Senegalese hip hop - Definition and Overview

The West African nation of Senegal has one of the most active hip hop scenes on the continent, and has produced well-known international stars like MC Solaar. Hip hop was imported from the United States in the early 1980s, and a few MCs began rapping. During this period, most Senegalese musicians were copying American performers quite closely. One often-cited reason for the prominence of Senegalese hip hop is the ancient musical traditions of that country, which include some practices, like tassou, which are similar to rapping.

It was not until later in the decade that a more distinctive Senegalese sound began evolving, along with the use of Wolof lyrics. The 1990s saw a division in the Senegalese scene, with some artists remaining underground, associated with the American alternative hip hop scene, and others, like Black Mboolo, fused hip hop with a style of Senegalese pop called mbalax (this is called mbalax rap or rap ragga soul), which uses the sabar drums. The most prominent performers from the modern period include Positive Black Soul and Daara J.