Teddy Yo, a young, vibrant rapper, has been making the local magazine headlines for sometime now. The rapper’s innovation in blending the Gurage melody and beat with a contemporary hip-hop beat has been appreciated by many. His trademark music, Guragetone (including a track by that name), was a hit in 2012
Teddy Yo (full name Tewodros Assefa) resides with Eden, his wife of two years. He sometimes wears inconspicuous clothes when he goes out that blend into society and a baseball cap down low over his eyes. He does this just so that he can get from Point A to Point B without having a dozen conversations along the way with fans and random people who recognise him. He is the epitome of an arada or an in-the-know Addis Abeban.
Teddy Yo - 6 Kilo
People love him, and he gets the encouragement to do what he does from them, he said, but he had a bone to pick with views held by some regarding Amharic rap.
“Some people say rap is not good for our culture or that it is not part of our tradition,” Teddy Yo began.
He begged to differ. There is more in common with Ethiopian tradition than some people think, he said.
For example, after kings of old, like Emperor Tewodros, gathered their troops for battle, they would basically freestyle rap to get the troops ready for war in what is known as kererto and shillella, he explained.
His voice intensified as he described the connections of rap with the doo-rag (bandana) that Emperor Menelik wore under his hat, tilted like rapper R-Kelly does today, to the cornrow hairstyle of Emperor Tewodros and the combs stuck in the afros of the Afar and Kereyu. Even Negus T’ona of the Welayita wore an earring like most rappers, he said, as his own glistened in the evening light.
“I am not saying that American rappers took everything from Ethiopia, but there is a connection and many shared traditions,” he said.
Most Amharic rappers only rap about partying and having fun, but Teddy Yo raps about life. To him, life is not only about the good times, but also the bad. He raps about the parties and he raps about the problems. He does this in a way that is often humorous, even to older generations that normally do not like or listen to rap.
Teddy Yo - 01 - Tew Tew (4:25)
Teddy Yo - 02 - Tega Bey (4:09)
Teddy Yo - 03 - Maringecha (4:15)
Teddy Yo - 04 - 904 (3:12)
Teddy Yo - 05 - Demts Albaw Mesarya (4:23)
Teddy Yo - 06 - Gurage Tone (4:26)
Teddy Yo - 07 - Ney Bey Bey (4:07)
Teddy Yo - 08 - Sugar Daddy (4:02)
Teddy Yo - 09 - Shake your Dread (3:52)
Teddy Yo - 10 - Sedest Kilo (5:29)
Teddy Yo - 11 - Party (4:15)
Teddy Yo - 12 - Enkoyalen (3:28)
