Culture Résidences Published on 9.06.2022

3, 2, 1,… Nikki Ninja!

This musical integrates the biggest names of the Luxembourgish artistic scene to offer the first hip-hop performance dedicated to children from 7 years old and their companions. Coupled with an album, this unique project in the Grand Duchy will soon enter the musical universe of the little ones. Under the artistic direction of Dan Tanson, Nicole Bausch, Pol Belardi, Dennis Scholtes, Nadja Prange and the musicians of Afrobeathoven will unveil a daring experience directly inspired by encounters with young people


HIP HOP FOR KIDS

The long-awaited performance of some of the biggest names in the Luxembourg hip-hop scene is finally here. On June 19th, the adventures of Nikki Ninja will mix cool rhythms with a captivating and original story for young audiences, from 7 years old, and their companions. An adventure imagined and realized in neimënster by our associate artists in residence.

There are many opportunities to attend this creation and to introduce children to hip-hop.

Dates to note
release of the 1e single ‘Blablabla03.06
School16.06 | 10:00
School17.06 | 10:00
Open House extract18.06 | 18:00
Open House extract18.06 | 19:00
Release of the album19.06
Release Show19.06 | 11:00
Siren’s Call25.06 | 16:00

MADE AT/BY NEIMËNSTER

Nikki Ninja & Afrobeathoven is a musical performance dedicated to young people (from 7 years old) and their companions, bringing together the world of Hip-Hop and Jazz from Luxembourg. If Dan Tanson’s qualities as a director for young audiences need no further proof, his meeting with hip-hop artist Nicole Bausch has allowed a musical fusion that exceeds all expectations. Nicole Bausch, Nadja Prange, Dennis Scholtes and Pol Belardi & Afrobeathoven have been brought together by his creative imagination to create a “super-duper cool” hybrid musical universe.

The story begins with Nikki who grew up with all her friends in a typical Luxembourgish small town called Räppeldeng. She wants to escape from the quiet countryside and go on an adventure quest to shake things up a bit. But how? She reinvents herself as a superhero who, thanks to her superpower (playing with words and creating rhymes), becomes a kind of lyrical Ninja who colors the world with a thousand words. With her team, she creates a unique party on stage, rapping like there’s no tomorrow. She talks about the people she meets, the experiences that mark her journey, and the funny stories that surround her hometown.

WORD OF THE DIRECTOR : DAN TANSON

“When we talk about hip-hop music for kids, it’s obviously not about promoting stereotypes of hip-hop, glorifying sexism, drugs or violence. We’re moving away from that kind of hip-hop, which is obviously not appropriate for children.

Instead, we’re talking about a kind of “conscious hip-hop” with lyrics in a language that kids understand, that describe situations they experience in their daily lives, with topics they can relate to. We talk about hip-hop with its authentic values: respect, homeland, friendship, fairness, inclusion, motivation and love of our national language, regardless of origin, status or skin color.

Luxembourg hip-hop music for children is still non-existent in Luxembourg, even though the Luxembourg rap scene is very active and dynamic. It was high time that a first hip-hop project with lyrics in Luxembourgish was produced for children.

Today we offer the hip-hop project NIKKI NINJA & AFROBEATHOVEN which offers exactly the right music for little ones, who love hip-hop as a musical style, but fortunately don’t want to dive into the sometimes hostile cosmos of rap for adults.” – Dan Tanson

ABOUT… OUR ASSOCIATED ARTISTS

Nicole Bausch

Nicole Bausch, aka Nicool. Even though she has been immersed in music since she was a little girl, it was in 2016, after a concert of R.A Rugged Man, that she had a revelation. The very next day, she started writing, in Luxembourgish. Her style is full of humor; she gives great importance to rhymes that she integrates in her own way. Thanks to the Hariko project, Nicool met Maka MC and joined De Läbbel. She composed a first album of 11 tracks, Den Ufank vum N, which marks her debut in rap. For this project, Nicole will revisit the scene for young audiences, guided by Dan Tanson.

Dan Tanson

An independent artist since 2000, Dan Tanson has won numerous awards for his musical projects for young audiences. He works as a performer, director and producer. His main interest lies in the creation of shows for young audiences and the combination of live music, physical theater and contemporary puppetry. He is also a founding member and artistic director of the company TRAFFIK THEATER Luxembourg, which has been producing exclusively for young audiences since 2003. Dan Tanson has performed at the Elbphilharmonie, the Lucerne Festival and the Konzerthaus Berlin. His shows have toured in major venues in Europe, the United States and China. He is the co-designer and director of this project, which has allowed him to return to his love of hip-hop, which he immersed himself in at the end of the 1980s/beginning of the 1990s. Guided by Nicole Bausch, he has re-learned the codes of current hip-hop to guide the work of this project. More info on www.dantanson.lu.

Pol Belardi

Pol Belardi, a young composer and multi-instrumentalist who has received numerous awards, is recognized on the local and international scenes as the initiator of unheard-of sound experiences. Defending an eclectic repertoire, the work of this talented artist oscillates between subtly arranged parts and more spontaneous improvisations. Pol Belardi launched himself with the same energy in this new project as the composer and the musician of this piece.

HIP HOP FOR KIDS

Don’t miss the release of the first single, entitled Blablablaon June 03 ! The album is expected to be released on June 19th. Nikki Ninja & Afrobeathoven will be available in CD format at 12€ as well as in digital format on the usual platforms.

PRODUCTION

With the support of the Sommer Foundation, for the mentioned associate artists, the Ministry of Culture of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the City of Luxembourg and the Sacem

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