"Whether you
trace it to New York's South Bronx or the villages of West Africa,
hip-hop has become the voice of a generation demanding to be heard."
-- James McBride "Hip Hop Planet", National Geographic, April, 2007
Many older Americans remember learning about the world through the pages of the National Geographic. The magazine has changed a lot over the decades. Witness an article in this month's issue. It's about hip-hop. PRI's and BBC's 'The World' produced this 'Global Hit' segment which says the article ties into a bigger National Geographic musical initiative. (in partnership with Calabash Music)
This month the society's flagship magazine featured an article called "Hip Hop Planet." And their website, National Geographic World Music, (whose entire music catalog is provided by Calabash) has produced 'Geo Remixed: Big Beats for a Small Planet' an exclusive new album of international pop music -- remixed by other global artists.
Try sampling this track by the Tanzanian group X Plastaz which is from the geo remixed project and combines Masai vocalizing and western hip-hop. With their music initiative National Geographic has begun to shed its reputation as covering the world from a middle-aged armchair. The article "Hip Hop Planet" is further proof of that and is destined to be the start of a series of music features highlighting emerging music talents from around the world.
The Senegalese artist Pato is also featured on the new National Geographic CD, "GeoRemixed." He and other hip hop artists recently played a key role in raising political consciousness among young voters in Senegal, and getting them out to the polls.
The World's Global Hit producer, Marco Werman says, "It would be ironic if National Geographic makes more Americans realize this. After all, many in this country will recall when the glossy pages of the magazine used to depict Africans as naked savages beating drums. Now the magazine shows just how plugged in to global culture many Africans really are."
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