Babacar Dieye Faye
Senegal
Mbaye (Babacar) Dieye Faye is a singer and percussionist from Senegal.
Professional Information
Professional Areas:
Music
Working primarily in:
Senegal
Description of Work:
Now, Mbaye Dieye Faye is famous singer and percussionist in Senegal. He makes rhythm in his music, the Mbalax. What makes Mbaye Faye famous is not only his ability to beat the drum but his way of dancing and giving life in his concerts. Since he is always a griot, he knows how to make himself listened to. He is a court musician; he sang praise and told the history of people or the region which interest people. The advertisements also make him popular.
Formally, the Senegalese Mbalax was not very rhythmic because they used only drums and some traditional instruments. However, it changed completely with the modern musicians particularly Mbaye Dieye Faye. In fact, this latter with the new instruments such as the piano, the guitar, the saxophone plays a mixed music meaning the traditional music and the modern onefor instance, the beat of drums and the blare of trumpets.
Mbaye Dieye Faye has composed some albums, such as Songama, Live biir Thiossane, Oupoukay, and others. Songoma is the most famous, and the one most appreciated by the audience. This music had caused many problems because of religious principles. Indeed, it is a dance which required a certain way of dressing. It is called Joubax out, missing Wolof and English which means literally navel out. To attract more attention, girls wore indecent, tied, and transparent clothes. They must look like prostitutes to be exciting. However, others think that songoma is only a dance like all dances. It brings people to be more friends, to enjoy oneself. So, even in families, people can dance it just for pleasure.
Live in Thiossane, is also a very famous album. The wolof word Thiossane is a dancing night club owned by Youssou Ndour.Oupoukay brought much pleasure to people. The rhythm and the sound were wonderful.
Mbaye Dieye Faye is the percussionist of Super Etoile band. But he has a tendency to sing at the same time with Youssou Ndour. He plays an important role in the band. Mbaye Dieye Faye has his own style in music, very much appreciated by Senegalese people, particularly women. In Mbalax rhythm, he introducedas he calls itKhorom (Salt ). Nobody can dance to his music without getting tired. Indeed, it is very hard to follow his drums. And its like making sport, because dancing his music means jumping, moving ones body, and all members. So, nothing must be calm.
The role of Mbaye Dieye Faye in the band is also to make entertainment adequately. He is a griot, a repository of oral tradition, a praise singer, but he is more interested in singing love and romance. Most of the time he uses Tassou, a kind of speech with some rhythms, reminding one of rap music. That is mainly for amusing people, but often, speeches contain vulgar expressions. And for him, it is for exciting dancers, and having them moving more.
Biographical Information
Babacar Dieye Faye
(At a Glance)
Date of Birth: Oct/1/1959
Gender: male
Interests: Art, Musique, Mode, Culture, Sport
Place of Origin: Senegal
Mbaye Dieye Faye is a famous singer and percussionist in Senegal. He was born to a modest family of griots.
He had a difficult life before he became a celebrity. He sings because
he's a griot, but it's a passion for him to sing. He dreamt of being
one of the famous singers in his country.
He grew in a family of griots, but he had problems when he wanted to
be a singer. Formerly, people used to say that when you sing, you are
going to "take a bad way". For instance, you can use drugs or
alcoholbecause of the environment, bars, hotels, dancingso, that was
the reason his father defended him to become a drummer.
When he was child, his father sent him to koranic school before he
entered French school. But at a young age, he deserted school and
became a carpenter of metals after he began to tap the drums. When he
first informed his father about his affection for music, his father
started to beat him. It was after becoming conscious of the his son's
devotion, that his father consented.
But like many children, Mbaye Dieye Faye was very stubborn, so he
continued to decide to be a singer before his father decided to give
him his agreement. After all, it was normal for the young son of Sing
Sing to tap the drums. Like it is said in a wolof
proverb, "Donou sa baaye ayoul", meaning that its not a shame to
follow the same job as your father. So Mbaye Dieye Faye begun to tap
the drums with his companion Youssou Ndour well known as the "King of mbalax"
in Senegal. Mbaye Dieye Faye had begun singing when he gave up his work
as a metal carpenter. Too young, Mbaye Dieye Faye left this school.
His first concert with Youssou N'Dour was very wonderful for them
even if they got only one thousand Cfa each. Youssou N'Dour is an old
best friend and a colleague of Mbaye Dieye Faye. According to Mbaye
Dieye Faye, Youssou Nour is a best among the best people. They share
many things and together they will realize their dream, success.
In his adulthood, he married his beloved Mame Ndiaye and has his
kids with her. According to Mbaye Dieye Faye, it is not easy to become
famous but also it's not easy being famous. Indeed, famous people are
not free; they cant do whatever they want. To gain his life, Mbaye
Dieye Faye has his music, the praise he made during ceremonies,
concerts, and advertisements such as halib a milk product, the la
force a tea product
(wikipédia)