User:NadsMeisteR/Otentikk Street Brothers

The predominantly most famously known musical group in the heavenly-inspired island is the OSB Crew, which stands for Otentikk Street Brothers. After 18 (formed in 1992) years of hard work and combat, OSB Crew is now seen as a key music group on the local scene and even on a regional scale. It brought ‘seggae’ music to a continental audience, by performing in Europe. We met up with Bruno Raya, the group’s charismatic leader.

“We were there to get the voice of Mauritius and that of the Indian Ocean heard”, says Bruno Raya, from the group Otentikk Street Brothers, otherwise known as OSB Crew.

The souvenirs of their European tour are still fresh in their minds. “It is one of my best memories of the band”, adds the singer. From May to July, the group was present at all of the European music festivals. They travelled around the continent and performed alongside “famous” bands. They were on the same poster as Sean Paul. They planned on success.

The critics were positive. There was no end to the praise, given by newspapers and international revues, concerning the Maurician seggae: a mix of the local “sega” rhythm and “reggae”, known as “seggae”. Therefore, in order to continue what they’ve started, the band is planning on doing the same thing next year.

“This experience has made us stronger”, says Bruno. Seen as a prophet in its home country, the music group is extremely popular in Mauritius and fairly popular in the region. They intend to go even further. Their albums are well on their way to finding their place on music shelves in Europe and in Japan, thanks to the intervention of an important production and distributions company.

On a local level, their recognition has happened in the form of a trophy. Bruno Raya and his band won the MASA Awards, for the representation of Mauritian music.

However, nothing was certain at the beginning. “We have been through difficult times, but we have come through them with a lot of perseverance”. Bruno knows all about it, as it was he and his brother that formed the group in 1992, before seeing the other members join them.

The spirit of OSB helped them get through the tough times and the tribulations: “have faith in oneself. As long as there is life, there is hope” and also “not by counting on what the country can do for me but by thinking of what I can do for the country”.

These are the messages that Bruno Raya, alias Master Kool B, Blakkayo, Dagger Kkila and Tikkenzo convey through their songs. Bruno thinks of himself as more than just a singer. “The most important element is to get the message across”. It is therefore with a military tone that the band aboard delicate subjects such as AIDS, drugs, poverty and Creole identity. OSB touches the general public, not only via its music but also via fashion. “Otentikk” is a trademark associated with clothes, sandals, bags and various fashion accessories. Other ramifications deal with the production of the artists and the concerts. There are endless activities concerning the very active Bruno Raya. However, he does confirm to us that he concentrates the majority of his efforts on his role as an artist. “Managing and all of that, that’s another talent”, he explains, smiling. Moreover the group’s agenda is packed. A show in Réunion Island, followed by another show that promises itself to be mythical, on 1st December with the Wailers, Bob Marley’s musicians. Bruno believes that “2008 will be a year of renewal. OSB Crew has 33 dates booked in Europe”.

The crew consist also of Marie Michelle Perrine and DJ Did Steph. Whether it be on stage or in the albums, the OSB group has become a reference for many.It is even considered as being the symbol of this style of music. Known as the pioneer of the Ragga/Dancehall in Creole on the Mauritian musical field, the OSB instills itself in this domain as being unmatchable.

With Four albums on its credit as well as a DVD, produced during the ‘Festival Reggae Donn Sa’, OSB today enjoys a solid base in the island and in the indian ocean.

Extra spice is added by the French-inspired Creole which is used to denounce the arrogance of Babylon and ambivalent materialism of today's world. Even though OSB heavily institutes emphasis on partying and having fun, their message lies clearly on the conciousness side of the spectrum. But they have never slip into pure agitation and always remain aware of their social responsibilities. And so you find them condemning political mismanagement, police brutality, any form of discrimination and overexploitation of power, as well as regular social ills which draws similitude to the likes of excessive alcohol and hard drug consumption.

Though all songs are clearly based on reggae and dancehall tunes the album is still uniquely different from typical Jamaican and European productions, not only because of the language of the lyrics. The subtle use of traditional Mauritian elements and musical styles like sega and outstanding songwriting skills make the songs special and original. Otentikk Street Brothers are a grown identity, with a charismatic live show, outstanding musical skills, a singular approach to songwriting and – last but not least – a whole bag full of great songs that have the power to inspire people far beyond the boundaries of the reggae and dancehall community.

In the aftermath of the successful Reggae Donn Sa Festivals, the sixth edition will be unveiled at the end of the year in November 2011, featuring Ziggi Recado and other artists who are presently anonymous. The organising committee of Live N Direk Entertainment will the press to finalise its sixth anniversary in the near future. The language of Reggae sound has its codes as unclear and that the musicians grow, "one drop without cross", "mix" to "pull up" through the "low", the words take form to write the page to music. Reggae flowers, the enlace grasps the Dancehall and Ragga in a shambles sounds of exploding riddims on words that dictate the pace and voices who oppose the breath. When the ternary binary encounter, the time has gone. Reggae is in balance. It suspends the notes to hang, on the day of the festival, in a mystical air…is only natural.