Guest Africa Podcast Podcast

Philip Kla (cultural journalist): Dj Arafat "was and will remain a great artist"

A national tribute is paid to DJ Arafat, legend of Ivorian music, this Friday, August 30 in the afternoon, at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan. Philip Kla, president of the Union of Cultural Journalists of Côte d'Ivoire is RFI's Africa guest. He answers our correspondent in Abidjan.

RFI : The funeral of DJ Arafat will take place this Friday at the Stade Félix-Houphouët-Boigny. A very festive funeral, since we announce the presence of renowned African artists, such as Davido, Fally Ipupa , Koffi Olomide. National funerals of such magnitude, it is new for an Ivorian artist ?

Philip Kla : Yes, it's new, because DJ Arafat is above all an artist of international renown. DJ Arafat has collaborated with several international artists and these same international artists come to pay tribute to him.

And it is all the more original, that Arafat during his lifetime was very criticized because of his attitude of bad boy. He had even laid bare a good part of the Ivorian cultural world.

I think this will serve as an example, especially to our authorities, to better consider artists. Give such honors to DJ Arafat who was more or less blamed by many people, considered a loudmouth, someone who did not respect, a "bad boy" ... And that today the entire nation, the president of the Republic decides to take the organization in charge and that the president, on the announcement of his death, passes, make a message. That all the ministers, the presidents of institutions, the Prime Minister, the First Lady, everyone follows with messages of compassion, that everyone goes to Arafat's residence to offer condolences. We understand that Arafat was a great artist and will remain a great artist.

It is true that the political class, all sensibilities combined, has multiplied the messages of condolences of mourning. How do you explain these political reactions ?

On the day of his death, when the "Chinese" learned that their leader had died, they stormed the polyclinic where he was hospitalized.

The " Chinese " are the fans. The name that Arafat gave to his fans, because of their large numbers.

They stormed the Polyclinic because they did not want to believe in the death of their leader. So the politician understood that if he did not set up these funerals, it could degenerate at any moment. So it was from there that they saw the real influence of DJ Arafat. I remember that Minister of State, Minister of Defense Hamed Bakayoko, who is Arafat's godfather, had to postpone, to bring back the "Chinese" to order, to put them face the reality of the death of their president.

Precisely, the " Chinese ", in the days that followed the death of Arafat, two weeks ago, have deplored much that no great event in his memory takes place. This spectacular tribute to the Stade Félix-Houphouët-Boigny, in the end, is a victory for them ?

Yes, and until then, the "Chinese" have won almost everything they want. In addition to the stadium, there are artists who were more or less cold with their leader in his lifetime. They managed to repel these artists. They did everything to prevent these artists from coming to the artistic vigil of their president.

Artists who were considered as DJ Arafat's professional musical enemies ?

It is the "Chinese" who impose the conduct to follow. Ariel Sheney will not be able to attend the artistic vigil.

Another cut-off artist, Ariel Sheney, who was a bit of DJ Arafat's competitor on that segment ?

Yes, Ariel Sheney was Arafat's foal, but they had to separate for misunderstandings. And since then, his master and he were no longer in good terms. There is Safarel Obiang who was not on good terms either, there is Molare who was not in good terms with Arafat ... So the "Chinese" threatened, to say: " If all these artists who during the lifetime of our president did not agree with him, attend an event of this magnitude, we will replicate by force or other means .

Of all the artists in Ivory Coast, why is there only DJ Arafat who managed to gather such a large and passionate community ?

The coupe-shifted came with a number of people who were still in some ease. And Arafat saw that there were people more or less in the street, who were only content with reggae music , usually. So he adopted a cut-off style very close to these people, who immediately saw in Arafat a leader or someone who tries to lead the fight, to embody what they want to see. And so everyone could switch to Arafat.

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