He is called Dennis Foray Bangura aka Menace Da General with a popular
track titled: Drink Tay U Alaki.
The Sierra Leonean US based musician is a Norfolk State University
graduate who has seen pleasure in rap music.
Menace is tantalising in the use of the Krio language as it’s surprising how
he uses the latest slangs in town in his rap music. In this email
interview with Politico’s Ishmael Bayoh he speaks his heart freely
and dissociates himself from hip violence.
Politico:
Who do we have on Politico?
Menace: MDG aka
Menace Da General
Politico:
Why do you call yourself Menace Da General?
Menace:
Well i got the nickname Menace from friends who think I remind them
of the character Dennis the menace. I later on incorporated the
General because i feel like I’m a leader.
Politico:
You are actually in the States but you rap fluently in Krio, how do
you do it?
Menace:
Well Krio is my 1st language and I never let the outside world
influence my love for it.
Politico:
You came in to prominence after a release of your song ‘Drink Tay U
Alaki’. Why the title?
Menace:
It is just a happy song I did for hardworking people to release
stress after a long day.
Politico:
You came with your own colour at the time when there was supremacy
for colours. Why did you choose your own colour?
Menace:
I do not have a colour...but I affiliated with people that represent
a particular colour which was already present in town b4 my arrival.
They supported me so it was only right that I ride with them in a
non-violence way.
Politico:
Apart from the collabos, how many albums you have to your credit?
Menace: 1 Album
and two mix tapes...and tons of unreleased materials.
Politico: Is
it true that you were with LAJ and you actually collaborated in the
‘Money Na Bank Track’?
Menace: Yes.
Politico:
What led you to go apart and you releasing a song title: ‘One Man
Geng’?
Menace:
It's just how I felt @ the tyme. I hate the politics in SL music
promoters and Djs in the sates that are very bias in what they do. I
felt like I’m a ‘Wan
Man Army’,
doing it all by myself with the support of fans and DJ's back home.
Politico:
You are a graduate from the University, right?
Menace: Norfolk
State University.
Politico:
What is driving you to hip-hop?
Menace: It's a way
of life for me.
Politico: At
the time you made your first return to the country, your group was
accused of attacking RFM, rival hip-hop group. Can you clearly
explain what happened?
Menace:
I'll put that on my life when I say I never attacked anyone or
instigated others to do so. We all tend to 4get that RFM had on-going
problems (beef) with certain people and I being at the wrong place at
the wrong time became the scapegoat. It was all a misunderstanding. I
ought to know better than to bring anarchy to my country which has a
long history of pain and suffering.
Politico:
What drives you to rap the song Book and Pen?
Menace: Coz
education is what I stand for. It's one of the reasons why Africa has
been a dark continent for a while. Education is a powerful tool which
u can use to change the world, says Nelson Mandela...and I’m done.
Politico:
You once released a video on YouTube accusing Souferior and Shadow
Boxxer of leaving Kao alone because he calls himself King of Freetown
there were negative comments about for that. How did you receive that
then?
Menace:
King, Guru, or General. Any man is entitled to their opinion. I speak
my mind and nothing but the truth. When I went to Freetown my whole
plan had a set back because of artists and their beefs. I understand
battling on the mic to prove who the best is but some idle fans in SL
are just waiting to exploit those situations to start chaos.
Politico:
Pundits have accused SL hip-hop artistes of tearing themselves apart
for supremacy rather than collaborating for breaking internationally,
do you agree?
Menace:
I highly agree.
Politico: It
seems as if other categories of music like R&B are faring on well
than hip-hop. What do you think is the problem?
Menace:
Well, you’ve already mentioned it. Most do it for the wrong reasons
–fame, status and supremacy instead of having mutual goals of
elevating to the top.
Politico:
What is the impeding factor to hip-hop explosion?
Menace: Once again
let me mention it... typical Africans not working for the greater
good.
Politico:
Are you comfortable that politicians and others are linking violence
to hip-hop?
Menace:
Sadly, it's the fact. But it doesn't affect those that have ways
around it, meaning very manipulative. But rather it affects the rest
of us who have passion, great plans, and everything to lose.
Politico:
When do we hope to see you again in Freetown?
Menace:
Hopefully April 2013 by God's grace.
Politico:
Thanks the General.
(c) Politico 14/09/12
