![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAfcon: Ivory Coast football fans flock to see Abidjan victory paradePublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Fans dance in the street as they celebrate the Elephants’ third Afcon winBy Ian Williams & Ameer AhmedBBC News, AbidjanThousands of football fans wearing orange and white have flooded the streets of Abidjan to see the Ivory Coast team parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they won on Sunday.The hosts defeated Nigeria 2-1 to win Afcon for a third time, prompting huge celebrations across the country.Cecilia, who was born in Ivory Coast but now lives in the US, told the BBC she had travelled home for the final.”That’s the best decision of my life,” she said.Image source, Ameer Ahmed/ BBCImage caption, A football fan awaits the arrival of the national team in AbidjanIvory Coast were unlikely winners. They lost two group games and fired their manager mid-tournament. Emerse Fae, a youth-team manager, took over for his first job leading a senior team. Four games later, he was lifting a trophy. Juliette Youan told the BBC: “Emerse Fae is a hero of Ivory Coast.””We are so proud to celebrate our hero. Vive Emerse! Emerse is the best coach,” she added. Ms Youan and her friends made special T-shirts to commemorate Fae for leading the country to victory.Image source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Footballs fans made T-shirts to celebrate coach Emerse FaeThe parade began at Hôtel Palmier and the crowd built slowly from around midday, becoming more boisterous as the parade’s scheduled start time approached.As numbers grew, so did the noise, with horns blaring and chants breaking out, accompanied by dancing. At around 15:00 GMT, the first players suddenly appeared on the flatbed truck that would take them on their journey through Abidjan to the over 30,0000 capacity Félix Houphouët Boigny stadium for a trophy presentation.The banners on the truck announced the Elephants as “Champions of Africa 2023″ and featured three stars, a nod to the fact that the team has now won this competition on three occasions.Their underdog story resonated throughout the streets as people danced, rejoicing in their amazing comeback.”It’s amazing. The first part of the tournament was very difficult but afterwards the players played very well and today we are very happy. Today we have to do some parties, it’s obligatory,” said Kwaku, another fan at the parade.Image source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Ivory Coast players celebrating their victoryLooking relaxed in short-sleeved training tops, sunglasses, baseball caps and with gold medals around their necks, the players smiled out at the adoring crowds, leaning against the barrier, taking selfies and waving the Ivorian flag. At one point, captain Serge Aurier even helped lift a young fan onto the truck for a photo before handing him back to his waiting father.Image source, AFPImage caption, Ivory Coast won Afcon for a third timeIvory Coast’s tale of triumph was made even better as the goal that clinched the trophy for the team was scored by Sébastien Haller, who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer a few months ago.”We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn’t an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what’s happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good,” said Haller.”We are very, very proud of our three stars on our jersey. We [the Ivorian people] have passed through many, many things, and today we are happy, we get together,” one fan told the BBC.Given the reaction, it is clear members of this victorious squad will be viewed as national heroes for years to come.Fans around the world are already dubbing Ivory Coast’s win one of the greatest turnaround in football tournament history.More on the Africa Cup of Nations:Haller caps return from cancer with Afcon trophyHow Nigerians console themselves after Afcon heartbreakListen to the World Football at Afcon podcastAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastTop StoriesPalestinians sheltering in Rafah fear Israeli offensivePublished1 hour agoLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidatePublished4 minutes agoIsrael to act on soldier misconduct after BBC investigationPublished3 hours agoFeaturesWhat we know about Israel’s Rafah hostage rescue raidInside Ukraine’s struggle to find new men to fightHow Vogue kept its cover shoot of 40 famous stars secretUsher shines at Super Bowl half-time showDeadpool and Wicked trailers air in Super Bowl adsWatch: Kelce and Swift celebrate at Super Bowl. VideoWatch: Kelce and Swift celebrate at Super BowlWhat now in Pakistan after Khan vote surprise?Six