Bole2Harlem
Bole2Harlem was a musical collaboration that fused elements of Ethiopian music with American hip hop. Bole2Harlem released one album, Bole2Harlem, Volume 1, in 2006. David "Duke Mushroom" Schommer, a producer, songwriter, and percussionist, founded the group with Ethiopian singers Tigist Shibabaw (the late sister of singer Gigi) and Maki Siraj. The project's name refers to Bole, a neighborhood in Addis Ababa (and the site of Bole International Airport), and Harlem, New York City, where Schommer and Siraj were residents. History The project has its roots in L'Orange Bleue, a New York cafe popular with African expatriates and where Schommer, Siraj, and Shibabaw would congregate. Schommer had grown up immersed in Ethiopian culture: his father had helped establish a university in Ethiopia, and consequently the family home was filled with Ethiopian art and stories. Shibabaw and Siraj had made a recording after they met in 2005. Schommer, Shibabaw, and Siraj discussed an "Abesha MC" concept, with Shibabaw representing traditional Ethiopian styles (see Ethiopiques), and Siraj representing new musical trends. Additional collaborators joined after hearing about the project through Schommer's other production activities. Schommer and Siraj also trace the concept to the transit culture of Addis Ababa, where weyalas rapidly call out