The chorus of “Bécane”came easiest to Yame.
Emerging onto the global music stage with a dynamic blend of French and African influences, Yamê has swiftly captured hearts and headlines since his breakout hit, “Bécane” stormed the scene just a year ago. Rooted in his multicultural upbringing, imbued with sounds from Cameroon and France, Yamê’s music not only celebrates his diverse heritage but also showcases his talent and passion for telling stories through music.
In an interview with OkayAfrica, the French Cameroonian rapper and singer discusses his sound, the meaning behind “Bécane,” and his decision to shoot the music video in Cameroon. He embodies a mix of anticipation and gratitude on his journey so far and the promising path ahead.
Yamê’s influences and musical background
While he says he is “just doing Yamê,” he describes his sound to those who aren’t familiar with it as a sum of every influence he’s had in his life. “French music, African music, Cameroonian music,” he tells OkayAfrica. “When you grow up in Cameroon, there’s different music and that’s what I do. I’ve been influenced by a lot of that.”
Yamê grew up listening to a variety of French and African music, including artists like Eddie Piaf, Fianso, Mewe, Puchi B and Papa Wemba. Rap came naturally to him, as all his friends in France were fans of the genre. His father, a significant musical influence, was a Senegalese Cameroonian artist. Yamê recalls, “There were many instruments around me growing up because of my dad.” His first instrument was the piano, though he also learned to play the drums, bass and a bit of guitar. “I remember him making music and creating video clips with very big cameras,” Yamê says. “He was well-known in Cameroon, even though they didn’t have social networks at the time.”The creation and concept of “Bécane”
“I wrote the lyrics for ‘Bécane’ without thinking about the melody,” Yamê says of his viral hit. “I was more focused on rap and really wanted to rap.” It was only after creating the instrumentals that Yamê realized he wanted to sing more than rap. “The chorus was the easiest part for me,” he adds, “the most fluid.”
For those who don’t speak French, Yamê offers a loose translation of “Bécane” — “It’s basically a song about seeking freedom,” he explains. “Bécane means motorbike in French, and in the song, it’s a metaphor for freedom. Living in Paris, where it’s very crowded, people use motorbikes to move more freely, getting from one place to another faster. You feel like you can travel at any time. Everyone has their own ‘Bécane.’ For me, it’s the motorbike because I could go see my friends freely, go anywhere freely. For some people, it’s maybe a car, or reading books. It’s about the tool you have for seeking freedom.”
Photo by Bunni Elian for OkayAfrica.
Yame filmed the music video for “Bécane” in Cameroon because he wanted to shoot his first successful video in his family’s hometown.
“Bécane” first became a hit in 2023 after Yamê’s Colors Show performance which garnered over 70 million views on YouTube, and became a TikTok sensation. The music video, directed by Mateo Da Silva and released in January this year, has received over 14 million views on YouTube. Although born in France, Yamê decided to shoot the video in Cameroon. “I felt I had to go back and shoot my first successful video in my family’s hometown. Even if I didn’t have much time, it was really cool. You have these images, this color of Africa. Everything is just different and we happened to meet a really good production team who could handle the fact that we wanted to do a video clip in Africa, because it’s not always easy to find experts. But we did, and the whole team was ready to do it.”
International success and future plans
Since releasing “Bécane” a year ago, Yamê has gained significant international recognition and acclaim. One of the most exciting moments of his newfound fame was Timbaland’s reaction to his music online. Yamê describes the experience: “I woke up one day and saw a message from him. I thought, is that real? Because there are a lot of fake accounts. But it was the real one. A few days later, he posted his remake of it. I found time to go and see him. It was crazy and fun.”
Yamê’s first international show in New York this month marks a significant milestone for him. He expresses his excitement, calling it “crazy.” “You can’t really believe that people listen to your music until you meet them. So I’m just excited,” he says.
As we reach the halfway point of 2024, Yame has ambitious plans ahead. “I have a lot of songs in store. I really want to work on the history and narrative around my music,” he says. He intends to take his time with his upcoming projects. “I’m going to put a lot of effort into it, but I’m ready and excited.”
Watch the interview below.
Yamê on His Hit Song, Bécane, and How His Cameroonian Parents Influenced His Music Career.
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