Who has the word? MC Azagaia's intervention into past and politics in Mozambique

Who has the word? MC Azagaia’s intervention into past and politics in Mozambique draws mainly on Mozambican electronic material from 2007–2009, consisting of the rapper Azagaia’s music, lyrics and music videos, and discussions about the artist and his work. Email interviews were also conducted with the artist himself and with the sociologist Elísio Macamo, who has publicly criticised Azagaia. The focus is upon three of Azagaia’s songs (2007, 2008, 2009), and specifically the debates they provoked; the public association between the artist and the popular revolts in 2008 and 2010; and consequent interest in the artist shown by the Mozambican authorities. Povo no Poder (People in Power, Azagaia 2008), a song describing popular revolt and suppression, is analysed as an example of the mutual and intimate relationship between imagination and reality in rap music. Two other songs are also analysed: As Mentiras da Verdade (Lies of Truth, Azagaia 2007) and Combatentes da Fortuna (Soldiers of Fortune, Azagaia 2009). As Mentiras da Verdade was focused in a counter intelligence campaign against Azagaia in the Mozambican press and social media. Combatentes da Fortuna is analysed alongside the auto-justifying historical narratives of Mozambican politicians that the song contests. The article concludes that elite efforts to marginalise Azagaia were linked to his liminal role as a popular artist and opinion-maker. This role enabled an impressive mobilisation of the “power of the weak” to occur.