Unearthing the Origins: The African Influence on American Hip-Hop
Discover the profound influence of African rhythms on American hip-hop, as we explore the birth of this dynamic genre and its evolution over 50 years From DJ Kool Herc to Mode 9, delve into the roots of African hip-hop and its powerful impact on the global music scene
As a young kid in South Africa during the late 1980s, at the peak of the country's anti-apartheid movement, Osmic Menoe first discovered his love for hip-hop culture. He was initially drawn to the visual aspects, such as graffiti and murals, and even enjoyed experimenting with making sounds with his mouth, later realizing it was beatboxing.
Menoe discovered that the elements of hip-hop he admired were closely intertwined with the rich history and culture of the African continent. "Africa embodies the rhythm and the spirit of hip-hop," he explained.
However, the origins of the genre in Africa, as well as the individuals who elevated it to new levels, had been largely overlooked and undocumented.
"What will happen when all these people are gone, and their stories are forgotten?" Menoe wondered. This question motivated him to establish the South African Hip-Hop Museum in Johannesburg and create the Back to the City Festival.
"We can preserve these stories for future generations to learn from and be inspired by," he explained. "The world has been benefiting from African cultural contributions, not just our natural resources."
2023 signifies the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, a genre whose origin continues to be a topic of debate in the music world. While the birthplace of hip-hop is widely agreed to be the Bronx in New York City, there are also many who believe that the genre's artistic roots can be traced back to Africa.
Given hip-hop's storied history, CNN took on the challenge of answering another enduring debate within the genre: did Africa influence hip-hop culture, or was it the other way around?
From Africa to the Bronx and back
A view of the apartment building, pictured here in 2007, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, New York, widely considered to be the birthplace of hip-hop.
Peter Kramer/Getty Images
The hip-hop genre is widely believed to have originated at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, with DJ Kool Herc playing a pivotal role. He first experimented with his unique deejaying style and MCing at a "Back-to-School" jam at the 1520 Community Center in 1973, extending instrumental breaks and introducing rap to the scene. However, the roots of rap extend back even further across the Atlantic.
DJ Kool Herc (center) pictured with fellow rappers Ja Rule and Grandmaster Flash, circa 2000.
The tradition of griots in West African kingdoms and empires dates back to the 13th century. These storytellers were highly skilled in oration, poetry, music, and satire, and traveled around reciting the history of the empire with rhythm and repetition. Some argue that this oral tradition could be considered the earliest form of rap, laying the groundwork for the development of hip-hop.
Obi Asika, a Nigerian entrepreneur and record executive, emphasized that the vocal styling of rap is rooted in call-and-response, a fundamental element of Black music. This musical tradition, popularized by artists like James Brown and later featured in the historic 1980 track "The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow, has its origins in African history.
"Music is embedded in the form and function of African society from day one because it is also tied to the metronome of our hearts."
Obi Asika
Ogene music from the Igbo people has a history of at least a thousand years, characterized by call-and-response. The Yoruba Orikis with a priest singing also exhibit this call-and-response style, as do the foundations of Fuji from the Yoruba people, which can be compared to hip-hop," Asika observed, highlighting the diverse music styles of Nigerian ethnic groups.
"For us in Africa, music is a ritual, not simply entertainment," he further explained. "It is deeply ingrained in the structure and function of African society from the very beginning, resonating with the rhythm of our hearts."
Tracing hip-hops steps back to Africa
Five years prior to the event on Sedgwick Avenue, The Last Poets offered the initial insight into Africa's impact on Western hip-hop culture during the American Civil Rights movement.
The assembly of activists, poets, and musicians, often recognized as key figures in the development of hip-hop, came together in what is now known as Harlems Mount Morris Park on May 19, 1968. It marked the 43rd birthday of the slain civil rights leader Malcolm X, where they performed their inaugural public poetry recitals. By 1970, they produced an eponymous album featuring spoken word poetry that echoed the principles of Black power, accompanied by the rhythm of a conga drum.
Members of The Last Poets (left to right: Jalal Mansur Nuriddin, Nilaja Obabi and Umar Bin Hassan) pictured circa 1970 in New York City.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The group's vocal style incorporates elements of call-and-response and rhythmic chanting rooted in African culture. The name, The Last Poets, was derived from a poem titled "Towards a Walk in the Sun" by the revolutionary South African poet Keorapetse Kgositsile, symbolizing a period when poetry would have to be relinquished in the midst of the revolution.
Numerous artists, including Common, Too Short, N.W.A, a Tribe Called Quest, and The Notorious B.I.G., have sampled or referenced the work of the group. Last Poets founding member Abiodun Oyewole filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the artist's estate, which was dismissed in 2018 and declared fair use.
