The groundbreaking group known as Kassav’, primarily made up of musicians from the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, created a music revolution that had repercussions all around the world. In this in-depth report from The Beat in 1986, the significance of Kassav’s achievements and international impact are explored by Beat columnist Gene Scaramuzzo, with whom I traveled to the French Antilles to discover the roots of this phenomenon. We were able to interview the band members and saw them perform on two occasions: Both shows were mind-blowing. In 1986 Kassav' was buzzing on top of the charts in Francophone countries from Europe to the Caribbean and Africa, primarily through the popularity of their signature song, “Zouk La Se Sel Medikaman Nou Ni” (Zouk is the only medicine we have). Not merely a tremendously catchy dance hit, the lyrics were sometimes interpreted as an anthem to encourage the nascent Guadeloupean independence movement, inferring that music—our music of unity—is the only remedy for our troubles.
