Générer le rap mboa. Musique, société et politique au Cameroun

From a generational perspective, this study highlights the social, political, economic and cultural dynamics operating in the social landscape of rap in Cameroon since its emergence after the second half of the 1980s. Based on a refined ethnography, this piece of work examines, on the first hand, the domestication process of rap. On the second hand, it shows how rappers use their imagination to meet their needs on a daily basis, despite the precarious conditions and a highly constrained economic environment. The collected data have enabled to scrutinize their actions in search for recognition, while fighting for a better sharing of the revenues obtained from their activity. Another chunk of our research focussed on the social adherence to rap music. Rappers are viewed as new figures who, throughout their emergence in the local public landscape, reflects an image of youth as being at the forefront of consumption of a restricted type of goods and services, which used to belong to their elders in the community. Through the music of famous rappers, numerous ruptures and continuities are noted, notably through their way of singing, how they view social success, sexuality, but also their protest against the governance implemented by leaders Ultimately, this research work portrays rap as a place for understanding intergenerational social relations and the call for change with far-reaching implications for the contemporary Cameroonian society.