The song tells the story of a man who helped a woman when he had money. When he went broke, she left him. When he became successful again, she came back, and he told her he would not be fooled twice.
“1er Gaou”, or “Premier Gaou”, by the Ivorian group Magic System, became one of the biggest African hits of the early 2000s.
Anoumabo
Magic System was formed in Abidjan in the 1990s by a group of friends from Anoumabo, a poor, working-class neighbourhood of the city. They bonded over football and music. The best-known members are A’Salfo, Goudé, Tino and Manadja.
Zouglou
The group played zouglou, a style born in the early 1990s among university students in Abidjan. Zouglou combines dance rhythms with humorous, often critical lyrics about everyday life, sung in French and Nouchi, the street slang of Abidjan.
The song
“1er Gaou” was recorded in 1999. The title is Nouchi for “first fool”. Its story of love and money was told with humour and a catchy chorus, and listeners across West Africa recognised the situation.
The song spread through Côte d’Ivoire and then the rest of West and Central Africa, selling large numbers of cassettes.
France
Around 2002, the song became a hit in France, where it was released through a French label. It reached African diaspora communities and mainstream audiences, and it became a nightclub favourite.
Beyond one song
Magic System followed with more hits and collaborations, including work with French and North African artists. They became one of the most successful African groups in France.
A’Salfo
The group’s lead singer, A’Salfo, born Salif Traoré, became a cultural leader in Côte d’Ivoire. In 2008, he founded the Anoumabo Urban Music Festival, known as FEMUA, supported by the Magic System Foundation, which also funds social projects.
The festival
FEMUA brings local and international artists to Anoumabo each year, turning the neighbourhood into a stage. The festival combines concerts with social activities, including health and education programmes for residents.
Anoumabo’s pride
The group’s success brought attention and investment to Anoumabo. Their foundation has supported schools and health projects in the community.
Still singing
Decades later, “1er Gaou” is still played at parties from Abidjan to Paris. The man in the song refused to be fooled twice. Magic System’s fans have been happy to hear the story again and again.
