Pape Diouf, lead vocal of conscious generation band, has over the weekend fulfilled what he has been longing for years, his own soiree at the hallowed Accord Hotel Arena (formerly Bercy).
Inevitably, comparison with Wally Seck was always going to happen given their rivalry over the years.
In an interview with a Senegalese media last year, Pape said during Wally’s formative years he used to frequent his house a lot and once told him that he (Pape) is his idol and is looking up to him. According Pape from that day onwards he started taking the Faramareen Prince to his shows as a supporting artist just as he was doing with Bai Babu.
As Wally’s popularity started surging that brotherly relation was discontinued, and typical of Senegalese, they started pitting them against each other which led to distrust between them to this day.
They did the same pitting with Youssou Ndour against Omar Pene even though at the time the international media were regularly jetting into Senegal to interview You. They did it with Kine Lam and Khar Mbaye Madiaga. And, it is not only limited to music but to all walks of life, even religious leaders are not spared.
Pape supporters said he is the Crown Prince of Mbalakh, but Wally’s supporters disagree saying the Faramareen has a wider fanbase.
Music heads said that to be a leader of any music genre is not about the number of fans you got, but the whole package including quality of music. Also, in this era of fake and deception, you don’t know what is real and what is not.
Figures from the box office revealed Wally sold 6351 tickets for his Bercy, this figure excludes the 800 plus free tickets promoters gave him to pass onto his entourage and well-wishers.
For Pape Diouf, the initial report indicated he sold 9742 tickets; this excluded free tickets to his entourage and close friends. So, it is clear Pape came out on top in this mini battle, although it is not as successful as anticipated as 15,000 spaces were booked.
Message to Gambians
I shouldn’t even write this as these rivalries is not my/our business, but the emotions poured into this by my fellow Gambians compelled me to do so. Emancipate yourself from cultural colonialism and start supporting our home-grown artists.
Many Senegalese artists you celebrate are not better than our own, is just that you are made to believe ours are inferior. Is all in the mind, if you believe ours are rubbish, it will always be like that to you.
Remember Bai Babu and hisFahass song? No one cared about the song until part of the song was added to Pape Diouf’s Malaw.
Wakey wakey folks!