Park University student Kone Deg”ue’t is a rapper. The words flow from his mouth in rapid fire and because they are in French, there is a musical quality to them that can’t be achieved in every language.
The Ivory Coast student is a political science major and college seems the antithesis of the gangsta lifestyle he raps about. Deg”ue’t says he reconciles this with his gangster persona.
“I chose political science because political science is life,” he said. “Life is politics; the way you manipulate people. I like to understand people.”
To get a test of Deg”ue’t’s talent, you can check out the gallery of music videos he has on his YouTube channel, Dagame Kinte. “Nikka You Are Dead’ is his latest creation. It was filmed over this year’s summer holiday when Deg”ue’t was home in the Ivory Coast. It is a rap video that would not receive a PG13 rating.
Deg”ue’t or rather his persona, Dagame Kinte, can be seen living the lifestyle of the rich and famous rappers he idolizes in his video from a big muscle car, a palatial residence, beautiful women, drug and a gang plot.
The video has finished product did not come cheap. Deg”ue’t says it cost him 500, 000CFA – or $1,000 – approximately.
About a year ago, Deg”ue’t made another music that was set at Park University. Deg”ue’t’s friends Fabrice Nguetsara, Ismael Dadja and others can be seen in the background. Deg”ue’t raps in what was his room in Copley Quad, in the hallways and in the elevator. Deg”ue’t said he is not really proud of this video. He see it as a just an experiment, a testing of the waters. “Nikka You are Dead” is what he is proud of.
Deg”ue’t said his creative process includes writing often and being inspired by his surroundings.
“I get my inspiration from the instrument,” he said. “The beat. You write depending on the beat. Because when the beat is slow and sad, you’re gonna write according to the beat. It is a sad story. But when the beat is gangsta…” Deg”ue’t adds that he watches people. He could be hanging out with his friends and the lyrics just come to him. He writes on the computer. He has noticed though that when he writes with pen and paper it goes faster..
“I have recorded like 50 songs or more,” he said. “I erase my lyrics every time I write them because I want to be better.”
Deg”ue’t commented on his musical influences.
“My biggest musical influence is Bob Marley,” he said. “Because he had messages of revolution, black power and that’s what I am about.”
Deg”ue’t also said he is inspired by the 1990s dueling rappers of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls as role models. He does not listen to contemporary hip pop music. He said he does not want to be unduly influenced.
Deg”ue’t’s persona Dagame Kinte is inspired by the name of the slave in Alex Haley’s seminal work “Roots” – Kunta Kinte The moniker, Dagame, is the translation for ‘The Game’ in French. Deg”ue’t said he doesn’t want people to forget about slavery. He has another video on Youtube called “J’suis un negre” – which translates to “Black Kid Story.”
Deg”ue’t said he hopes to be the biggest French rapper in America but not Paris, France, which is the center of the Francophone world. His dreams of success in America, he said, are because the French like to imitate Americans and if he can make it here, then he has made it everywhere. He said he would like to go to Miami which is the center of French hip hop in the U.S.
Deg”ue’t has been supported by his parents in his musical aspirations. This summer when he made “Nikka You Are Dead,” his mother took charge of the expenses of the music video.
Deg”ue’t’s father recently had just passed away and cited his father’s support of his career as well.
“My dad he supported me,” he said. “I want to mention that he just passed away this morning. He watched my video. He told my sister that the video was good.”
