R
Nicole Reid
The hip-hopper from Cameroon
Music
ising Cameroonian hip-hop artist Pascal Quandji also known as Hopiho, is a typical bottom-to-the-top story, having started his musical journey as a teenager in the dusty streets of Douala, Cameroon before a move to North America proved a precursor to the big-time. Now living in Nairobi, Kenya, Hopiho represents Africa by combining both of the major official languages spoken on the continent. His Afro Fusion hip-hop cuts across all audiences. His music is widely appreciated in Cameroon, Kenya and Canada. Hopiho’s music is a message of hope and the artist believes his music will make a big impact on a global scale. “It may sound utopian, but I hope that one day, we will all live in peace and harmony,” says the rapper from Douala. “I really do hope that in the near future, we will be able to put an end to neocolonialism and all these senseless wars.” Hopiho began rapping at the age of fifteen. With his brother Fluggy, alongside his buddies, Koudjo and Morack, they created the group Heartless. After completing high school, Hopiho flew to Canada to pursue his undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa and it was there that he would meet the future members of the group 8e Art - Marco Brown, Oriki and Hermes. A revolutionary and eclectic rap group, 8e Art would go on to have resounding success in the Ottawa region. A true showman, Hopiho with his group in tow have been the opening act for world-renowned artists such as Busta Flex, Mokobe, Oxmo Puccino, Magic System and the Saian Supa Crew on several occasions. For nearly three years, Hopiho has been working hard on his album Le Chant du Cygne. A perfectionist, he has repeatedly delayed the release of the album because he was not entirely satisfied with the final product. After several years of hard work, the perfectionist promises that “the album
will be released in the near future. Success is imminent, for sure. But far from being a novice in the game, Hopiho has been in the game for nearly a decade. He made his debut on the 2004 Vite Fait mixtape by rap group Triple Impact. On the song Trop de Mecs, Hopiho stood out, thanks to his unconventional flow, his exotic accent and his sense of humour. That set the stage for a steady rise in hip-hop circles which culminated in such productions as Dans Mon Monde (2004), Platinum Collection with 8e Art in 2005, The Hopiho Show part 1 (2007) Persona Non Grata (2008), Pour Le Fric (2009) and now Le Chant du Cygne. Mixing English and French in his lyrics, Hopiho has also released several videos that include Ride dans ma Benz, Rock Star, Do You Want It, My Story, My Music, and My Life. Discography: • Hopiho Dans Mon Monde (2004) • 8e Art Platinum Collection (2005) • Hopiho The Hopiho Show part 1 (2007) • Hopiho Persona Non Grata (2008)
• Hopiho Pour Le Fric (2009) • Hopiho – Le Chant du Cygne (2012). TP February 2013 Page 19
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