Native Tongues

Native Tongues reminds the world that Africa is not a country. This diverse anthology draws readers attention to the fact that African hip-hop is rich, multilayerd and incisive in its engagement with post-colonial issues in the age of Empire. -- Adam Haupt, author of Stealing Empire: P2P, Intellectual Property & Hip-Hop Subversion Native Tongues brings together critical and new writings on rap and hip-hop in Africa. It explores the influence of hip-hop on the continent and brings to light the pressing issues that are echoed in the lyrics and images displayed by youth from the townships of South Africa to the streets of Bamako. Readers will learn about hip-hop s ever expanding reach as an art form and sociology-cultural force that shapes youth culture and affects social change by providing African youth with alternative spaces to be creative, voice their opinions, and empower one another. Much of the book centers on issues of cultural imperialism, the integrity of local cultures, corporate culture, local economies, trasnnationalism, identity formation, and more.