Africa Is a Country

Stone breakers

Stone breakers

By
Ts'eliso Monaheng

This edition of Weekend Music Break, number 48, curated by journalist and rapper T'seliso Monaheng, stops over in Senegal, Lesotho, Ghana and South Africa.

Xuman, the rapper, activist and radio host returns with this week’s edition of “Rap Journal”.  They’re part of Y’en A Marre, a collection of rappers and youth activists who is partly responsible for bring Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, who after his two terms were up tried to change the constitution and failed. This episode of Rap Journal addresses police corruption in Senegal while paying homage to the South Africa’s beacon of light, Nelson Mandela. Look out for a guest appearance by Dead Prez’s M-1, who was in Senegal recently working on some music.

Disregarding the controversy surrounding their movement in their home country of Lesotho, Kommanda Obbs’ crew D2amajoe (or Lithua-majoe, meaning ‘stone-breakers’ in Sesotho) have released a video which doesn’t veer far away from their name. Hardcore raps over banging beats are complemented by snapshots of their home country as they sing “I’m the size of ‘Malekoporo/ I’m a fish of the ocean/ its size compares to that of the Machache mountain.” It should be pointed out that certain scenes from the video are reminiscent of this one.

If not for the impressive line-up of rappers (from Ghana’s best including EL, M.anifest, D-Black, Sarkodie) on this song (“The ChOsen”), we had to include the video for its YouTube comments. This comment – “… the Reason why Nigerian Music is Far ahead than Ghanaians … i love this Music but the clip is soo lame … the Clip should have been better than this” – sums up the majority of the commenters’ sentiments.

Jam Sandwich is a weekly show on South African national television which endeavours to bring musicians from different musical backgrounds to collaborate on a song. Past jams have included Bongeziwe Mabandla with Dirty Paraffin and Jack Parow with Klipwerf Orkes. Klipwerf Orkes also happens to be one of South Africa’s biggest-selling groups. Here’s Dutch artist Stef Bos and South African rapper Kanyi:

It bears repeating that the quantity of rap music coming out of Senegal is staggering. The legendary Souleymane Faye joins Gaston on this poignant commentary on the loss of societal values among the youth of Senegal.

Further Reading

Fuel’s errand

When Africa’s richest man announced the construction of the continent’s largest crude oil refinery, many were hopeful. But Aliko Dangote has not saved Nigeria. The Nigerian Scam returns to the Africa Is a Country Podcast to explain why.

Fragile state

Without an immediate change in approach, Somalia will remain a fragmented country populated by self-serving elites seeking foreign patrons.

Coming home

In 1991, acclaimed South African artist Helen Sebidi’s artworks were presumed stolen in Sweden. Three decades later, a caretaker at the residential college where they disappeared found them in a ceiling cupboard, still in their original packaging.

Imaginary homelands

A new biography of former apartheid homeland leader Lucas Mangope struggles to do more than arrange the actions of its subject into a neat chronology.

Business as usual?

This month, Algeria quietly held its second election since Abdelaziz Bouteflika was ousted in 2019. On the podcast, we ask what Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s second term means for the country.