Souleymane Diamanka

Born in Dakar in 1974, Souleymane Diamanka grew up in Bordeaux, where he turned to hip‑hop and later to slam within the local 1990s scene. A Franco‑Senegalese poet and slammer, Diamanka has developed a spoken‑word practice that blends French and Peul (Pulaar/Fulfulde), drawing on West African oral traditions alongside contemporary writing. His first album, L’Hiver peul (2006), established an aesthetic in which spoken word unfolds over textures close to rap, chanson and acoustic atmospheres, with a strong focus on imagery and the rhythm of the text. Across his recordings and stage projects he has collaborated widely with musicians, actors and slam collectives, favouring hybrid forms between concert, reading and performance. He has also published collections of poetry, including Habitan de nulle part, originaire de partout (2016), and regularly runs writing and oral practice workshops in France and abroad.