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Friday, May 18, 2007

African Hip Hop


Zola is a South African hip hop Kwaito artist. This track was featured on the soundtrack to Tsotsi (the movie was ok, but the soundtrack is amazing!)

Something about hip hop speaks to people all over the world. Youth from so many countries have adapted the beats and spoken word style to their own cultures and fresh ideas. It's a music that is alive, spontaneous, and endlessly adaptable. MC Solaar, from Senegal, rapping in French, is another one I like.

For more, check out African Hip Hop Radio

4 comments:

Frank Partisan said...

There is so much cool African music, that doesn't get airplay except locally.

Try to discover Ali Farka Toure.

I'm linked to your blog.

Lept said...

Unfortunately Zola seems to have taken a paternalistic christian turn in his latest album: as socially engaged as he is, he comes off as a pompous daddy.
Great music though!

Red Jenny said...

Hey RE, thanks for the recommendation. There's amazing hip hop from around the world. People have really taking this form and made it their own. One of my favourites is Makale (Turkish). I think I blogged about them a while ago.

lept, that's too bad. I can't understand anything he says, so the truth is I'm quite ignorant of the message. Interestingly, that's one reason I really like music in other languages - the human voice becomes like another instrument.

Rainbow Girl said...

cool, Red Jenny! I'm a big fan of many different genres of African music.

You might enjoy Brenda Fassie, a late South African Kwaito star.

Also, there is nothing in the world better than Soukous music. Check out some Awilo Longomba and branch out from there! You can get Soukous music for free at www.live365.com, "Soukous Radio Monde".