Ivory Coast: three years after his death, the Ivorians have not forgotten DJ Arafat
Ivorian artist DJ Arafat, October 2, 2017 in Abidjan.
AFP - ISSOUF SANOGO
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
DJ Arafat, the star of the Ivorian coupé-décalé, died on August 12, 2019, at the age of 33, in a motorcycle accident.
The drama had aroused great emotion throughout the country, and a national tribute had even been paid to him at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny stadium in Abidjan.
Three years later, the singer remains in the memories in Côte d'Ivoire.
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With our correspondent in Abidjan,
Youenn Gourlay
In Angré, in the north of Abidjan, three young Ivorians take their pictures in front of the stele erected
in tribute to DJ Arafat
, at the site of his fatal motorcycle accident.
In Abidjan, no one has forgotten the
king of the coupé-décalé
.
His music is still very present in the Ivorian clubs.
Mohamed Kalifa, alias Zapata, 28, even proudly wears a tribute t-shirt with the photo of the man nicknamed the "Daishikan":
“
DJ Arafat is a great man, a legend.
The day we announced his death... (
tchip
) it wasn't easy.
Here in the neighborhood, with my friends, when we saw this on Facebook, we didn't believe it.
We went to his home in Angré.
It was not easy.
»
Next to the stele is the Selfie Bar, one of DJ Arafat's favorite places, where he used to drink cocktails with his friends.
Mohamed, the bartender, will never forget the artist: “
He is a monument for Africa, for us Ivorians.
Thanks to him, our music is now known almost everywhere.
We listen to his music and we say to ourselves that he is not gone, that he is still there.
He always brings joy, he is unforgettable.
Every year it should be celebrated
.
»
Friday, the anniversary of his death, the "Chinese", as DJ Arafat nicknamed his fans, disrupted traffic in the Angré district with their motorcycles.
And they promised that they would honor him like this every year.
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