Compagnie Massala - Fouad Boussouf (FR/MA) Näss
On the border between the sacred and the profane, between frenetic modernity and ancestral rituals, Näss challenges contradictory physical states and affirms the fusion between the popular and urban aspects of hip-hop. It questions its proper roots tracing their evolution until today. Sources of inspiration are the regional dances of Morocco taskiwine and regadda, as well as the mysticism of the Gnawa tradition.
“The history of the famous band Nass el Ghiwane* from the 1970s in North Africa has been of key inspiration to me. Their lyrics reminded me of the strange connection with the anti-establishment current of rap and hip-hop from the same period in the United States. I discovered a type of hip-hop that is more spiritual, impregnated with ancestral traditions.” – Fouad Boussouf