Various Artists - African Rebel Music (Roots Reggae and Dancehall)
(Out Here Records/ OH 004)
Direct from the motherland - music of our forefathers; reggae has travelled back from the Jamaican dancehalls, to its roots in Africa. And in many ways, the transatlantic translation of what many think of as a purely West Indian art form is a more natural transition that other genres of black music such as hip-hop and Rap. Reggae has defiantly come home, to be embraced by the 'creme de la crème' of afro-reggae talent.
Profiling hit tracks from ten countries, this compilation gives a first insight into the new reggae dancehall movement in Africa. So far only two reggae artist have had real international success: Lucky Dube and Alpha Blondy, although many of them are stars at home and regulars in their local charts, 'African Rebel Music' is the first chance for most of them to release their music internationally.
So who are the up and coming names we should be looking out for - and insisting our local record stores and radio stations pay attention to?
East African Reggae Bashment Crew is the melding of two famous line-ups from East Africa: the duo Necessary Noize from Kenya and Bebe Cool from Uganda. Tiken Jah Fakoly from Ivory Coast who, in 2005, became the most successful reggae artist in France, whilst the 994 Crew bring on the first dancehall track ever from Mauretania.
Ethiopia pitches in the song 'Shashamane on my mind' in which Sydney Salmon praises a piece of land that was once given to the Africans in the Diaspora by Haile Selassie as a place for repatriation. Batman is one of the most popular dancehall artists from Ghana adding the newest style of music 'raglife' now rocking the nightclubs of Accra.
Musicians like Dully Sykes, H2O, The Danfo Drivers, Peter Miles, Teba or Rebellion are the heroes of a new generation of African pop music - you'll be surprised just how popular and refreshing African Reggae is in relation to more commercial world music.
And finally - amidst all the testosterone and macho posturing is Alif (= Attaque Liberatoire de l'Infanteries Feministe - the Women's Infantry Liberation Army), Senegal's only female crew out of over three thousand hip hop groups. Founded way back in 1997 - ALIF is a group of women fighting. Being female in a male-dominated society and industry comes through in their lyrics again and again. Check out the track 'Wooyo', which features a mesmerising combination of styles and languages - with more than a nod to soul sister Beyonce.
Male or female, African, Jamaican, wherever in the world you're from - the language is reggae and dancehall. The sound and lyrics of their music represent the feeling of an urban Africa and its Diaspora, in the 21st century.
Reviewer : Yve Ngoo