Rapper Moms at the Movies: It’s Crazy Yo Daddy With Claudia Tagbo & Zaho!

Directed by Leila Sai and Amadou Mariko, Yo Mama tells the story of three mothers. Terrified by their 11-year-old sons rap video, they decide to enter the game with an explosive clip to restore communication in their home.

Against all odds, three best friends meet with amazing success, but are quickly overwhelmed by their sudden fame and this world that has no codes…

Explosive trio

A close friend of the film’s producer, Jean-Pascal Zade, Claudia Tagbo was attached to the project from the beginning. To form the rest of the trio, it was necessary to find actors who could rap. Tefa and Béatrice Bonnefoy, who scored the film’s soundtrack, also produced Zaho, which seemed obvious at the time, even if he never made the film.

As for Sophie-Marie Laroux, “His name was quickly brought up to play Amandine, who I thought was the most difficult character. He was able to develop it in a phenomenal way. That’s Rolls!”– says Leila Sai.

true story

Note that Yo Mama is inspired by a real story, the story of ten-year-olds who starred in a rap video, with cash and guns in hand, in January 2015 in Sarcelles, where Amadou Mariko is from.

“A group of mothers tried to answer, and that’s when I started to imagine a sequel where these mothers would choose the voice of rap for their offspring,” confides the director.

“Yo Mama’s women try to stay connected to their children’s reality. It was important to highlight all the women and the strong sisterhood between them.”Leila Sai adds.

Amadu and Leila

The latter was the art director and photographer for The Source and Tracklist. Working regularly in the hip hop world, he is a music video producer in particular. He met Kerry James, with whom he co-directed Banlieusards, which premiered on Netflix in 2019. As for Amadou Mariko, he was looking for a way for a long time, and then at the age of 24 he went to film school and made his first short film.

After writing the script for Yo Mama, he knocked on the door of Jean-Pascal Zadie, whom he met in 2008 on the set of Sans pudeur ni morale, which was taking place next door. That’s how Zad and Camille Mulonge, who are co-producers of the film, put Amadou Mariko and Leila Sai in contact.

Yo Mama hits theaters on July 5.