Various Artists

The Rough Guide to African Rap (World Music Network RGNET1126CD, 2004)

Like all hugely proliferating music forms, rap, in its many guises all-too-often comes with a silent ‘c’. So it comes as a blessed relief that Rough Guides, who aren’t always guaranteed to hit the nail on the head, have come up with an absolute sure-fire cracker. Compiler Graeme Ewens is an Afrophile since time immemorial (not wishing to be rude about his age) and it’s as much a testament to his continuing good taste filter and the high, high quality that can be separated from the drivel in African rap music that a compilation of this strength can come about. He’s delved, too. Here are some names that all-too-few on the international scene have heard of to date: Zanzibar’s X Plastaz, K-Melia from Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghanaian wordsmith par excellence Reggie Rockstone are all names we’re going to be hearing more from in the future.

Alongside the movers & shakers we find good historical content too, including early Positive Black Soul vibes and seminal Nation Records darlings, Durban-based Prophets Of Da City. This album just blasts along from the first beat to final blip and, despite it’s good length, seems over and demanding to be re-started in no time at all. Wondering where to start? Start here. Missed out on some of the greats? Try here. Looking for the scene stealers? Here Bert, this is the place.