As an immigrant to Belgium, Congolese rapper Baloji often finds himself tied between European and African cultures — "Afropean," as he describes in his newest track, "Le Nègre Blanc," or "White Negro" in English.
"I'm from the hyphen generation/ For Belgo-Congolese, Franco-Senegalese," he recounts in his native French. "I speak with my white voice/ But Bantu doesn't pronounce the R's/ We speak like little Negroes in a foreign language/ White is universal."
In this episode of Global Spin, Baloji performs the track accompanied by an orchestra at this year's UNESCO La Semaine du Son, an annual celebration of music that raises awareness about "the importance of the quality of our sound environment."
"Le Nègre Blanc'' will be featured on Baloji's upcoming album, due later this year. The project will accompany his recent film, Omen, a drama about a Congolese man who returns to his home country after his mother disowns him. The movie has received recognition from the Cannes Film Festival, Durban International Film Festival, and more.
Beyond television and music, Baloji has also worked as an artist director and costume designer.
Press play on the video above to watch Baloji's impactful performance of "Le Nègre Blanc," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Global Spin.
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