DIASPORA—In our series City Guide, we ask our favorite musicians, actors, artists and celebrities what their go-to spots are in their hometown.
In this latest installment, the highly-buzzing Senegalese artist Moh Dediouf, who blends national and West African influences with electronic-house music, gives us the keys to his home of Dakar, showing us the best spots for tunes, romance, food and more.
Get a taste of what the city has to offer with Moh Dediouf's guide to Dakar below.
Favorite music venue
Well, in Dakar, there are many different places where I really love to hangout. Bazoff and Charlys Bar are two of them. I like the eclectic vibe there.
Favorite nightspot
The Almadies side of the city has the best clubs to party in. At the Kool Grawoul party you'll experience a unique fusion of Dakar youth's energy and the afro-electro scene, all while facing the beach.
Best place to get a drink
At the Hotel Sokhamon and Les Phare des Mamelles, where you'll breath the beauty of Dakar.
Best restaurant
The fashionable L'Amiral, just behind the Léopold Sedar Senghor Stadium. I love their food, it's a mix of home food experience, plus offers a bit of privacy. The chefs are super talented.
Best spot to take a date
The beach is a lovely place, even if I've never been there for a date myself. It's a sweet, cozy place.
Best outdoor activity
One of my favorite activities is swinging between the baobab trees at The Baobab Forest, an hour away from Dakar. I feel totally liberated there. I either use my motorbike or bicycle... I really need that fresh energy. I talking about it in my song, "Pia."
Best place to write music
Outside with people. I love to be connected with the heart of my people—from Guédiawaye to Pikine, from Colobane to Ouakam. I love interactions that give me rhythms, the smiles that keep me hoping, and the spirit of creativity that hard workers and 'simple' hustlers have. I need that diversity. It melts my heart. That's how I've built up my three albums, called Trilogy.
Place to go for inspiration
I generally get out of Dakar and go around Joal, a small fisherman's village that has the only cemetery where Muslims and Christian rest together. I like the humanism and the complexity of Joal, it reminds me of what love is supposed to be.
Best beach
The Ngor Island beach is the best beach for me.
Any other locations you'd like to highlight?
We're starting to have a young, electronic scene here in Dakar with Tchoub Tchoub, Electrafrique, Ibaaku, and DJ Dollars. Dakar's afro-house project is part of that afro electro scene's energy, a fusion of our roots and modern music: hip-hop, mbalax, salsa reggae, and more. So I like to feel what's going on and what's hot in different places.
I'm in love with the Dakar suburbs of Guediawaye, Parcelles Assainies, and Pikine because of their fighting spirit and the social cohesion you find tehre. I really hope that the new city of Diamniadio that we're building keeps this identity of us, based on solidarity.
