Abojah Da Godman is a hip-hop artist whose base is primarily Haiti (he goes back and forth between Miami and Port-au-Prince). With a patch on his left-eye, he looks almost pirate-like, but he doesn’t make anyone walk the plank. Hip-hop is his cause, and is a huge part of his life. In his raps, he speaks about life in the slums of Haiti. The song “Move rèv” (Bad Dream), for instance, depicts the dissatisfaction of of living in an environment with just a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Another song “Nouvo Fenomèn” (New Phenomenon) has the rapper spitting out about his credibility in the streets and on the mic.
Tell us about yourself.
That’s usually the hardest question to answer because I think life is a perpetual search for self and humans, being miniature universes do not make that question any easier for me so you can understand my dilemma. But I’m Haiti- bred, lived there most of my life, more precisely in Simon Pele—SP. Easy-going—complex at times, pretty regular really.
Where did this penchant for hip-hop come from?
I was in high school in Haiti—and a friend introduced me to Haitian rap, although I used to listen to American rap, I didn’t understand a word they were saying at the time but it resonated with me beyond the mere lyrical aspect of it because it didn’t musically fit with the status quo, and I was the same way kind of an oddball—-if you may.
Who gave you your stage name?
I came up with it. I must say that it has evolved to what it is now through time.
Can you recall your first-ever performance?
Yes—clearly.
What was it like?
It was a small venue. At the time, rap in Haiti was a mixture of rap and ragga, and me and a couple of friends, namely the Freedom Force performed. I remember being congratulated on a superb performance.
Hip-hop has always been popular, especially with school-aged kids. Knowing that, do you think that rappers bear a certain responsibility in terms of lyrical content?
Young people from ghettos and slums looking for a way out, found in hip-hop a[n outlet] to express their true feelings, that being said, the language used in hip-hop is usually one of rage and rebelliousness and may be more explicit than most because it expresses frustration and anger. But in Haiti, it was the other way around. When it started, the message was very positive and not profane at all—aside from one or two suggestive songs. The rappers who are conscious and caring of who their target audience—that is school-aged kids—will go through the effort of making the lyrical content of their songs as “clean” as possible, but sometimes a profane word or phrase is just part of the expressiveness and creativity of an artist, and I must admit, I personally don’t always do away with explicit lyrical content.
Speaking about lyrical content, how involved are you in the creative process of your records?
Musically sometimes, I’m involved in the creative process, producers closer to me—like Episode for instance— would listen to my ideas and create something from that. As far as writing goes, I’m responsible for all my lyrics and lyrical arrangements.
Can you describe your overall creative process?
My start-up point could be anything, from an idea for a whole concept of a song to a simple sentence, or even a word. I would look for a rhyme sometimes and a whole song ensues from that. On the other hand, if someone has his or her own concept for a project I would ask for the details of it—so I don’t stray away from their visions.
What are the elements that make a rapper a great MC?
To go from rapper to MC, one must transcend the genre and become an artist, arriving at a point where the style can fit any genre without sounding falsified as to appear as something being forcibly done. Rapping is easy. It is just words on a particular music at a certain rhythm or flow. MC-ing involves the crowd, the attitude, the artistry—the moment of truth that may make or break a moment. Once someone achieves true comfort with him or herself, along with the mastery of the chosen craft, he or she is on the path to become a great MC—or any type of artist for that matter.
Now, what do you like most about being a rapper?
To quote the French rapper Kery James: “La banlieue a une voix, je ne suis qu’un de ses haut-parleurs”—the neighborhood has a voice, and I’m just one of its speakers—I like the louder voice that it allows me to have.
Do your parents support your career as a hip-hop artist?
I always had the support of my family as long as it is something positive this is of the many blessings I have.
I was surprised once to read this interview with this rapper, in which he cited a gospel-R&B artist as one of his influences. Who has been pretty influential in shaping you as an artist, that if people knew, they’d be surprised?
With my dad, I listened to a lot of different kinds of music ranging from Meridional, Tropicana, Toto Necessité, Rodrigue Millien etc. I remember they used to have this contest in Haiti sponsored by American Airlines. These songs still rang so deeply with me. I’m a mixture of this era and the new one—balled into one. Hip-hop and Rap became my favorite kinds of music because I fitted in with the outcasts. But as far as influences go, if I start naming them, we’ll be here awhile. You will find me listening to Maurice Sixto with a grin on my face, or “Pelen Tèt” by Frank Etienne with the same grin, the artistry behind these masterpieces remain timeless, anything with that feature influenced me greatly.
Busta Rhymes once said in an interview: “Hip-hop reflects the truth, and the problem is that hip-hop exposes a lot of the negative truth that society tries to conceal. It’s a platform where we could offer information, but it’s also an escape.” What are your thoughts on this?
Hip-hop remains a contemporary sociological mine containing inside the depth of its lyrical contents the trends of the era, the habits of a particular ethnicity, style and language of the day. It’s a medi[um] on its own terms, making it a very powerful vehicle for truth expressions. I must agree with Busta Rhymes—one of my favorite MCs by the way—that it is also an escape, because I use it many times as just that.
Do you personally set out to pass on social messages in your own compositions?
I always try even when I’m ego-tripping to say something positive [so] that the younger generation that may be listening to me can take away with them as a life lesson. I’m conscious of what power hip-hop holds and what it can do to or for a young and easily impressed mind.
If you could go back in time and give yourself some advice about your artistic journey to come, based on all the things you know now, what would you say to that younger version of yourself?
I wouldn’t [say anything]. I am this version of myself with faults and flaws because I’ve been the young version of myself. Changing anything [would] change the [current version of me]. I wouldn’t want to change that.
What are some of the things you’re hoping to accomplish over the course of your career?
Beside songs, albums, videos, shows, I would like to leave a legacy of true expression of self—in the words of Bruce Lee—and create a platform where young artists can showcase their talents.
