In Abidjan’s Yopougon-Selmer neighbourhood, a crowd of 400 roared as Sauce Graine, a 15-year-old dancer, twisted with breathtaking speed in a street battle set to biama, a frenetic offshoot of coupé-décalé, the percussive dance music that originated in Côte d’Ivoire around 2000.
A New Generation Takes the Stage
All performers were under 25, some as young as five, showcasing intricate footwork and chest pops. Sauce Graine, whose real name is Arnold, began dancing to biama six years ago. He said, “This [is a] small ceremony so that people can see the talent we have … a talent that God has given to each of us to share with the whole world.”
Biama, along with maïmouna, a fusion of coupé-décalé and rap Ivoire, has become emblematic of Ivorian pop culture’s resurgence. It exploded after the pandemic as young people used TikTok for dance challenges blending acrobatics and goofiness.
From Yopougon to the World
Cédric Kouamé, a music producer and archivist, said, “Biama is basically coupé-décalé 2.0, like at 200% speed. Like maïmouna, it comes from Yopougon. Most trends start [in] Yopougon.” This working-class district has long dictated cultural trends, from Douk Saga’s coupé-décalé to DJ Arafat’s roukaskas.
DJ Arafat, who died in 2019, increased music tempo to match acrobatic routines, drawing on traditional dance. His fans called themselves “the Chinese”. After his death, many thought the genre was ending, but a new generation, including Didi B and Himra, now vies for megastardom.
Biama’s Future
Biama remains popular among children and young people, who call themselves biamaseurs. Kouamé said dance has always been inseparable from Ivorian music, citing Ernesto Djédjé’s ziglibithy. Kehou Mousso, a female dancer with 2.6 million TikTok followers, said, “You have to be improvising every second.”
Despite dismissals as “street music”, biamaseurs are undeterred. Sauce Graine predicted, “People will love us. They will dance [and] little by little, they will spread the word through their social networks. Then it will take off.”
