established 01/04/00 Sustaining the principles of love in action : ubuntu /sharing PORTFOLIO OF CULTURAL JOURNALISM : the doors of culture and learning shall be opened struhuru@gmail.com

That morning in the local paper, I read an interview where the journalist visibly attacked Youssou, asking him whether he was a billionaire, questioning him on the mystery behind his wife (the mystery in that she is never seen), making suggestions about his relations with leading politicians and his involvement with the media. Youssou's answers were of course appropriately curt and illusive, which brought my attention to this fascinating conflict that exists around him in Senegal: a man so popular, so admired, a man who has contributed so extensively to culture in that country, yet criticised for his arrogance, disrespected for his selfishness and questioned about his success.

By 7pm his business was nowhere near done, by ten he was still in the studio, at midnight downtown for a meeting and by 3am still in the studio. I went over anyway to the rather extravagant Jololi studios - what used to be his private residence. It was an uncomfortably warm Senegalese morning infected by the continual buzz of mosquitoes and the incredible pace of the city life that went before it. With his brother and label manager Bouba by his side, he was a little irritable and visibly exhausted, but still taking calls, giving out instructions, doing business before bed.

I wanted to ask him about this contradiction I had perceived. I wanted to see if I could discover the personal Youssou, the man behind the business empire, the man who has created such a respected niche for African music in the Western market. We talked briefly on the situation of African musicians selling out, wanting to go abroad. 'C'est grave, c'est grave (it is serious) he said. We talked of Vivianne's successes - C'est bien, c'est bien (it is good) he said. He remained as unreceptive and uncommunicative as his earlier interview had suggested, partly to do with the hour, partly to do with the circumstances, but partly too I think to do with the man, his arrogance and his ambition.

"We have to work twice as hard as Europeans because we have not a lot to work from," he says. "We have to have the courage to really say things about politics about what people should be doing even the population has a great responsibility with education and how people should behave, how well people should work and how hard they should work."

"If you go back a little," says his brother Bouba - the manager of his record label Jololi, "Youssou started on the same level as everyone, where there wasn't much technically. From day one, people really got into what he was doing musically - so he always had a big career in Senegal and a big following, that made him really stay here. There is a great career here and it is a great place to live and get inspired the whole time. If an artist with that kind of name stays in a small place like here you have to ensure you have places to develop your career - studios you can work in and stuff like that. Youssou's career is here, it is a part of life in Senegal and around that we try and build new artists."

The first successful signing (other than Youssou) on Jololi was Cheikh Lo, a Kora award winner in '98 and international chart topper in the world music category the following year for his debut album. He has left Youssou's label - and when I asked him why, he made it very clear that the support and the promotion wasn't there - he never answered when I asked whether Youssou was more interested in self-promotion, but perhaps because that was rhetorical.

But, in Youssou's eyes it is not self-promotion, rather the birth of an empire. "I choose to invest in the press because it is closely related to my profession. "Everybody knows the media industry is not yet a money making industry. This is normal because it is one of the first enterprises in the Senegal media. It will be for tomorrow. I am a builder, like if computers become what they are today it is because Bill Gates believed in it. I vote for information on culture because this can get out the tyranny of the politics. Information about culture interests the public."

I suppose it is a catch 22 situation - Youssou's success is Senegal's success, but it is not necessarily the peoples. He has brought major recognition to African culture internationally. He has always been politically engaged and always been positive about Africa, and he has developed a massive music and media business infrastructure in Senegal, including the recording studio, record label, cassette plant, equipment rental company, night-club, radio station, newspaper and over 50 employers - but the people want more. What they don't have and in many cases will never have they will always be envious of. His success, his affluence, they feel should be theirs too.

"All over West Africa and Africa - there is little - it is not a rich place," says Bouba. "Someone like Youssou brings hope to the people, but realistic hope - not like telling people to dream - he's talking about reality that people need to work hard to make sure that out of nothing they make something because that's what people need to hear - not to keep dreaming forever because there are realities here and for someone like him that's a message he always talks about. People see hope in him and they accept the fact that this is a poor country - but with all that misery and suffering they still have the music - they're happy, they cheer and they are always smiling and that's a positive vibe."

And it is out of this atmosphere - a tiny country, devoid of money and opportunity, yet blossoming with cultural opulence, music and a depth of tradition - that Youssou's success comes. He continuously sings about Senegal, giving hope to the youth, advise to the old and praise to the country for the music and the inspiration that it so generously yields.

When his most recent album 'from town to village' took on a more international sound, moving from Senegalese to world music, shifting the traditional sounds to funk - local audiences heavily criticised the work with many boycotting the album. "I composed my debut in 1980 'nanet ada' and people asked me why I was moving away from mbalax," he justifies. "Let us recognise that mbalax is local and we have international conditions. Our problem is to consolidate the desires of the Senegalese market with international ambitions. When we invest in these kinds of international sounds it is a plus for Senegalese singers. Don't forget music is universal. In the whole it depends on the sensations and sensibilities of the artist - we are proud to hear our music on the radio outside of the country. Also in the reverse. We like to meet with other music and other musicians, not to be limited to what we know here. This allows us to change from what we do everyday - the mbalax. Giving Senegalese people a new sound. Personally I am satisfied with my new album."

This is of course true, and the local community can not hold and protect their traditional music forever - like anything it needs to grow and change. If his sound moves to grasp the international audience, perhaps it will influence their musicians - which is a good thing. But collaborating with the stars like Sting, Neneh Cherry and Wyclef Jean many believe must be purely financially motivated.

"If I feel something with an artist I do it. The rest is up to the managers. So, everything protects my interests," he says. "I am not thinking only about business, but I want every time for my production to be credible. The first day people get married artistically the next day it is business."

And that is the story of Youssou. He has been there through the hard times, dancing that romantic dance with art and creativity, dreaming up that world of fame and fortune, sweating artistic blood, preserving his dignity and crying a crazy ambition. Now he has made it, the niceties of it all may have suffered, but his record is there for everyone to see and it is a very impressive record indeed.