Over the last decade, musicians and hip hop artists from Africa and across the diaspora have been fusing hip hop with traditional musical elements - infusing the hip hop game with a new energy, constantly challenging convention, and elevating the level of musical innovation.
A brief list of notables:
K'naan (Somalia)
Obie Iyoha & Wale (Nigeria)
Blitz the Ambassador & Sarkodie (Ghana)
Tilla (Cameroon)
Sampha (Sierra Leone)
The Black Opera Collective (Nigeria, Uganda, Madagascar, France)
Enter 23-year old producer/rapper Chisom Uzosike. Born in Detroit and raised in Maryland, Chisom is the eldest son of Nigerian immigrants, and the first in his family born in America.
Exposed to music from all corners of Africa by his father, Chisom gravitated toward hip hop and began honing his production skills at age 17. Drawing from his love of music of all genres, his keen ear for samples and his Nigerian roots, he quickly developed a striking, eclectic style.
Gifted with a smooth flow and deep, resonant voice, Chisom combines slick wordplay with real-life themes and vibrant production. His cultural/musical influences shine through every song: the verbal dexterity and swagger of the East Coast, the entrancing rhythms of Afrobeat, and the ultra cool, laid-back attitude of the West Coast.
Make sure you check out Mr. Uzosike on the internets:
Twitters: twitter.com/africanchisom
Bandcamp: chisom.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/chisomuzosike/real
Facebook: www.facebook.com/africanchisom
To stay up on the African hip hop game, check out: OkayAfrica.com.
Melo on the Blog Keys,
WhatUpWally?
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