false alarms like Harry Potter wand ‘knifeman’Jeremy Bowen: Why is Rafah the new focus in Gaza war? VideoJeremy Bowen: Why is Rafah the new focus in Gaza war?Elsewhere on the BBCWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayer’They are the cockroaches of broadcasting’Are the iconic BBC Radio 4 pips running out of time?AttributionSoundsWar, negotiations and geopoliticsLearn about Putin’s war in Ukraine in gripping detailAttributioniPlayerIs modern exercise a wellness cult?Drs Chris and Xand explore the science of physical activity and the dangers of inactivityAttributionSoundsMost Read1Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate2RFK Jr apologises to family over Super Bowl ad3WhatsApp user becomes first convicted cyber-flasher4How Vogue got 40 world-famous women in one place5Gang who killed man for fake designer watch jailed6Contract makes school pay thousands to cut grass7Women say police failed to look into officer abuse8Monty Python star working at 80 for financial reasons9Palestinians sheltering in Rafah fear Israeli offensive10Delivery riders plan Valentine’s Day strike](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/099E/production/_132626420_e0ffec0f-a6e1-49aa-9059-072428c15b5a.jpg)
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAfcon: Ivory Coast football fans flock to see Abidjan victory paradePublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Fans dance in the street as they celebrate the Elephants’ third Afcon winBy Ian Williams & Ameer AhmedBBC News, AbidjanThousands of football fans wearing orange and white have flooded the streets of Abidjan to see the Ivory Coast team parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they won on Sunday.The hosts defeated Nigeria 2-1 to win Afcon for a third time, prompting huge celebrations across the country.Cecilia, who was born in Ivory Coast but now lives in the US, told the BBC she had travelled home for the final.”That’s the best decision of my life,” she said.Image source, Ameer Ahmed/ BBCImage caption, A football fan awaits the arrival of the national team in AbidjanIvory Coast were unlikely winners. They lost two group games and fired their manager mid-tournament. Emerse Fae, a youth-team manager, took over for his first job leading a senior team. Four games later, he was lifting a trophy. Juliette Youan told the BBC: “Emerse Fae is a hero of Ivory Coast.””We are so proud to celebrate our hero. Vive Emerse! Emerse is the best coach,” she added. Ms Youan and her friends made special T-shirts to commemorate Fae for leading the country to victory.Image source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Footballs fans made T-shirts to celebrate coach Emerse FaeThe parade began at Hôtel Palmier and the crowd built slowly from around midday, becoming more boisterous as the parade’s scheduled start time approached.As numbers grew, so did the noise, with horns blaring and chants breaking out, accompanied by dancing. At around 15:00 GMT, the first players suddenly appeared on the flatbed truck that would take them on their journey through Abidjan to the over 30,0000 capacity Félix Houphouët Boigny stadium for a trophy presentation.The banners on the truck announced the Elephants as “Champions of Africa 2023″ and featured three stars, a nod to the fact that the team has now won this competition on three occasions.Their underdog story resonated throughout the streets as people danced, rejoicing in their amazing comeback.”It’s amazing. The first part of the tournament was very difficult but afterwards the players played very well and today we are very happy. Today we have to do some parties, it’s obligatory,” said Kwaku, another fan at the parade.Image source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Ivory Coast players celebrating their victoryLooking relaxed in short-sleeved training tops, sunglasses, baseball caps and with gold medals around their necks, the players smiled out at the adoring crowds, leaning against the barrier, taking selfies and waving the Ivorian flag. At one point, captain Serge Aurier even helped lift a young fan onto the truck for a photo before handing him back to his waiting father.Image source, AFPImage caption, Ivory Coast won Afcon for a third timeIvory Coast’s tale of triumph was made even better as the goal that clinched the trophy for the team was scored by Sébastien Haller, who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer a few months ago.”We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn’t an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what’s happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good,” said Haller.”We are very, very proud of our three stars on our jersey. We [the Ivorian people] have