Artist Spotlight: Daara J

If you're looking for a new kind of hip-hop that is about more than b*tches, bling, and bragging, then you've got to take a listen to Daara J. The group, made up of N’Dango D, Aladji Man and Faada Freddy (from Senegal), combine French and American rap, reggae, soul funk and Cuban music to create a sound that is distinct to them. The group's lyrics, mostly in French and their native Senegalese Wolof, eschew the braggadocio of much American hip-hop for some Afro-centric social commentary that harks back to old-schoolers like KRS-One and Public Enemy. "Daara J means 'school of life', and with every production we want to give an education to our listeners," Alhadji Man said in an interview.

Daara J’s last album Boomerang proved to be universally relevant, globally appreciated, and unique to its creators. The Observer called Boomerang “one of the hip-hop albums of the century” and the BBC awarded Daara J a world music award. What the group managed to do on the album was to create a piece of work that could stand proudly side by side with anything coming out of the US, UK, France or anywhere else for that matter, touching on every subject from the shortcomings of traditional society to the perils of globalisation in their lyrics. Listen to tracks from Daara J's album Boomerang and purchase the CD at Amazon.com

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(Photo Credits: Provided Courtesy Of Wrasse Records)