The Hip Hop African

In this solo episode of The Hip Hop African Podcast, Msia explores the question: What is Hip Hop Studies?

The episode approaches Hip Hop Studies from an African Studies and cultural studies perspective. Msia explains that Hip Hop Studies is not simply the study of rap music. It is an interdisciplinary field that examines hip-hop culture as performanc...

Description: The stories told through Hip Hop's musical artists are unique when looked at through an African lens. This episode of Continental Cadences explores why African Hip Hop "hits different" by examining aspects of the genre's complex versions of identity and how they are portrayed through the musical artists' performances. The goal of this podcast episode is to break down three main points that...

In this episode, we’ll talk about Hip-hop artists who have engaged in protest Literature and Combat Literature based on the analysis of Frantz Fanon’s Wretched of the Earth, as expanded Dr. Msia Clark in her book Hip Hop in Africa: Prophets of the City & Dustyfoot Philosophers.

Throughout the continent, Hip-hop has been used to stand up ag...

In this special introduction episode, The Hip Hop African Podcast launches a curated student series featuring standout final projects from the Hip Hop & Social Change in Africa course at Howard University and George Washington University.

These short podcast episodes highlight how students are critically engaging African hip hop as culture, polit...

In this episode of The Hip Hop African Podcast, we sit down with South African hip-hop pioneer Osmic Menoe to explore the history, evolution, and future of hip-hop culture in South Africa. From founding Back to the City, Africa’s largest hip-hop festival, to building the South African Hip Hop Awards and developing the continent’s first hip-hop museum, Menoe reflects on archiving a...

Is Afrobeats hip hop? In this solo episode of The Hip Hop African Podcast, Msia breaks down one of the most persistent debates in global music: the confusion between Afrobeats and hip hop.

While the genres often overlap — and frequently collaborate — they are not the same. This episode explores the structural, historical, and political di...

This episode of The Hip Hop African Podcast features Dokta, a pioneering Senegalese graffiti artist, cultural organizer, and hip-hop activist whose work has been central to the development of African graffiti and street art since the late 1980s. Coming to hip-hop through graffiti, breakdancing, and MCing, Dokta represents an early generation of African hip-hop practitioners who understood the culture a...

In this episode of The Hip Hop African Podcast, Dr. Msia Kibona Clark sits down with South African hip hop pioneer DJ Ready D — legendary turntablist, founding member of Prophets of Da City (POC), cultural educator, community builder, and one of the most important figures in shaping Cape Town’s hip hop identity.

“We were the first generation, so nob...

In this episode, we talk with Simon, rapper and co-founder of Y’en a Marre, the Senegalese movement that turned hip hop into a force for political change. Simon reflects on the group’s impact during the 2011 elections, their call for a “New Type of Senegalese,” and his new project Rapping History, which uses hip hop to decolonize education and reclaim African narratives.

In this episode, we’re bringing you a special mixtape featuring 24 tracks released in 2024 and 2025 by MCs from across the continent, including Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

The mix highlights:

• Languages: English, Swahili, Ga, Yoruba, and more.
• Artists: Established names like Modenine, M.anifest, N...

In this episode of Let Her Cook called Unapologetic, two of our students dive into the world of African women in hip-hop. They discuss artists from West, East, and Southern Africa: Eno Barony (Ghana), Keko (Uganda), Gigi Lamayne (South Africa), and Reespect (Nigeria), women who aren’t waiting for permission to speak; they’re taking the mic and making space for themselves. From Keko’s ...

Tracks

• “Becky” by Amine
• “Hello Africa” by Blitz The Ambassador
• “Never Fight an African” by Styles P
• “Sue Me” by Wale

“Sue me, I’m rootin’ for everybody that’s Black.” This lyric embodies more than a mindset as i...

This episode is from a 2024 interview with Malal Talla—better known as Fou Malade—a legendary figure in Senegalese hip hop and co-founder of the activist collective Y’en a Marre. A key voice in Senegal's social and political landscape, Fou Malade shares his journey from early musical influences and socially conscious lyricism to organizing protests and grassroots mobilization through ...

We are back after a 1-year hiatus. It was difficult to maintain the production schedule as it was, so we will be scaling down a lot. We will continue to release conversations about Hip Hop in Africa and the African diaspora.

Our first episode back will be an interview with Senegalese hip hop artist and co-founder of the activist collective Y’en a Marre, Malal,...

ZuluMecca, also known as Mandisa Nduna, has made a name for herself as a rapper and actress. With a unique style and powerful lyrics, ZuluMecca is a versatile artist who transitions between music and acting. A talented lyricist and actor, ZuluMecca's presence in the entertainment industry has continued to grow. She most recently released the EP Seams. This conversation with the podcast and our students...

Go to the announcements page for information on events and albums discussed in the episode.

In this episode, I break down the road to breakdancing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. I also have a solo debate about the topic of appropriation, referencing Ada Enechi's 2023 article: Are Black People Being Pushed out of Hip Hop?

I also discuss the...

I'm doing a PhD in Streetology, in the University of Life

Breeze Yoko is an internationally known South African graffiti artist. Breeze Yoko grew up in Cape Town, in Gugulethu and Nyanga East. He is known for his vibrant and thought-provoking street art, and for bringing a unique perspective...

Political protests, breakdance competitions, U.S. artists and Africa, new book on London hip hop, call for papers, events on women & hip hop, The Grammys recognizes African hip hop, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducts hip hop, and...

There are also upcoming...