passed through many, many things, and today we are happy, we get together,” one fan told the BBC.Given the reaction, it is clear members of this victorious squad will be viewed as national heroes for years to come.Fans around the world are already dubbing Ivory Coast’s win one of the greatest turnaround in football tournament history.More on the Africa Cup of Nations:Haller caps return from cancer with Afcon trophyHow Nigerians console themselves after Afcon heartbreakListen to the World Football at Afcon podcastAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastTop StoriesPalestinians sheltering in Rafah fear Israeli offensivePublished1 hour agoLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidatePublished4 minutes agoIsrael to act on soldier misconduct after BBC investigationPublished3 hours agoFeaturesWhat we know about Israel’s Rafah hostage rescue raidInside Ukraine’s struggle to find new men to fightHow Vogue kept its cover shoot of 40 famous stars secretUsher shines at Super Bowl half-time showDeadpool and Wicked trailers air in Super Bowl adsWatch: Kelce and Swift celebrate at Super Bowl. VideoWatch: Kelce and Swift celebrate at Super BowlWhat now in Pakistan after Khan vote surprise?Six false alarms like Harry Potter wand ‘knifeman’Jeremy Bowen: Why is Rafah the new focus in Gaza war? VideoJeremy Bowen: Why is Rafah the new focus in Gaza war?Elsewhere on the BBCWhat is it really like to be a monk?’To be a monk is something very vast, very high and very beautiful’AttributioniPlayer’They are the cockroaches of broadcasting’Are the iconic BBC Radio 4 pips running out of time?AttributionSoundsWar, negotiations and geopoliticsLearn about Putin’s war in Ukraine in gripping detailAttributioniPlayerIs modern exercise a wellness cult?Drs Chris and Xand explore the science of physical activity and the dangers of inactivityAttributionSoundsMost Read1Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate2RFK Jr apologises to family over Super Bowl ad3WhatsApp user becomes first convicted cyber-flasher4How Vogue got 40 world-famous women in one place5Gang who killed man for fake designer watch jailed6Contract makes school pay thousands to cut grass7Women say police failed to look into officer abuse8Monty Python star working at 80 for financial reasons9Palestinians sheltering in Rafah fear Israeli offensive10Delivery riders plan Valentine’s Day strike
[ad_1] Ivory Coast began the tournament as the underdogs of Afcon but rose to become champions.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaOneFour: How drill music trailblazers have divided AustraliaPublished17 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Tristan Stefan EdouardImage caption, OneFour members (L-R) Spenny, Celly and J Emz on the set of their new music videoBy Hannah RitchieBBC News, Sydney”We’re not a gang. We’re a music group,” J Emz says, unflinchingly.”We’re a business.” The OneFour frontman is speaking in a small, hard-to-find recording studio wedged behind a refrigerator supply store in industrial outer Sydney.It’s here that Australia’s most successful hip-hop act is finalising their new single.The question I’ve asked J Emz – does OneFour have gang links? – has long stalked the group.To fans, the rappers are pioneers: five Sāmoan-Australians from one of Sydney’s poorest postcodes who have used their explosive sound to give voice to millions of marginalised young people. But to police, OneFour is a threat to community safety, to be managed and contained. For years, they have blocked the group from performing at home by arguing their music incites violence – triggering a complex debate about art and censorship.Violent or visionary? OneFour is made up of J Emz (Jerome Misa), 25; his brother Pio “YP” Misa, 22; Spencer “Spenny” Magalogo, 25; Salec “Lekks” Su’a, 27; and Dahcell “Celly” Ramos, 28.They are the undisputed faces of Australian drill music – a subversive style of hip-hop that tells unfiltered stories of crime, poverty and social dislocation by people who have lived it. Their songs have accrued more than 150 million streams and focus on their experiences growing up in Mount Druitt, a Sydney suburb which has long been the subject of stories about struggle and unemployment, not art.But it’s a melting pot of diverse communities, littered with family-run businesses, busy churches and mosques.Image source, NetflixImage caption, J Emz (centre) says OneFour tells authentic stories of western Sydney”A lot of people were embarrassed to say they were from Mounty growing up. I never was though, I wore it on my sleeve,” J Emz tells me.”It’s home, it’s family. Everything I do in life refers to where I’m from.” OneFour formed in 2014. Their name is a nod to that year and – police