The Sound of the Diaspora: Identity and Resistance in African Hip Hop

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 it reflects a movement rooted in solidarity. The African diaspora refers to the global dispersion of people of African descent, beginning with the trans-Atlantic slave trade and continuing through modern-day immigration. According to The African Diaspora: History, Adaptation and Health, the term first appeared in literature in the 1950s and refers to global communities whose ancestors migrated as early as the 15th century (Rotimi et al.). This term is often closely linked to Pan-Africanism–an ideology emphasizing solidarity and unity of people of African descent. 

The global popularization of hip hop aided in creating a platform for artists of African descent, specifically those who migrated to the United States, to express their pride in their identity as well as resistance to racism in their countries. This mixtape explores how first-generation artists from the United States, like Style P, Aminé, Blitz The Ambassador, and Wale, use their music to reflect the complexity of belonging to the African diaspora, highlighting their heritage while speaking out against systemic oppression faced by Black people. 

Since its origin in the Bronx, New York, hip hop has always been an outlet for speaking out about racial disparities and politics. One song on the mixtape, “Never Fight an African,” comes from David R. Styles, famously known as Styles P, who was born to a South African mother and Jamaican father in Queens, New York City, and has never shied away from speaking out about U.S. politics and resisting systemic oppression. In his song, “Never Fight an African,” Styles says:

“Not a Trump supporter, not a Clinton supporter, and Obama slipped too, we need to get it in order…if one brother starves, we ain't eat right” - Styles P

...highlighting a disillusionment with politics, across of parties. His main concern is the advancement of Black people, but in a country where systemic oppression is prominent, he refuses to align with any leader, even the first Black president, if meaningful progress is lacking. Aminé, an Ethiopian artist from Portland, Oregon, similarly addresses the idea that justice for Black people is not dependent on politicians or modern-day America in another song on the mixtape, “Becky,” when he says, “I'm fed up with the looks that we get in restaurants…I'm fed up with a world that I know I can't change.” His lyrics reflect the exhaustion from mistreatment due to his skin tone. Aminé, outwardly, spoke against the injustices in the U.S. during 2020, a year of civil unrest and an increase in Black Lives Matter protests. In an interview about the album done for French Fries Magazine, Aminé states

“My beliefs on these issues have always been the same. The music industry has amplified and spread the messages I believe in. I don’t hold back from letting my fans know what I stand for.” Amine

Together, Styles P and Aminé use their platforms to critique America’s failures in politics and affirm their identities as Black men in society by speaking out against the struggles they go through and reflecting a shared experience of systemic oppression throughout the diaspora. 

On a lighter note, the mixtape also features songs celebrating their identity, reflecting the vastness of the diaspora. Blitz Bazawule, a Ghanaian artist known professionally as Blitz the Ambassador, makes his self-pride apparent in his song, “Hello Africa,” where he talks about traveling all over Africa to bask in its beauty and richness in culture. This song encourages unity amongst all African countries while also using African dialect and English to promote Pan-Africanism. Wale, a D.C. native with Nigerian heritage, expresses Pan-Africanism in the song “Sue Me.” Wale states, “I carried my bitterness of a kola nut…I favor Black businesses… spent ‘bout two racks on handmade durags” The “rooting for everybody Black” ideology is not just a lyric in Wale’s song, “Sue Me,” Though it may seem like just support for Black people, rooting for everybody Black represents Pan-Africanism, promoting unity throughout the diaspora. Both Blitz and Wale celebrate their identities unapologetically, conveying pride in being Black and a commitment to Pan-Africanism, which shapes the African diaspora. 

In closing, it is evident that hip hop continues to serve as a vehicle f