The spoken word tradition, originating with the griots centuries ago and later expanding to include musicians, poets, and rappers, has been instrumental in preserving oral history and cultural diversity.
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Asika acknowledges the influence of the African blueprint on rap in hip-hop culture, stating, "The music created by Black Americans is rooted in their African heritage, which has been reinterpreted due to their surroundings."
"All Black music, including hip-hop, comes from us."
The song that sent hip-hop around the world
The global notoriety of hip-hop began with the Sugar Hill Gangs "Rappers Delight" in 1979.
"Everybody heard that record," recalled Asika.
At the time, rap was referred to as "electro-funk," and "Rappers Delight" was the first to be played on the radio.
In 1980, The Sugar Hill Gang (consisting of members Big Bank Hank, Wonder Mike, and Master G) were photographed with their gold record for "Rapper's Delight," the song widely acknowledged for popularizing hip-hop worldwide.
Ayo Animashaun, the founder of Hip-Hop World Magazine and executive producer of The Headies awards, spoke about their strong devotion to American hip-hop rap music. "It wasn't just about where we were, but the culture we lived and breathed through our associations," he said.
Asika acknowledges that this ignited a cultural transformation across the African continent, encouraging fans to adopt the five elements of hip hop: emceeing, deejaying, breaking, graffiti, and beatboxing.
"These five elements, that's hip-hop. That's how the culture thrived," he remarked.
Pioneers of African hip-hop
Like in America, the DJ was the first to put rap on the map in Africa.
"Ron Ekundayo seems to have had the first record that was maybe recognized beyond Africa," said Asika of the continents earliest hip-hop offerings.
DJ Ronnie's "The Way I Feel" (1981).
Kolorgrafiks Studio Lagos/Clarendon Press Ltd./Phonodisk
In 1981, Nigerian DJ Ron Ekundayo, also known as DJ Ronnie, released "The Way I Feel," the country's first rap album. This predated the mid-80s to mid-90s when rap began to dominate mainstream music. DJ Ronnie's album paved the way for the Nigerian duo Okechukwu Azike and Pretty Okafor, known as "Junior and Pretty."
"They were rapping, preaching, and telling stories with their rap," Animashaun said.
Junior and Pretty were pioneers in the commercial release of rap music in Nigeria. Asika, who signed the duo to Storm Records in 1992 and released their first pidgin album, believes they are the foundation of Nigerian hip-hop and Afrobeats.
Junior and Pretty's "Tribute to Okechukwu Azike A.k.a. 'Junior'" (1994).
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At a time when most artists were copying American hip-hop culture, the duo stood out, bridging local dialects with English, which was considered unique at the time.
Asika emphasized that their music has been the building block for all subsequent efforts. He noted, "Once hip-hop began to rise in prominence and exert its influence, it eventually evolved into what we now know as Afrobeats."
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In the 1980s, South Africa saw the rise of Senyaka Kekana, professionally known as Senyaka. As one of the country's earliest hip-hop acts, he released his debut album "Fuquza Dance" in 1987, featuring hit singles such as "Go Away." Senyaka ventured into blending music genres like house and pop, incorporating his own humorous and sometimes controversial lyrics. His unique style also contributed to the development of the sub-genre of Kwaito, a variant of house music that includes African sounds and samples.
The birth of a protest movement
Amidst the rise of hip-hop in Nigeria and South Africa, the Senegalese rap scene was gaining momentum. In the late eighties, the influence of hip-hop made its way to this French-speaking country in West Africa.
"Senegal is a major center for hip-hop," stated Leslie "Lee" Kasumba, an African music curator from Uganda.
As Eric B. & Rakim revolutionized rap flow in America with their album "Paid in Full," Senegal was also producing its own influential dynamic duo in Positive Black Soul.
Positive Black Soul's "Je Ne Sais Pas" (1996).
Island Records
The Dakar-based duo, made up of DJ Awadi and Doug E. Tee, was the country's first widely recognized hip-hop group. Formed in 1989, they rapped in English, French, and Wolof. Influenced by American artists such as Public Enemy, the duo promoted black pride and centered their lyrics around African empowerment.
"Kasumba highlighted that they weren't just talented rappers, but also active community members. In the mid-1990s, conscious rap gained global popularity, with lyrics addressing social issues beyond the usual celebratory and upbeat themes."
