by Gladys Samba, that does not make us fall asleep – quite the contrary. These songs want to awaken societies and to challenge patriarchal societal structures.
The band intends to “sing in order to empancipate African women and reveal to the world the cultural heritage of Congolese women“. According to the group, this doesn’t imply to break with traditions: “The emancipation goes hand in hand with tradition. It is necessary to know the traditions, in order to modernize them, and to be on the same level of equality like men” (Pan African Music).
‘Boum‘ seems to tell the story of a woman who is haunted by the unfair expectations of her mother-in-law, who constantly gives her tough household duties and insults her. Tired to follow and meet her demands, she proclaims: It’s enough. The voice of a woman, who dares to challenge the socially accepted stereotype of the “good” and obedient wife/ daughter-in-law:
“Your mother, this time/ A ngudi’aku yoyo
It’s too much/ Taa kiyélélé
She doesn’t give me a break/ Bintuma-ntuma bingi
It’s too much/ Taa kiyélélé
She sends me to catch water/ Na teka maza ntenkele
It’s too much/ Taa kiyélélé“
Their LP will be released on 13 November 2020. You may pre-order it here via bandcamp.
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