Rap music is playing a big role in politics in West Africa, particularly the country of Senegal. Here's an excerpt from a great story on the increasing political force---a movement, really---of the rappers there:

Rap has made inroads into a country renowned as one of the centers of West Africa's vibrant music scene, where the Mbalax style of dance music derived from traditional beats and popularized by N'Dour is a favorite genre.

In the early '90s, bands like Daara J and Positive Black Soul recorded hip-hop albums in Wolof, the most widely spoken African language in the former French colony, where many unemployed youth take to rap with dreams of hitting the big time.

Quickly becoming the voice of a generation eager for jobs and education but frustrated by corruption, inefficiency and a lack of opportunities, they built up a loyal following.

Unlike American equivalents, Senegalese rappers rarely glorify violence or the ruthless pursuit of money, tackling issues from poverty, religion and sexuality to politics.

I often wonder if the hip hop/rap artists that we listen to here will ever revive the more visible political expression that the music once had. I'm convinced that it could---it just needs a phat beat. As the bling-bling artists show, people will listen to anything that sounds good.

But if the music doesn't sound good, no amount of social or political content is going to make it appeal to the masses.