I asked Emmanuel Jal to sign the promo copy of Ceasefire his manager had just given me backstage at the Rise (London United) Festival – and started a trend for the other hardboiled journos there. Normally, I don’t do the autograph thing – artists are just another you. Emmanuel Jal is different, formerly a child soldier recruited to fight the cause of the Southern Sudanese people challenged by the dominant Northerners who has retained a remarkable gentleness and focus – he’s a spokesperson for Make Poverty History, Coalition to Stop The Use Of Child Soldiers, a fine contributor to War Child’s upcoming Help album - an accomplished rapper who always has time for you.

This album is a dramatic pairing under any circumstances – an upcoming rapper and a revered master who created a new music from old traditions. This musical partnership is more meaningful as it unites Emmanuel Jal whose Christianity is his heartbeat, with Abdel Gadir Salim, Muslim from the North in the first ever collaboration between musicians from North and South Sudan. The album is ‘a message for peace and hope’ . Emmanuel Jal’s 5 penned tracks are mostly with pared down keys and beats, but on occasions they are enriched with the rich textures of of Abdel Gadir Salim’s band – the Merdoum All Stars, – oud, saxophone, electric guitar, percussion, accordion and he raps and/or singjays on some of Abdel Gadir’s tracks. There is a tremendous feeling of co-creation on the whole album as the artists celebrate their differing musical roots and generously collaborate, making seamless space for each other. I don’t know how the tracks were created, but I got the impression from talking with Emmanuel that the studio was a real melting pot and he was excited by the opportunity.
Whilst Jal’s overall style is occasionally not unlike Snoop Doggy Dog in its approachable soft voiced style, make no mistake his subject matter is far removed from Western ‘hood concerns – questions about why people resort to violence, how his country’s vast resources can be shared, informed and determined pleas for peace (notably his hit track Gua – no 1 in Kenya for 8 weeks at its peak), and how it might be achieved and a powerful narrative of how education opportunities helped a young girl overcome forced marriage to become a generous leader of her people. He creates an addictive rapscape using the rhythms of his native tongue to create a new genre, with English used to punctuate certain points. His Renborn Warrior crew give ample back up and melodies are carried by voices pitched kinda high dancehall backing style, but simultaneously very traditional call and response sounding.
Abdel Gadir Salim’s 4 tracks are placed amongst Jal’s and use more allegorical subject matter to talk of harmony, lost love and what could be. Ya Salam is a more direct track talking about peace as well with a rap from Emmanuel Jal. Abdel Gadir Salim’s style has that sumptuous seductive multi-textured Arabic/African melodies that are his trademark – North Sudan isn’t that far from Egypt (think Halim) - with the instrumentation already described.. The final track is jointly composed (words Jal, music Salim) and sees Emmanuel sharing his life experiences warmly encouraged by Abdel, and an understanding is also created about their common belief in the one supreme being. It’s all very danceable as the music combats pressure with joyous sounds.

DJ Debbie