AFRICA - One Big CountryOur continent is large enough to create the largest hip hop industry in the world. This culture stretches over all points of the continent, making it difficult to understand how it is that SA cats can never get hold of Mode 9 or Reggie Rockstone records. And how cats in Gabon can't cop of HHP, Pro or Jozi. The problem is that we've let our geographic boundaries divide us. The marketability of African hip hop within the continent has been proven over and over again. The interest is there. We were speaking to some friends of ours from Nigeria who told us how HYPE Sessions tracks were being played on some radio stations in that country. We don't even distribute in Nigeria...
Now this is the deal. We need to find a way to unite the culture on the continent... A way to create one ma**ive hip hop community that stretches over the whole of Africa. This has been the vision of activists such as Lee Kasumba, and it's time we made it work. We need to start treating Africa as a single country with many different provinces. Africa is the second largest continent in the world, at 30065000 sq km and a population of over 740 million. The United States, as a country, is not a great deal smaller than the African continent. At 24256000 sq km and a population of over 301 million, the US might as well be a continent. In comparison, South Africa's 48 million population is hardly enough to sell to once this number has been divided into the various demographics.
If we promoted and distributed all of Africa's hip hop throughout the continent at the right price, each record could have the potential of reaching twice as many people as US records reach in their country. This means that for every one million domestic sales made by an American artists, two million can be pushed by an African artist - in Africa alone.
In my opinion, creating a united African hip hop community depends on the availability of the continent's music throughout. With the help of major radio stations across the land, distribution companies and platforms such as Channel O, this can start falling in place today. Record stores stock music that is in demand. Radio and TV are powerful enough to creates this demand. If one major station in every African country could playlist selected tracks from other African countries, , this would create the demand that would prompt the distributors to stock the records. Its that simple.
This is not an idea. It's what needs to happen now. To all our people in countries preparing for elections... Remember to VOTE SMART.
Mizi, Editor
mizi@hypemagazine.co.za
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TRACK LIST
01. It aint easy - HHP
02. F.A.B – Infinite Lyrisist & Beijing Xiaolin
03. Guess Who – SFS & Don Juan Bacha
04. Front Row – JR & Tumi
05. For the love – KEB(Killin Every Bastad), Zeus & Tebz
06. Monday to Sunday – Junior, Kwesta & Tido Minado
07. Show me love – Rhytmmath
08. Why (love & respect to my sistas) – Zuluboy & Caroline
09. Send me an angel – Afro Kett
10. Battle Chronicles (Emcee Africa) – DJ Black, Rage, Yung D, J Town, Mode 9, Snaz, Professor J & Nazizi
11. Buster – Gomes, Thanoku & Toodi(Morafe)
12. U cant (OC Jacksmoothnight Remix) – JR, Slikour & Maggz
13. Trinity Hydro – Beijing Xiaolin, Zeus, Tebz & Don Juan Bacha
14. Put us in the game(Gone) – Charlie From Tha Block & SuggaSmaxx
15. Be ur Erthang - Glitterati
