Chwondo Style (Ting Badi Malo)

Gidigidi Majimaji: Ismarwa (A'mish, 2002) African hip-hop is coming of age, and Gidigidi Majimaji of Kenya provide one of the best examples out there. They bring in plenty of rapping and familiar machine grooves, but the presence of Luo and other Kenyan traditional instruments, rhythms and melodies, as well as elements of ragamuffin reggae and other genres, make the hip-hop classification too limiting. Whether on tuneful numbers like the hook-laden "Chwodho Style (Ting Badi Malo)," audio dramas like the brooding "Mayie" or the playful "Nyako Aheri," or rootsy, vocal-driven pieces like "Dala," these 19 tracks bloom with creativity and deliver more sonic surprises than just about any recent release from Africa. Humor, groove, beautiful singing, political themes, and contemporary musical sensibilities come together in a rare and deeply satisfying way.

Contributed by: Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org