One of the best concerts I ever saw on 2018 from far !
With soon 15 years on the Montrealer scene, Nomadic Massive do represent the city at its best !
Music, people and languages from all over the planet, Afro beats, Reggae, Hip-Hop, Funk, English, Spanish, French and much more all blended into one...they lyrics are also a good representation of a city that is based on immigration: the battle for diversity and human rights are the fuel of this musical collective !
With full assistance at the exterior scene of Montreal Jazz Festival, Nomadic Massive gave to the Montreal public one of the best concerts on 2018 !
Nomadic Massive hip-hop collective illustrates so clearly the profound and meaningful links that can be made between art and community organizing. Extending now for over a decade in Montréal, Nomadic Massive has deep roots in Côte-des-Neiges, specifically at the Maison des jeunes, where members of Nomadic Massive along with allies have built up a community performance space and venue called No bad sound studios.
Visiting the space illustrates clearly that there are deep roots in the community and the artistic space that has opened up through the community centre is playing an empowering role in the lives of many youth from the neighbourhood.
Issues that are often addressed through the recordings of youth at the community centre visit realities of police brutality, income inequality, systemic racism and generally the profound social challenges that youth in the neighbourhood face.
Beyond work in the community, Nomadic Massive, both collectively and through the many solo projects of members of the hip-hop ensemble, addresses through songs larger system injustices and struggles for justice.
In this context I am sharing an interview recorded in 2008 at CKUT radio with Vox Sambou and Lou Piensa from the ensemble. In this interview Vox speaks about his first solo album Lakay, while both Lou and Vox speak about their views and vision concerning the social, political and community role of engaged hip-hop practice.
listen to the interview here
this interview was recorded at CKUT radio for broadcast in 2008, also this interview was published in print format with the weekly newspaper Hour’s website, publishing at the time in Montréal, now the interview is being shared for public archiving purposes here on Free City Radio, photo of Vox Sambou performing at La Sala Rossa. thanks for reading / listening, take care. — Stefan.
