In Côte d’Ivoire, rapper Himra speaks on the street, sings the galley and the aggressiveness in “Nouchi Hardcore”

Himra, 27, a new ivory rap phenomenon, does not reveal much of him in an interview. So perhaps it is necessary to look for clues in his abidjan house to better understand Abdul Rahim Souleymane Bakayoko of his real name. At the entrance to his home, it is a portrait of the young man who welcomes us, signed Gilles Mensahpainter of the big names in pop culture from Côte d’Ivoire. The reproduction is faithful to the original: long discolored dreadlocks, protruding muscles, tattoos, brand clothes and seeing jewelry.

Half a dozen channels around his neck, the singer admits having worked his image as much as his music, but avoids the morgue of many hip-hop stars. “” Ivorians like to be impressed, you cannot catch them by being normal. They want a superhero “Explains the one whose rallying sign is made up of the two inch raised and two tense and crossed indexes, like swords.

Himra started music in adolescence, then listens above all to British, American and French artists. “” I started to rap because of the foul “, He admits. It is however by listening to sounds ” Brutes, aggressive and dark »Coming from the South of the United States which he finds his musical identity.

“Music like a punch”

“” When I listened to the drill, it clickedhe sums up. And I decided to shape it in my own way, to make it love the Ivorians. Like when Arafat listened to Congolese sounds and made them music that pleased Ivorians. Himra is regularly compared to the star of the cut-off, killed in full glory in a motorcycle accident in 2019, which he does not disavow.

“” We have in common power, energy, music like a punch. “His texts are also entirely in Nouchi, the slang of the popular youth of Abidjan, and his rap is” accessible. To make a hit, you have to understand all from the start to the end, even if you did not go to school. It’s Nouchi Hardcore: I am what DJ Arafat would have been if he had made rap. »»

From 2018 to 2024, he struggles to meet his audience but persists, even if it means singing on small scenes while the Maïmouna followers, this very dancing genus of ivory rap mixed with coupe-quarrels, filled the largest rooms. “” I was told that it was not going to walk here, he recalls, that the drill would never take in Côte d’Ivoire ».

Without being discouraged, he produced six mixtapes in six years, part of Universal, another self -produced, a slew of singles and collaborations with names of ivory rap (suspect 95, Widgunz, Mosty) and even French (Gazo, Le Juice, La Mano). At the time, already, he was successful in esteem.

“It’s a perfectionist”

“” He’s a real artistHoles the director of Clips Bouba Atkins. When you turn with him, he does not just validate a script, he is with you at the realization, he knows what he wants, he has ideas. He is a perfectionist. »»

The explosion comes in 2024: his album Young and richreleased in October, is a gold record in December, platinum disc in February. He is only the second Ivorian artist, after the Zouglou Duo Yodé & Siro, to obtain this distinction, and the first of ivory rap. Its biggest hits, Yorobo Drill Act 3,, Clothes And Banger, are now part of the soundtrack of the Ivorian economic capital. Himra speaks on the street. He sings the galley, aggressiveness and recognition. “” We are not lucky, so forced to swarm [en nouchi, faire des petits boulots difficiles et mal payés] “, He underlines in the words of Without pressure.

“” Young and rich Himra is now. The Ivorian market does not report anything to YouTube, as in almost all African countries, but it can count on international streamings, its many scenic services and its commercial partnerships.

His agenda for the coming months is already filled: a residence in Nigeria in March, a concert in Guinea in April as well as the Anoumabo Urban Music Festival (FEMUA) in Abidjan, collaborations announced with English -speaking artists. And, for his first European scene, Himra should start with the Yard festival, a high place in Parisian hip-hop culture, where he must share the poster on July 5 with Gazo and Tiakola.

“I will not get older in rap”

He also hopes to be able to find a relative anonymity abroad. Since he has reached celebrity, he recognizes ” No longer being able to go to the grocery store Without being surrounded by very young fans, which overflows with enthusiasm. “” I always wanted to have this career, but this success, I did not expect it “, He admits. His appearances sometimes turn to the riot, as during a signing session in November 2024 in the town of Yopougon in Abidjan.

Its popularity also tries to be recovered in a context tense by the perspective of the presidential election on October 25. Politicians of all stripes began to court it in the hope of gaining the favors of a youth whom they foresee disconnected from the stake.

“” Politics and I, it’s two, recognizes the singer. I know it is my audience that interests them. Today, if they want to tell the street to go out, the street is not going to go out. If they want to speak to street, street is not going to listen to them. But [pour] A Himra concert, Street is released “Warns the rapper.

He says he has ” No message to get out of music “, Prefers to focus on his two projects in preparation and on the” final character “That he seeks to become:” I want more muscles, I want to be more frightening than Booba, Kaaris or 50 Cent, having a more powerful career. I want to be number one. »»

However, he already anticipates a short career. “” I will not age in raphe prophesies. At 40, I won’t make music anymore. I will have a normal life, I will produce other artists, perhaps. Anyway, Ivorians always want more. If tomorrow comes some more crazy than me, they will leave me. »»