allege – the notorious Mount Druitt street gang NF14, which has been in an ongoing war with 21 District, a rival gang from the nearby suburb of Parramatta.But it was a local Mormon church choir that first brought them together as kids, J Emz explains.And it shows up in their music – which often juxtaposes heavy rap verses with soothing gospel-like vocals. Their breakout moment came in 2019 with The Message, a high-octane track that went viral within days, earning the group praise from rap titans including Dave and A$AP Ferg.In the track’s video, dozens of young Pasifika men rally around OneFour at Mount Druitt’s courthouse. Smoke billows as lyrics like “retaliation is a must, ain’t no maybes, ifs or buts” slap in time to the beat.But one now-infamous line also caught the attention of police: “21 what, but one got knocked, ha! I guess that makes them 20.”Police said it referenced the recent murder of a 21 District member and argued that OneFour’s lyrics were inciting violence.Image source, NetflixImage caption, OneFour’s songs have been streamed over 100 million times on SpotifyThe group was soon being monitored by two elite police units – Strike Force Raptor, created to hunt underground criminal networks, and Strike Force Imbara, which investigates gang feuds. “I’m going to use everything in my power to make your life miserable, until you stop doing what you’re doing,” Sergeant Nathan Trueman from Raptor told the ABC in 2019, in a recorded voice memo addressed to the rappers. A years-long campaign to block OneFour from performing has followed, leading to the cancellation of a national tour, repeated raids on the artists’ homes, and pressure on streaming services to shun their tracks. “Just as police do not tolerate public acts of violence, they also won’t tolerate any behaviour – including music – that clearly incites and provokes retribution and other violent behaviour,” NSW Police said in a statement to the BBC.OneFour maintain their lyrics “spread awareness of what life is like in western Sydney” and that social commentary is not a crime.”We make music about our life experiences and what we’ve had to go through,” J Emz says. “It’s [frustrating] that people that don’t even know you or want to understand your story, want to shut you down.” But a series of violent incidents involving several of the group’s members have complicated the picture and increased police scrutiny. All except Spenny have criminal records for drug, robbery, or assault charges. In 2019 Lekks, Celly and YP were jailed for a pub brawl in which YP wielded a chair leg and Celly hit a man with a hammer – an incident allegedly triggered by a racist slur. Image source, Tristan Stefan EdouardImage caption, J Emz and Spenny were the only members not in prison when OneFour launched their EPThe three were ultimately given maximum sentences of between four and eight years. It’s not something the group shies away from though, instead using songs like Welcome to Prison to explore the cycle of violence and incarceration that has plagued their community. “I was taught from young that I’d get caught up in the system didn’t listen, and that’s how I got done,” YP raps in one verse. J Emz is convinced that music is their only path to a different life. “It’s a type of therapy… after releasing certain songs, there’s a burden, a weight off our shoulders.”And criminologists say the argument that the group’s music incites violence doesn’t stack up.”The idea that we can draw this correlation that people are more likely to offend because of these lyrics is a bit ludicrous – it’s simply not played out in the statistics,” says Professor Murray Lee from the University of Sydney. “The way police are approaching OneFour is completely counterproductive because it feeds into the narrative of them being outlaws. And it’s that authenticity that sells their music.” ‘This ain’t Home and Away’Some of hip-hop’s most iconic artists have butted heads with police. NWA’s run-ins with US law enforcement in the 1980s inspired their critically acclaimed album, Straight Outta Compton, but it also led to a cease-and-desist order from the FBI.More recently, the UK’s Metropolitan Police has blamed London’s drill scene for fuelling gang crime, and requested the removal of hundreds of music videos from social media.But in Australia – where rap artists have often failed to find success – there has “never been a campaign targeting musicians like this”, says culture journalist Osman Faruqi. “It’s a similar situation to what NWA experienced. The key difference being that the US grappled with these questions about music and censorship 40 years ago, and has largely arrived on the side of artists.”Faruqi argues that OneFour’s struggle cuts to the core