"A landmark compilation!" (Worldmusic-DJ Andy Kershaw, BBC Radio3)

Africa Raps ist in the "Best of John Peel's Record Box": www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/alt/peel_box/box.shtml

Given the West African griot tradition, the rise of rap music in Senegal and Mali shouldn't come as much of a surprise, though, as Africa Raps shows, the genre's local (Francophone) proponents have sensibly refused to buy into hip-hop culture wholesale: instead of the back-biting, immorality and violence of American rap, the form is used here almost exclusively as a platform for political grievance and social commentary. Gokh-Bi System's "Xaesal" decries the use of skin-bleaching agents by African women; Abass Abass's "Urgence" offers a nightmarish account of an accident victim's poor treatment by the Senegalese health service; CBV's "Art. 158" attacks the section of the country's criminal code that penalises possession of "yamba" (marijuana) and even Rizlas; and rappers such as Omzo, Sen Kumpe, Da Fugitivz and DaBrains criticise political corruption. The standard of chatting is generally high, though not all of the rappers have voices as appropriate to the task as the gruff, guttural tones of BMG 44. While most of the Senegalese contributors opt for the international rap style of breakbeats allied to acoustic guitar loops, string pads and keyboard figures, a few, such as Gokh-Bi System and Positive Black Soul, along with Malian rappers such as Tata Pound and Les Escrocs, bring the region's native kora music into the new world of breakbeats and banter. A fine compilation from a German label whose splendidly diverse catalogue covers everything from rembetika to reefer songs.
(The Independent - 07 December 2001)

Among the record labels whose output roughly corresponds to the range played
on this show is Trikont Records of Munich in Germany. In
the past they have released amusing and resourceful compilations of American
material linked by themes including drugs, sex, religion and death. Their
latest release is Africa Raps, mostly from Senegal and Mali and including
'Boul Ma Mine' by Positive Black Soul. The song is a re-working of
'Boulmamine' by Baobab, recorded in 1981 immediately before the more famous
Pirates Choice sessions, and included on the highly recommended Bamba album
(Sterns).
(Charlie Gillett, BBC Greater London Radio, 1.12.01)

There is still a wealth of vibrant and exciting music on the African
continent which is scarcely known in the West. This CD presents jewels
from the hip hop scene of Senegal, Mali and the Gambia, which until now could be only found in the music cassette shops of those countries.
In Dakar alone you can find more then 2000 different rap bands
spearheaded by Positive Black Soul, widely regarded as the founders of that country's rap movement. Their hit 'Boul Fale' kick-started the whole scene back in the eighties.