Mwenda Ntarangwi’s East African Hip Hop: Youth, Culture, and Globalization is a thin yet all-encompassing book. While the topic of the book may sound trite and hip with regard to pop and youth culture, Ntarangwi weaves the hip-hop theme in, out, and around the socio-economic and political challenges that three African countries face: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The book is clearly laid out and follows a particular formula. Each chapter begins with samples of lyrics from local hip-hop artists that introduce the reader to the topic that will be covered in the section. Chapter 1 opens with the topic of privatization and globalization that reverberate in the lyrics of Wagosi wa Kaya: “We are tricked to embrace this privatization because if you scrutinize carefully you will see that we are being ripped off” (1). These lyrics allow for a discussion of the influx of foreign goods, ideas, and changes that occur based on trends of increasing globalization.
By blending anthropology, folklore, sociology, and history, Ntarangwi examines how colonialism impacted these nations, the identities of the people, gender roles, economies, and the public/private divide that shrouds many taboo subjects, such as sex and HIV/AIDS. While such a broad focus might appear a daunting task at first, Ntarangwi lays his theoretical and conceptual path so as to provide us with a road map. Throughout the book he adds his own voice and discusses how he runs headlong into various facets of globalization, privatization, and liberalization. For instance, his harrowing story of how he and his hip-hop artiste friend nearly get crushed by a Caterpillar tractor, whose driver then blames the almost-victims, which leads to a discussion of power relationships, culpability, corruption, recognition, and social hierarchies (6–11).
At the crux of his examination of East African society is hip hop and youth agency. Throughout the book he illustrates through numerous excerpts how the youth challenge various social norms that are sometimes viewed as traditional and other times introduced via colonialism and cosmopolitanism. He illustrates how the disenfranchised youth that writhe in poverty and are ignored by elder politicians find their voice in hip hop, and through this medium they are able to speak of their own struggles and the daily struggles that they must contend with in this post-colonial, neoliberalized Africa. Again and again, he points to the fact that hip hop is simultaneously viewed as an appropriation of African American urban culture and of traditional East African praise-singing. He brings in the ethnomusicologist’s perspective in discussing how hip hop retains “African musical sensibilities” such as “the basic structure of call and response, short repeated phrases, and interlocking rhythmic patterns” (26). In this sense Ntarangwi mirrors sentiments of Samper (2004) and Lazerus (1999), who also discuss similar issues regarding the return of hip hop to the motherland or Africa aping the West. Likewise, Ntarangwi explores how youth make the style their own by incorporating their indigenous languages, references to local phenomena, and, as sociologist George Ritzer would say, taking a global phenomenon and putting a local twist on it, thereby creating “glocal” movement.
Gender in hip hop and society is also a reoccurring theme. Chapter 2 discusses women, rare entities in hip hop but an integral part of East African musical traditions. Chapter 3 spotlights particular women artists who challenge the traditional norms that make women subservient to men. Concentrating on the lyrics of female artists, such as Zay B., Wahu, and Lady Jay Bee, Ntarangwi presents strong women who are calling on their sisters to arm themselves against the trickery of men, to take responsibility for their lives, and, in certain instances, to remember the wisdom of the elders, so as not to fall subject to modern ills. It is no surprise that Ntarangwi presents numerous examples of male audience members heckling the female artists whose lyrics challenge their power and neutralize male hostility by referring to women’s beauty, thereby once again placing women in objectified positions that re-empower men.
This treatment of women leads into another aspect of the hip-hop dilemma which many artists face in East Africa: is it better to use this medium to discuss the social ills that befall the majority of people or is it better to make money? It is more lucrative to sing about women and sex, money and power, without discussing the consequences of such behaviors because the radio stations will play trivial music: “the more racy a song is the more popular it seems to be among its consumers” (56). While Ntarangwi presents a few examples of artists who partake in self-aggrandizement, his focus is on socially responsible, educated artists who challenge numerous injustices such as the objectification of women, promiscuity, and negative stereotyping of Africa by outsiders. Many artists challenge the internationalization of identities as depicted on MTV and Channel O (65) as well as North American-style clothing and hairstyles that East African youth mimic. These conscious rappers take pride in their heritage, their language, and the formation of their own African identity. Being African means different things to different people, which Ntarangwi presents in the variety of personalities, styles, and lyrics he includes throughout the book.
In essence, Ntarangwi’s book portrays the East African youth movement as a powerful medium through which the meek gain leadership and a voice to tackle hard-hitting issues often hidden by governments and religious institutions, such as HIV/AIDS, use of condoms, corruption, and exploitation. Ntarangwi shows us an Africa that struggles to make its place in the global arena under the thumb of transnational companies, but simultaneously thrives artistically and economically in informal economies and through modern technology. He illustrates the power of hip hop and how politicians attempt to appropriate it in order to gain power and how some artists are able to challenge political puppets through their music. This book, though thin, is a powerful look into global phenomena that have materialized in many countries, including in its home in the United States.
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[Review length: 988 words • Review posted on March 9, 2010]