Sarabah
 by Sister Fa, 
Piranha

Part of the vibrant Senegalese hip-hop scene, rapper Sister Fa gives her listeners a heavy dose of socio-political commentary to a jumping beat. Well-known at home and abroad for her outspoken criticism of female genital mutilation, her songs mix powerful vocals with West African instruments, like the kora, infused with the odd traditional Mandinka melody. Most inspiring of the songs is the upbeat ‘Selebou Yoon’, which says that Islam and hip-hop are a compatible force for good, while other tracks talk of migration, marriage and AIDS. This is well-produced, hard-hitting, lyrical hip-hop from an upcoming Senegalese icon.