Daara J

Senegalese hip-hop crew Daara J is one of Africa's best-known rap acts. The trio of Faada Freddy, N'Dango D and Aladji Man emerged from Dakar's intensely creative and competitive rap scene in the late '90s. Influenced as much by dancehall reggae and Afro-Cuban music as they were by American hip-hop, Daara J put a more melodic spin on their music, vaulting them into the first rank of Senegalese rappers, alongside veterans like Positive Black Soul and MC Solaar.

Daara J also consciously tapped into tasso—a rhythmic Senegalese oral poetry tradition that comments on daily life and current events—and positioned it as an African precursor to rap. It was a smart repackaging of an ancient tradition, which helped connect Daara J's socially conscious lyrics ("Daara J" means "School of Life" in the Wolof language) into the larger narrative of the African diaspora; grounding their rap in local custom while bridging the gap between Senegal and Black America.

The group's outward-looking, internationalist focus helped attract British reggae legend Mad Professor to produce its eponymous debut in 1998. The record combined their high energy raps with a not-so-subtle reggae undertow, and was a hit in the local market. Daara J was followed a year later by Xalima, which took the group into more overtly political territory—to the point that Daara J was even hired to edit speeches and promote anti-corruption political campaigns during Senegal's 2000 presidential election.

The group's true international breakthrough came in 2003, with the release of Boomerang. The album was a quantum leap forward for Daara J, combining all of their previous strengths—powerful raps in Wolof and French, bouncy reggae melodies, sly Latin vamps—with elements of jazz, funk, and even the occasional flamenco guitar flourish. Boomerang was clearly aimed at the international market, with top-notch production, occasional English and Spanish lyrics and some high profile guests, including Franco-Cuban rapper Sergeant Garcia and Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré.

The gambit paid off, too, and Daara J took the European world music charts by storm, winning the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for Best African Act in 2004. The group has toured extensively since then, both in Europe and the Americas; most notably as part of the "African Soul Rebels" tour in 2005, which found them sharing stages with both Tinariwen and Rachid Taha. —Tom Pryor