World music is one thing that I am always on the lookout for. When I was offered a copy of Many Lessons, I jumped at the chance to listen to something really different - Islamic hip-hop from West Africa.
Many Lessons is a compilation album with a selection of music from the region, highlighting the growing trend of hip-hop among Islamic believers in the region. The back cover of the album states that the artists seek to include their religious beliefs in their music, combining it with social, religious and political criticism.
Musically, this is a fun album. There's a rich blend of hip-hop, rap, afro-beat and reggae. I don't understand the lyrics, so it's hard to comment on the specific messages that we have here, but what I hear, I really like.
I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop and rap in general, but this is an interesting introduction to this type of music, and another avenue of World Music that I've not really had the chance to listen to until now.
Mighty Intelligence - Dread Skeezo feat. Dread Maxim
