The victims were Jean Walker Sénatus, also known as Papa K-Tafalk; Johnny Emmanuel, also known as DADE; Junior Badio, also known as Déjà Voo; the group’s drummer Wilderson Maglorie, also known as Ti-Baté; and a friend of the group who was driving the ill-fated vehicle, Guichard Labranche. All five victims were electrocuted and burned beyond recognition after their car hit what is believed to be a divider and a high-tension electrical wire fell onto the vehicle. Just days later, Papa K-Tafalk’s fiancée, Nathalia Léonida Bertrand, who was reportedly pregnant at the time, tragically took her own life with a single gunshot wound to the head.
Barikad Crew first burst onto the Haitian Hip Hop/Rap Kreyol scene in 2002 after a group of friends—Bricks, Brital, DADE, Déjà Voo, Fantom, Izolan, Kondagana, Marco, Master Sun, Papa K-Tafalk, and Young Clif (the youngest of the group)—decided to collaborate and form a collective to showcase their storytelling and rhyming skills. They soon realized their potential as a group and began to take their craft more seriously, adopting the name Barikad Crew to symbolize the many obstacles (barricades) they felt they faced as individual MCs. At a time when solo rap artists in Haiti weren’t as successful, Barikad Crew helped elevate the fading Haitian Hip Hop/Rap Kreyol genre, bringing it international acclaim and securing their place as one of the most popular and influential Rap Kreyol groups in the industry.
In 2007, Barikad Crew released their debut album, Goumen pou sa’w Kwe (Fight for what you believe), featuring tracks like Stand Up, Jwi lavi, Sakrifis, O yeah, Se konsa l ye, and the mega radio hit Banm Afe’m. The album proved that popular music in Haiti wasn’t limited to established konpa bands and that there was room for other genres to succeed. By the following Carnival season, they released the hit meringue Trip N’ap Trip: Ti Gason Pa La along with a superb video, proving once again that they were a force to be reckoned with.
Then, on June 15, 2008, tragedy struck, sending the country and the entire music industry into shock and mourning. The accident claimed the lives of five individuals, including Papa K-Tafalk, one of the group’s founders. The government later gave the victims a national funeral, where between 60,000 to 100,000 individuals gathered to pay their respects, highlighting the group’s immense popularity. Many artists recorded songs to show solidarity and support for the Barikad Crew family. For the remaining members, the outpouring of support gave them the strength to continue with the work they had set out to do.
After the accident, Barikad Crew signed with Wyclef Jean’s Sak Pase Records and began work on their second album, Jisko Bou, which was released later that year and sold thousands of units in Haiti alone. The album featured tracks like Ayiti pi Red, Jiskobou, Mete’l, and Selebre. Although they deeply missed their fallen comrades, BC continued to wow their fans and critics alike, and in February 2009, they released the hottest carnival meringue of the year while making their long-awaited debut in the U.S. at SOB’s Night Club in Manhattan.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck again less than two years after the fatal accident. Another member, Young Cliff, died in January 2010 during the devastating earthquake in Haiti, which also claimed the life of his manager’s wife and hundreds of thousands of others on the island. On February 17, 2015, another tragedy occurred when rapper Fantom was struck by a high-voltage power cord during the carnival parade, leading to panic and a stampede. Sixteen people died, and more than 70 were injured.
Many have speculated that if not for the tragic accident that took the lives of three key members, Barikad Crew might not have enjoyed the level of success they have today. Regardless of the circumstances, the group has endured multiple hardships and still carries the legacy of their fallen comrades. It’s been nine years since the first tragedy struck Barikad Crew, but the remaining members have continued to make their late bandmates proud with their accomplishments and contributions to the Rap Kreyol movement. They’ve worked with some of the hottest producers and artists in the American music industry, and some members have even pursued solo careers, releasing singles, albums, and contributing to compilation CDs. Despite everything they’ve faced, Barikad Crew continues to be a powerful force in the music world.
