In Their Own Voices - Transcript

Mustapha: At the very first time I heard Alpha Blondy, I was in Sierra Leone. I had just finished dinner and I listened to Bintou Were Were on the radio and I was amazed. I was like 'Man, this guy is singing in my language and the music is cool'. And he was backed up in a reggae beat and it was so interesting. And so since then I wanted to sing reggae by all means. He really inspired me - I'm talking of Alpha Blondy. Franz, Cut.

Franz: It is higher than your normal songs but it might be a first thing for you. It sounds different, it sounds bright. Let's do it one more time, we'll record you, you listen to it and you make a judgement.

Mustapha: My first album I did is called 'Cry Sierra Leone' . That's when the war was very intense in Sierra Leone. So, I needed to do that particular song telling people to stop killing each other. By the time the song was in Sierra Leone, the war was over and people used it to celebrate. It was a good thing, it made me feel very very good.

Ishmael: Mandingo is our tribe. We are Mandingos. So if we make music without singing in Mandingo, to me I don't think that's fair. So, I would recommend him to sing in Mandingo. Some of them, maybe not all of them have to be in Mandingo so our people can hear we.

Franz: What do you think is missing from this record? If you listen to this record in a record store, what do you think is missing from it? If someone put this record and try to get you to spend five bucks.

Mustapha: The only thing that can be missing probably is the chorus. What this song needs is a fast chorus. Continuous stuff, cuz it's a little laid back. A fast chorus.

Franz: Some people would say, like Pablo all it needs is a live guitar some good tight backgrounds..

Mustapha: I just feel happy when I'm around music. Especially when I'm recording, I have to push myself to eat because music is I think it's the food for me when I'm around it. Playing music for me makes me really really happy. I can do this forever.