"Urban Africa Club - Hiphop Dancehall & Kwaito" - V.A.

• artist:V.A.
• featured artist:Lord Ekomy Ndong, Sally Nyolo, K'Naan, Professor Jay, Ferooz, Gidigidimajimaji, King Aysoba, Batman,
• release year:2007
• style(s):Hip Hop, Kwaito
• formats:CD (Compact Disc), LP / Vinyl
• record posted by:Outhere Records
• label:Outhere Records
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The last ten years have seen a new generation of young stars taking over Africa’s music scene. New styles like bongo flava in East Africa, hiplife in Ghana or kwaito in South Africa rule the charts. The stars sell 100.000s of Cds, their music is on heavy rotation in the local radios, bars, clubs and minibuses. Allthough in high demand locally the news of this new exiting club music from the motherland of black music is only beginning to spread.

The ‘Urban Africa Club’ introduces some of Africa's greatest stars and scenes on the continent. Westafrica is represented by V.I.P. from Accra the unchallenged superstars of Ghana's hiplife scene. Ghana's vibrant hiplife scene is just one style that is yet to be discovered. Gabon has a distinct melodic type of hip-hop that is just starting to make itself heard. Check out Lord Ekomy Ndong with his track Exile. Senegal probably has the hip-hop scene in Africa with the closest connection to the rest of the world. Urban Africa Club features a new track by one of the pioneers of hip-hop in Africa: Awadi, the founder of Senegalese supergroup Positive Black Soul a band that managed to release the first international african hip-hop album ever. The African diaspora with its often very concious lyrics is represented here by K'Naan a hip-hop artist born in Mogadishu (Somalia) and now based in Canada. That takes us to East Africa. Dancehall is big in Kampala (Uganda) one of the stars is Peter Miles check him out on One Time. Neighbouring Dar es Salaam has developped its own hip-hop blend called bongo flava. It is featured here with a track by Professor Jay that has dominated the airwaves in East Africa in 2005 and Mangwea with another alltime bongo flava hit Mikasi. The two supergroups of Kenya are Necessary Noize a duo made up of Wyre and East Africa's ‘First Lady' Nazizi and Gidigidimajimaji featured here with the kwaito flavoured clubtrack Atoti pt 2. That brings us to one of the most influential regions and styles in Africa at the moment: South Africa and kwaito. The scene is represented here by the opening track Bhambatha with its rough lyrics by Zola from the townships of Jo'burg. His TV show ‘Zola 7’ is watched by 5 million people each week. Kwaito has been spreading far into East Africa and all through southern Africa. South Africas music business is expanding and consolidating itself and becoming an important regional player and stepping stone in introducing artists to the international market.

Listen up and get into the vibe Africa is ready to represent.