In 1993, the Tanzanian group Kwanza Unit was an early adopter of the trend. Similar to the Wu-Tang Clan in the US, Kwanza Unit was a hip-hop collective that brought together artists and fans to establish their own culture and way of life. Their lyrics addressed social issues faced by the people in Tanzania, such as racism, classism, and police brutality, delivered in Swahili. Osmic Menoe remembered the emergence of hip-hop protest music in apartheid South Africa, particularly in Cape Town, from his time as a young child.
The persistent inequalities experienced by Black individuals in South Africa have motivated artists to express their discontent through music. Prophets of Da City emerged as the pioneering hip-hop collective to embody this perspective.
"Prophets of Da City and similar groups were highly vocal in their role as community activists, and they were strongly motivated by political concerns," stated Phiona Okumu, head of sub-Saharan Music at Spotify, a team dedicated to promoting African musical talents.
A photo of Prophets of Da City with legendary musician James Brown, pictured in the UK in 1995.
Prophets of Da City
During his time as a journalist in South Africa at the early onset of hip-hop, Okumu regards Prophets of Da City as a highly influential group. "They evoked thoughts of similar American groups such as Public Enemy, who were known for their militancy and deep concern for social issues," Okumu stated.
Swagger like us
"They frequently expressed the events in their immediate surroundings, having grown up on the Cape Flats," she explained, "and this truly marked the beginning of grassroots hip-hop in Cape Town."
African artists began to achieve greater commercial success at the turn of the century, following in the footsteps of influential figures. In Nigeria, Mode 9 emerged as a prominent name, known for his authentic hip-hop sound. Born in England as Banatunde Olusegun Adewale, Mode 9 transitioned from a DJ to a rap star, initially gaining recognition as a presenter for Rhythm 84.7 FM in Abuja, Nigeria. His musical career took off in 2004 with the release of his debut album "Malcolm IX."
He has won the Headies award nine times, with seven of those for Lyricist on the Roll, showcasing his mastery of wordplay. Despite being a trendsetter in his own right, he also draws inspiration from US hip-hop influences. As he puts it, "It's not where you're from, it's where you're at - a hip-hop state of mind."
Mode 9
"When I listened to [American rapper] Big Daddy Kane, everything changed," Mode 9 said. "He inspired me to just be who I am, (to) not be afraid to add that to my hip-hop."
During the early years, many up-and-coming African rappers believed that the path to success lay in mastering the American hip-hop swagger.
"It's not about where you're from, it's about your mindset - a hip-hop state of mind," Mode 9 explained. He reminisces about sporting head warmers, Champion hoodies, and Timberland boots to embody the hip-hop swag, despite the fact that the temperatures in Lagos often didn't align with this style.
"We were unfazed by the heat, sweating through our head warmers, determined to achieve a hip-hop style," he stated.
The rise of hip-hop's mainstream appeal brought about a enduring fashion trend. American artists often incorporated their favorite clothing brands into their lyrics. Graffiti artists transitioned from tagging walls to airbrushing clothing, and break dancers developed their own unique signature styles.
"The dress code was straight out of a Source Magazine," explained Mode 9, referencing the US-based publication, which is the worlds longest-running rap periodical.
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How American hip-hop influenced this African rapper's style
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"What was hot in America was definitely hot in Nigeria," he added.
Raps roots grounded in Africa
"I'm rocking Adidas - that's all thanks to hip hop," Menoe concurred. "But deep down, the real reason you decided to purchase that shoe is simply because of the influence of a group called Run DMC, who made it popular and cool."
Both Asika and Menoe acknowledge the undeniable influence of rap music on global music scenes, particularly in Africa, for the past fifty years. However, they emphasize that its roots can be traced back to African cultural expressions, and they believe that the influence goes both ways. "I don't want it to seem like Africans are trying to claim something that our relatives created," Asika expressed. "I believe that in Africa, hip-hop has been around for maybe a thousand years. Our music runs deeper than just a passing trend; it's fundamental."
Asake has evolved a cutting-edge sound that is revolutionizing the Afrobeats genre. With Afrobeats gaining worldwide acclaim, African artists are making a significant impact on the music scene. However, there is a need to preserve and educate about the evolution of hip-hop in Africa. This is why Menoe is dedicated to documenting and safeguarding the history of African hip-hop, and is the driving force behind the establishment of the museum in South Africa.
The museum enshrines artifacts and includes a wall of fame, which pays tribute to those who laid the foundation for todays hip-hop.
"We want to show the world what Africas about," said Menoe.
"This (hip-hop) is what we are about, and this is what weve been about."
CNNs Earl Nurse, Kaito Au, Aneta Felix and Gertrude Kitongo contributed to this report.