of a bigger debate about who is permitted to tell stories in Australia “and make a living out of it”.It’s even become the subject of a Netflix documentary about the group, called Against All Odds, after their EP.Director Gabriel Gasparinatos says OneFour’s raw talent first drew him in, but it was police efforts to “shut them down” and the competing narratives about what the group represented that kept his camera rolling.Image source, Tristan Stefan EdouardImage caption, J Emz says the group is keen for new artistic challenges”Australia loves to celebrate an underdog or a criminal – Ned Kelly is a national icon, our unofficial anthem Waltzing Matilda is about a sheep thief. So, it was kind of fascinating that the public didn’t get behind OneFour in the same way,” he explains.”There’s an element of it motivated by race, part of it is class. There’s also a stigma around a place like Mount Druitt – maybe people wanted to avoid promoting that version of this country, but it’s a far more accurate depiction of Australia today than the surfy, sun-kissed lifestyle we market.”It’s a conversation OneFour is also having through tracks like This Ain’t Home and Away – which contrasts the idyllic beach-loving lifestyle of Australia’s most popular soap with the neglected corners of Mount Druitt.Faruqi adds: “There would be people now in parts of south London, or Chicago who know more about Mount Druitt than they do about Bondi Beach, and that is a fascinating by-product of the success of Onefour.” The next chapter On the set of OneFour’s new song – Freedom of Speech – J Emz, Spenny and Celly are the only members present. YP is still serving his prison sentence and Lekks has recently been deported to New Zealand. The mood is polite yet focused, as the three quietly rehearse their verses. Extras arrive dressed in police uniforms, for a scene involving the burning of a mock-up cop car.Their manager Ricky Simandjuntak is nearby, as are creatives from Mount Druitt running everything from the cameras to the choreography.”We’re not competing with other Australian artists, we’re competing with Drake, BTS, Blackpink – that’s the standard we’ve got to work to,” Simandjuntak tells me.Image source, Tristan Stefan EdouardImage caption, Celly, J Emz and Spenny are fronting OneFour’s new music videoHis gaze returns to Celly, whose voice has long appeared on OneFour’s tracks in the form of prison phone calls. Now Celly is learning to adjust to his newfound fame while also trying to integrate back into society.”People see gangs as reckless groups who come together to commit crime,” Simandjuntak continues. “Often these are kids who are getting picked on or hurt who band together to protect one another. That mentality served them when they were younger, but now they’re learning a different way.”But there are reminders that not everything is in their control. A few weeks after I visit OneFour on set, headlines are made when Sydney police arrest two men who had allegedly accepted a contract to murder all the group’s members except Lekks. Police said an “organised crime network” that had “conflict” with the rappers could be behind the plot, which had been foiled. They did not elaborate further and OneFour declined the BBC’s request to comment on the matter. On the day of the arrests the group posted a cryptic video on Instagram set to 50 Cent’s track Many Men (Wish Death), before later removing it. But for now, OneFour’s next step is to support rapper The Kid LAROI on his Australia tour next month.It will be a chance to test the limits of their relationship with police, which the group says is slowly improving.With the group’s sound having given life to a thriving drill ecosystem across Australia, J Emz says OneFour is now ready to evolve and extend themselves artistically. “Everyone’s seen and heard our drill music. We’re capable of more than that,” he says. “We’re artists. We’re musicians. And I feel like the world will know that soon.”Related TopicsDrill musicAustraliaMore on this storyAustralia police foil alleged plot to kill rappersPublished11 JanuaryDrill music ‘increasingly used in court cases’Published13 January 2021Instagram ‘wrong’ to take down drill music videoPublished22 November 2022Top StoriesUN in aid plea after staff accused of Israel attackPublished2 hours agoLive. ‘It just wasn’t working’: Badenoch on Post Office chairman’s departurePost Office chairman asked to step downPublished50 minutes agoFeaturesWho invented butter chicken? Creamy dish centre of court battleWhen Louis Vuitton tries to make you change your brand nameAuschwitz film was ‘like Big Brother’ in house next to campKuenssberg: What do voters think of party leaders? 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