Some musical acts are known for their glorious and triumphant rise
to stardom, in which they overcome diversity and ascend to the top.
Meanwhile, acts like Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars had a far more
difficult climb. Fleeing the soil of a country ravaged by political
unrest, blood diamonds, and a brutal civil war that was largely ignored
by the world, the Refugee All Stars are a living, breathing, dancing,
singing example of how the human spirit can survive even in the
harshest of conditions.
Formed as the cameras rolled for a documentary that shares a name
with the band, the members of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars came
together in a refugee camp in Guinea. Along with two million others,
they fled their native home of Sierra Leone at the onset of a brutal
nine-year civil war, one whose effects still haunt the beautiful, yet
troubled, West African nation. But while isolated in the camp, the
group came together under the guidance of charismatic frontman Reuben
Koroma, where they harnessed their wild sound—a loose mixture of
African pop, reggae, “Sierra Leonean palm wine music,” dancehall, and
hiphop.
That is where Black Nature comes in.
An orphan abandoned in the camps, Black Nature is the lone emcee of
the group, and his short bursts of rhyming are one of the highlights of
the All Stars’ music. While the group itself is a mesh of global
sounds, it’s Nature’s relationship with the complicated genre of hiphop
that is most inspiring. Now living outside of Portland and attending
community college, Nature was drawn to the world of emcees at an early
age, thus proving rap music’s ability to resonant with people on a
global level.
“Hiphop is something played all around the world. When I was coming
up I’d listen to different styles of hiphop and it is popular in my
country.” He adds, “It’s really easy to get Western-style hiphop:
Jay-Z, Tupac, B.I.G., it’s all popular there.” Later on, at the refugee
camp, Nature honed his skills and used his ability behind the mic to
share a story that would otherwise be forgotten by a world whose
interest in African affairs is sparse, at best.
“I found myself in the refugee camp and I had all these stories in
my life, these horrible situations that had happened, and I want to
pass on this message to the people.” He continues, “What is happening
to me, and to the people of Africa, and hiphop was the only way I had
to pass on this message.” This message—a vivid snapshot of the
lives of those who are affected by war—along with those of his
bandmates in the All Stars, is overwhelmingly optimistic, proving that
no matter the situation, hope will ultimately prevail.
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars perform at Berbati’s Pan on
Friday, February 22. For more information on assisting with the Sierra
Leone and other African relief efforts, visit ninemillion.org